At a diner on the city's South Side this afternoon, former Chicago Urban League chief Cheryle Jackson officially launched her U.S. Senate campaign. Just yesterday Jackson stepped down as CEO of the local civil rights organization. "I have become convinced that economically empowering people with good jobs, affordable, quality health care, and good education is the backbone to building strong communities and the way forward for Illinois," Jackson told supporters today in a speech that frequently referenced her efforts to turn the Urban League from a social service agency to an incubator for economic development. Watch an excerpt:

Elsewhere in her speech, Jackson noted that, under her leadership, the Urban League filed suit against the state over the inequitable education funding system. She also stressed her support for health care reform and reproductive rights, while declaring a commitment to "enforce" the Lilly Ledbetter Act so women are paid "an equal dollar for an equal day's work."

Jackson didn't sidestep some of the tougher questions thrown at her by reporters. For instance, when asked how she would have voted on a bill introduced earlier this week to bar ACORN from receiving federal funding, she said she would have opposed it, citing the community organization's long track record of advocating for some of the Illinois' neediest. 

Still, the Jackson campaign's largest liability is the title of "former Blagojevich spokeswoman." Today, she expanded on her explanation of why she shouldn't be associated with Blagojevich, noting the aforementioned lawsuit against the state as well as her opposition to Blagojevich's gross receipts tax proposal.  Watch below:

Jackson also announced today that she plans to take a statewide tour beginning October 1.