A civic voice in the public conversation
Meet eli through the stories, interviews, and creative work that have brought his perspective to wider audiences. Explore his voice—and the organizations, communities, and partnerships connected to his work.
- ABC7 Chicago · television segment
Special Segment: Financial ForgivenessABC7 interviews eli about LNVB’s early educational debt relief work and the community service commitment that connects veterans with Chicago neighborhoods.
- Chicago Tribune feature · syndication
“2 veterans help others battle debt”Bonnie Miller Rubin’s Tribune reporting on williamson, Sartin, and LNVB’s early debt-relief work, available through The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- NPR radio report
Chicago’s Silent Watchmen Guard School RouteDavid Schaper reports on LNVB’s school-route work; an NPR affiliate preserves the story.
- Announcement
McCormick Foundation — williamson to lead Veterans ProgramContemporary career announcement.
- The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Grantmaking and the gaps in veteran reintegrationReporting: Suzanne Sataline interviews eli in The Chronicle of Philanthropy about moving from grant seeker to grant maker and the difficulty of coordinating housing, employment, and mental-health support.
- The Daily Beast
Veteran services: #vetchatMcCormick’s eli hosts a discussion about gaps in veteran support.
- Philanthropy New York · program
Returning veterans: Philanthropy New York conferenceProgram record: eli is listed as a McCormick program director on a panel about returning veterans’ educational experiences at The New Rapid Deployment conference. Date shown is the conference session.
- Nonprofit Quarterly · Rick Cohen
Helping Today’s Veterans: The Role for PhilanthropyReporting: Rick Cohen describes eli’s Council on Foundations discussion of faith-based partnerships, moral injury, and building trust between veterans and civilian providers.
- Illinois Library Association · June 2013, pp. 12–15
From the Front Lines to the Front DeskProfessional media: Chris Watkins’s ILA Reporter article quotes eli on libraries’ meeting spaces as resources for veterans and describes McCormick support for Illinois Joining Forces.
- All American Speakers · conference directory
Chicago Ideas Week speaker listingConference listing: Chicago Ideas Week’s 2014 speaker directory identifies eli as Director of the Veterans Program at McCormick. The listing confirms his role, without documenting a specific talk’s content.
- Donor profile
Chive Charities — Leave No Veteran BehindInterview material and early employment-program claims.
Transitional employment becomes prominent
LNVB expanded from scholarships into transitional jobs and community-based work.
- Reported profile
The Christian Science Monitor — Nonprofit pays off education debts for US veteransHayley Fox’s profile of LNVB’s retroactive scholarship and recipients; originally published by TakePart.
- McCormick Foundation / PR Newswire
Veterans grants and easier service navigationFoundation announcement: eli explains the need for clearer pathways through fragmented veteran services. The release names grants supporting employment, mental health, and veterans entering philanthropy.
- Recorded talk · 6:49
Got Your 6 — Can You See the Existential Threats?williamson’s storyteller presentation on veteran service and community impact.
- Give an Hour · press release
Give an Hour: McCormick grant coverageGrantee announcement: Give an Hour reports a $100,000 McCormick grant for online access and support for military sexual assault survivors, quoting eli on navigating services. Posted November 10; release dateline November 4.
- WTTW · event listing
With Malice Toward None: civic discussionEvent record: WTTW lists eli, in his McCormick role, among panelists discussing Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. The Great Books Foundation’s recap also records his participation. Date shown is the event.
- Great Books Foundation · recap
With Malice Toward None: event recapOrganizer recap: the Great Books Foundation records eli’s participation as McCormick’s Veterans Program director in its civic discussion with WTTW and the Union League Club. Date shown is the event, not the recap’s publication.
- Upworthy · Safe Passage feature
For some kids in Chicago, life is a war zone. But these military vets offer safe routes to school.Erin Canty highlights LNVB’s community safety work and shares NationSwell’s Safe Passage mini-documentary.
- USC Social Work · Claudia Bustamante
Bringing the Chicagoland Veterans Study to ChicagoUniversity reporting: Claudia Bustamante describes a $316,000 McCormick grant for a USC veteran needs assessment. eli explains how he sought local partners and a research framework to improve knowledge of Chicagoland veterans’ needs.
