CHICAGO (WLS) — “Black & Powerful” is a 10-part longform streaming series created by ABC7 Chicago.

The premise of the series is “seeing is believing,” in hopes to inspire those young and young at heart to achieve their goals. We sit down with leaders in the entertainment, sports, education, arts and more! Each individual sharing their personal journey that led them to becoming the person they are today.

Episode 2 features Eyewitness News Anchor Terrell Brown and Illinois Senator Robert Peters. Peters was elected to the 13th District in 2019. He shares his life growing up in Hyde Park as an adopted child with a hearing impairment.

The state senator details the challenges he faced finding his identity and navigating in a world in which he felt misunderstood. Peters lost the patriarch of his family in his 20s and shares the lessons he learned from that loss and how it helped him get where he is today.

His passion for community and creating change are on full display in the candid conversation. Acknowledging he is following in the footsteps of two well-known predecessors, Peters says he hopes to make his own mark on his community, Chicago and the country.