Leslé Honoré

Leslé Honoré is the CEO of Urban Gateways, Co-Chair of Elevated Chicago and was recently appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson as Co-Chair of the Arts and Culture Transition Team and to Chicago’s Women’s Advisory Council. Leslé is a Blaxican poet, activist, and published author. In her poetry and personal life, she helps youth amplify their voices through the arts. She helps marginalized communities stand in the gaps that social, economic, and racial inequalities create. Her community leadership is woven into her artistic work. As Elevated Chicago’s Co-Chair, with focused work on Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD), Leslé infused her expertise in poetry and art into youth engagement and her leadership style into governance and programming. Her past work threads seamlessly into Urban Gateways’ mission to inspire creativity and impact social change.