- HuffPost · feature
This Veteran Refuses to Leave His Unemployed and Debt-Ridden Comrades BehindAfter returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, eli saw a connection between veterans rebuilding civilian lives and young Chicagoans navigating violence with limited support. The HuffPost feature follows how he and Roy Sartin built Leave No Veteran Behind around educational debt relief, transitional employment, and youth programs—including S.T.E.A.M. Corps. At its heart is eli’s belief that veterans can continue serving by helping their communities imagine and build a stronger future.
- NPR audio / transcript
Despite Low Unemployment, Veterans Struggle to Find Meaningful Jobswilliamson discusses underemployment. The broadcast transcript includes a correction of the organization’s name.
- Grant record
MacArthur supports LNVBMacArthur support helped LNVB plan for sustainability as its work connected veterans, employment, and youth.
- Public hearing · audio
National Commission — Pathways to Employmentwilliamson is a named panelist in the full public hearing recording.
- Community remarks · video
Windsor Park community hub ribbon cuttingCambium identifies williamson speaking about the local partnership.
- Video · partnership coverage
LA Galaxy — Modelo and LNVB recognize veteransDocuments an LNVB debt-relief activation; williamson’s on-camera presence is unconfirmed.
- Interview / profile
We Are The Mighty — Veteran reintegration and LNVBwilliamson discusses the organization’s founding purpose.
Articulates the civic-assets thesis
eli described veteran reintegration as a chance to contribute skills and leadership to community life.
- We Are The Mighty · Safe Passage
These veterans are keeping kids safe on dangerous Chicago streetsPaul Szoldra covers LNVB’s school-route safety work and its connection to veteran employment and community service.
- Audio panel · 24 minutes
America’s Heroes Group — Veterans Day Celebration, episode 26williamson is named as a panelist.
- Corporate spotlight
Ford / Audacy — Built for ChicagoLists LNVB among organizations featured in the veterans and first responders campaign; the page does not independently establish williamson’s appearance in a specific video.
- College record
Recognized by Luther Collegewilliamson and Sartin receive a joint Distinguished Service Award for their work with LNVB.
- Video / recognition
Luther College — eli williamson and Roy Brown SartinDistinguished Service Award video featuring the cofounders.
- NPR audio / transcript
NPR — Black veterans’ empowerment conferenceIncludes williamson’s remarks on VA benefits and the Black Veterans Empowerment Council.
- Chicago Gallery News · listing
The Four Virtues: Exhibitioneli's first photography exhibit, The Four Virtues, is featured at the Evanston Art Center, January 19–March 10, 2023.
- Family Action Network · listing
The Four Virtues reaches FAN audiencesCommunity listing: Family Action Network shares the exhibition and describes eli’s use of photography and written exposition. The listing does not establish a separate publication date.
- Published photo credit · South Side Drive · photograph
Published photography: South Shore Quality-of-Life PlanThe January 2023 South Side Drive issue credits eli for a photograph of community leaders connected to South Shore’s Quality-of-Life Plan. The credit documents his images appearing in neighborhood reporting; it is a publication of his photography rather than a review of his work.
View publication ↗ - Exhibition announcement
Evanston Art Center — The Four Virtues: FatherHoodFirst installment of williamson’s photographic series.
- Review · Newcity Art · Susan Aurinko
The First Virtue: eli williamson’s “The Four Virtues” at Evanston Art CenterReview: Susan Aurinko discusses the Fatherhood photographs and their accompanying words, describing the series as a response to stereotypes about Black fathers.
- The Daily Northwestern · Jack Austin
Loving Black fathers: Daily Northwestern featureReporting: Jack Austin covers eli’s Four Virtues exhibition and its effort to show loving Black fathers in ordinary settings.
- Commencement address · video
The Chicago School — williamson commencement speechFourteen-minute address for the 2023 class, posted in 2025.
- Bahá’í House of Worship · showcase
Art & History Pop-up Gallery: artist profileArtist profile: the Bahá’í House of Worship’s 2024 archive lists eli and the works The Throne, Birds Eye View, and The Ride.
