IC-SS Weekly Update: April 5, 2021
Rally to Demand Democracy – Thurs, April 8Our freedom to vote: the most pressing issue we face
This Thursday, 5:30 pm at Federal Plaza, join Indivisible Chicago Alliance to Demand Democracy: Fighting for the Freedom to Vote. Gather with IC-South Side friends and folks from Indivisible and other groups from across Chicagoland!
After four years of resisting, it’s our time to demand that Congress take bold action to solve the climate crisis, address racial and economic injustice, invest in our communities, and ensure permanent protections for immigrants – among others.
But it all starts with our demand for democracy and the fight for the freedom to vote. The House of Representatives has passed the For the People Act, the largest and boldest Democracy bill in modern day history. If this bill passes the Senate, it will bring about sweeping democracy reform in our nation, including protecting and expanding voting rights, ending partisan gerrymandering, and curbing big money in politics. And its passage will end the racially based attack against voting rights in states across the country.
Join Indivisible Chicago as we gather in Federal Plaza on Thurs, April 8th, 5:30 pm to Demand Democracy. For all of our safety and the safety of our communities, masks must be worn and we ask everyone to maintain social distancing. #ForThePeopleAct#WeDemandDemocracy#FreedomToVoteGet info on the April 8 Federal Plaza rally
Get info on the April 8 Federal Plaza rally
Online Event on For the People: Wed, April 7
This Wednesday, April 7th, 7:00 pm, attend ICA’s online event focusing on the For the People Act (S1), a sweeping pro-democracy bill to create an even playing field where ALL Americans are free to vote. The discussion will also address how the filibuster rule affects the strategy for getting the landmark S1 legislation across the finish line. Come learn about this bill and what you can do to help turn it into law. Speakers will include Dan Weiner, deputy director of the Brennan Center’s Election Reform Program; activists on the ground in key states where voting freedom is being challenged; and more. Sign up for the online session here.
On April 7, learn about For the People – and how you can help get it passed; sign up!
For Democracy: More Ways to Act
How will YOU help assure voting rights? You can help pass democracy legislation by getting informed and then writing, phoning, and using your social media to reach voters and lawmakers. Take your pick:
For the People Week of Action
From Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD): “Over the course of the week, activists will hold Demand Democracy local actions across the country, conduct virtual advocacy visits with their Senators, and have the opportunity to attend Democracy Teach-Ins to learn more about issues like gerrymandering, voting rights and voter suppression, how to get big money out of politics, and how democracy reform can advance equality and social justice.”
Get informed this week – and act – in support of the For the People Act by attending Indivisible Chicago Alliance’s April 7th and 8th actions (see above). Find more ways to learn and act at the DFAD For the People Week of Action page.
See DFAD’s For the People Week of Action webpage
Phonebank For the People – Every Wednesday in April
Indivisible Chicago Alliance (ICA) has teamed up with Common Cause to expand support for the For the People Act by phoning and asking progressive voters in key states like ME, PA, AZ, and GA, to call their senators with a simple message: Pass this bill, whatever it takes.
Use your devices from home and get all the training, info, and support you need as you Zoom with the friendly phonebank pros at Indivisible Chicago.
Every Wednesday, different times. SIGN UP HERE.
In real life, you’ll use your computer and cell phone to call voters!
Use Your Social Media & Email to Help Pass S1
Join DemCast, the Democratic Coalition, and a team of everyday people using their social media accounts and email to spread the truth about the urgent need for Democracy Reform. Just head to the For the People Act: Action Center.
Take 3 Minutes – Send a Letter to Our Senators Via DemCast, write to your Senators today in support of the For the People Act. Just fill in your info and click next!
Via DemCast, write to your Senators today in support of the For the People Act. Just fill in your info and click next!
Encourage Voting: Write to New Voters
For the new Vote Forward campaigns, write letters to first-time and infrequent voters who cast ballots in the 2020 general election, and encourage them to vote again. View new campaigns here.
Democracy Resources – NEW ONES!
Read listen and watch: Newly shared articles, podcasts, postings, and videos on democracy, voting rights, and the filibuster.
Read
- Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century – Jane Mayer, New Yorker
- US democracy on the brink: Republicans wage ‘coordinated onslaught’ on voting rights – Sam Levine, Guardian
- I’m finally done with the Senate filibuster. We’re running out of time to save democracy. – Noah Bookbinder, USA Today
- Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American blog: A history of voter suppression + For the People and the filibuster (part 2) + For the People (HR1) and the filibuster (part 1). We recommend subscribing to the blog.
Watch or Listen
- Marc Elias is Saving Democracy and Voting Rights From Peril – Marc Elias interviewed by Jill Wine-Banks & Victor Shi
Websites
- Brennan Center
- Declaration for American Democracy (a coalition of 200+ orgs, including Indivisible, Color of Change, Common Cause)
- Democracy Docket (Marc Elias)
- Fair Fight (Stacey Abrams)
- Fix Our Senate
- Indivisible (national)
Find more resources listed in our newsletters from
Feb 15, Feb 22, March 1, March 8, March 15, March 22, March 29.
Organizations & Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and action announcements from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
Gerald Reed Is Free: Thank & Petition Gov Pritzker
After more than 30 years behind bars, Gerald Reed is coming home. Mr. Reed was tortured by Chicago police into a confession and was disabled as a result. Over the decades, he endured a lack of medical care and multiple injustices in connection with his case, but Governor Pritzker has now acted to commute his sentence and release him.
We are overjoyed for Mr. Reed and for his mother, Armanda Shackelford, who never gave up fighting for her son. Read the story here.
Many of you have supported efforts of Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), Chicago Torture Justice Center, and other organizations by appealing to Governor Pritzker on Gerald Reed’s behalf.
DONATE: If you’d like to make a donation for Gerald Reed, here is the GoFundMe link to the Gerald Reed Welcome Home Fund.
ACT: Now sign a petition for all survivors of police torture. The Campaign to Free All Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture (CFIST), initiated by CAARPR, continues to advocate for other survivors. You can sign a petition to Governor Pritzker here, asking him to free all survivors of police torture.
The petition form has a comment box, so you can choose to add a note thanking the Governor for freeing Gerald Reed.
Tell City Council to Ban Abusive, Unjustified Police Raids
From Workers Center for Racial Justice: On December 14, 2020, Anjanette Young, a Chicago social worker, courageously released a video of the CPD’s raid of her home—video that the City of Chicago fought to hide from the public for more than a year.
Officers burst into Ms. Young’s home while she was naked and pointed their guns at her, and handcuffed her. They held her naked in handcuffs for more than 40 minutes as they tore through her home, and ignored her terrified pleas that they were in the WRONG home. And in fact, the police were in the wrong home. Records showed that CPD’s actual target was confined inside another apartment on electronic monitoring and had no connection to Ms. Young or her home.
According to an ongoing investigation by CBS 2 News there have been other cases in which police have wrongfully raided the homes of innocent civilians–including an incident involving police drawing guns at a toddler’s birthday party.
We’ve all seen what happened to Anjanette Young. We know it could happen to us. We must put a stop to no-knock warrants and violent police raids! A group of Chicago alderwomen* has introduced an ordinance to stop these abusive and unjustified police raids.
ACT: Take 30 seconds to send a prewritten email urging members of the City Council to cosponsor this critical ordinance to outlaw violent and unjust police raids. Complete this form to get started.
*The Anjanette Young ordinance is co-sponsored by alders in our area: Ald. Sophia King (4th), Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th), and Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th). See Hyde Park Herald for full story.
Indivisible Chicago-South Side
Email: Indiv.Chi.South@gmail.com
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