Leah Hope
Prior to joining ABC 7, Hope worked at KATU-TV, the ABC affiliate in Portland, Oregon. At KATU-TV, she anchored weekend evening newscasts and reported during the week. Previously, she held the same positions at WISH-TV in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hope began her broadcasting career as a general assignment reporter at WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland.
Hope's work covering issues in the African American community has been honored on both national and local levels. In 2003, she won two awards from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for reports on a group of "Lost Boys" attacked by a Chicago gang and changes in the cosmetic industry that reflect the changing face of America. The NABJ Chicago Chapter awarded Hope the 2003 Russ Ewing Excellence in Journalism Award and recognized her again with the 2004 Excellence in Enterprise Journalism Award for a series of reports on affirmative action.
Hope received an Emmy award for the half-hour primetime special, "9/11/02 The New Homeland." She contributed to "People, Places, and Things You Should Know: Women in Science and Technology," which won the 2001 Gracie Award from American Women in Radio and Television. Hope has been awarded several Peter Lisagor Awards, given by the Society of Professional Journalists, for stories ranging from breaking news coverage to consumer and business reporting. She was honored by the Chicago chapter of the Council on Islamic American Relations with the 2007 Media Award for ethical reporting. Hope was honored as the 2013 recipient of the Diogenes Award for Excellence in media from the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. In addition to that she won an Emmy for reporting during the 2012 NATO Summit.
Hope is as a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is a Journalism Advisory Board member at Columbia College and belongs to several journalism organizations including: Investigative Reporters and Editors Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, American Women in Radio and Television, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Outside journalism, her community involvement includes work in the arts. She is a member of the Leadership Advisory Council at the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art and Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. Hope's charitable work took her to Minneapolis on bicycle to participate in the 2001 Chicago AIDS Ride. She has been involved in several breast cancer awareness campaigns to promote early detection.
Hope received her B.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism/Political Science from Syracuse University in New York. She is the great-granddaughter of John Hope; the first African American president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Hope lives in the Chicago area.
Leah's Stories
Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas announces bid for mayor of Chicago
George Cardenas joins a growing list of mayoral hopefuls, ahead of the election next February.
Road closures, parking restrictions in place ahead of Obama Presidential Center opening
The Obama Presidential Center opens in two weeks, and there are openings and closings to navigate.
ABC7 gets sneak peek at new Chicago Public Library branch on Obama Presidential Center campus
The branch has a Presidential Reading Room with 3,000 books personally chosen by the Obamas and a few from the former president's personal collection.
Illinois leaders, fans across Chicago area react after Bears advance Hammond, Indiana stadium plans
Illinois political leaders are facing renewed pressure after the Chicago Bears issued their strongest statement yet signaling they are serious about leaving Soldier Field for a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
All lanes reopen after death investigation shuts down I-290 in west suburbs; bomb squad responds
A deadly incident shut down all lanes on I-290 in Chicago's west suburbs for about nine hours Thursday, leading to a bomb squad investigation.
Taking a look at the Obama Presidential Center inside and out
With the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in just over two weeks, we are giving you a look inside, and outside the center.
Atrium in Obama Presidential Center named for Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton, killed in 2013 shooting
Thirteen years ago, Chicagoans and people across the country were shocked to hear of the murder of Hadiya Pendleton.
Advocates' push to raise flag for Pride month met with fierce opposition at Palatine council meeting
In the months leading into Pride Month, a group of Palatine residents rallied to fly the Pride flag but hit a roadblock.
Nonprofit hosts 'field takeover' at Bronzeville school as alternative to disruptive teen gatherings
Among the participants were some young people and parents who appreciated having a safe, positive event on a Saturday.
Groups work on alternative options for young people to avoid 'teen takeovers' in Chicago
Leaders in Chicago blocked off access to Rainbow Beach Friday evening after flyers shared online advertised it as the scene of another "teen trend." It was unclear whether that's the reason police were there.