- Newcity Art · Susan Aurinko
Work, Love and Respect: Newcity reviewReview: Susan Aurinko examines the second virtue’s photographs of Black men at work and eli’s letter-form artist statement, Dear Black Man.
- CPS / MacArthur
Safe Passage work continuesLNVB continued working alongside Chicago Public Schools and community partners through Safe Passage.
- Bahá’í House of Worship · showcase
Art & History Pop-up Gallery: 2025 showcaseArtist listing: the Bahá’í House of Worship’s 2025 archive includes eli as a photo essayist whose street photography challenges false narratives.
- Exhibition / review
Evanston Art Center — The Four Virtues: Wonder · Newcity reviewExhibition listing and independent criticism of his photography.
- The Daily Northwestern · Clare Kirwan
Wonder: Daily Northwestern featureReporting: Clare Kirwan explores the Four Virtues project, its photographic origins, and the experience of Black men and boys represented in Wonder.
- Long-form profile
South Side Drive — From South Shore to Service and BeyondInterview-led account of his upbringing, service, and work.
- Television / reporting
CBS Chicago — Veterans rodeo preview · Chicago Sun-Times — event report · Citizen Newspaper Group — LNVB profileEach includes williamson’s comments or attribution.
- Video · LNVB coverage
WGN — Leave No Veteran Behind rodeoEvent coverage; williamson’s on-camera presence is unconfirmed.
- South Side Drive · contributor credit
Published photography: South Side Drive contributorMagazine credit: The South Side Drive’s August issue names eli among its contributing photographers.
- WGN · video
Leave No Veteran Behind holds rodeo on Chicago’s South SideCoverage of the event; williamson’s on-camera presence has not been verified.
- CBS Chicago · report and video
Rodeo supporting veterans coming to Chicago’s South Side · Video segmentQuotes williamson on the event’s purpose.
- Chicago Sun-Times · on-site report
South Side rodeo brings resources, support to veteransReports from the rodeo and interviews attendees and williamson.
- Citizen Newspaper Group · interview
Leave No Veteran Behind continues to support veteransDiscusses the rodeo with williamson and the organization’s broader work.
- Philanthropic profile
Philanthropy Roundtable — Leaving No Veteran Behind This Veterans DayProfiles LNVB’s transition model and quotes williamson. Its impact totals are attributed to him, not independently audited by this article.
- Evanston Made · announcement
Fellowship announcement: Evanston MadeCommunity announcement: Evanston Made introduces Fellowship, the Four Virtues installment about spaces where Black men and boys learn, grow, and heal together. Its archive dates the announcement December 20.
- The Network Journal · Taroue Brooks
Through His Lens: The Network Journal interviewInterview: Taroue Brooks asks eli about visual storytelling, Black masculinity, legacy, and the relationship between documentary and fine-art photography. The publisher’s archive dates the article December 22, 2025.
- WTTW News · Josh Terry
WTTW selects Fellowship as a weekend pickArts coverage: Josh Terry includes eli’s Fellowship exhibition in WTTW News’s weekly cultural recommendations.
- Choose Chicago · listing
Choose Chicago promotes FellowshipTourism calendar listing: Choose Chicago shares Fellowship and its January 24–March 1 exhibition run. Date shown is the calendar occurrence, not an article publication date.
- Photo essay · authored
Medium — Motherlesswilliamson’s essay; his Medium author page indexes further writing.
- Montana Free Press · Q&A
Helena rodeo and resource fair interviewInterview with Helena rodeo president Erik Vilen on access to veteran services.
- Montana Free Press · photograph
Helena rodeo photograph and follow-upThe publication credits a photograph of the 2026 event to eli williamson; the newsletter says it did not cover the event itself.
Undated coverage
- Profile · date unconfirmed
Oprah’s Angel Network — Helping Veterans with Educational DebtEarly account of williamson and LNVB’s scholarship model.
Watch: service and community
Luther College Alumni — eli williamson ’02 — Communication Studies
Luther College’s alumni profile connects eli’s education with his commitment to service.
Meet the Hard-Working Veterans Offering a Safe Passage to Chicago Youth
NationSwell’s feature follows Leave No Veteran Behind’s work helping Chicago students travel safely to and from school.