IC-SS News 10-16-23: See you on 21st & 24th?

IC-SS Weekly News: October 16, 2023

Letters to Voters: Join Us Oct 21 & 24

Last chance to act with us before the November elections in Ohio and Virginia! With our letter leader Steve Kagan, we’ve been hard at work writing to Ohio voters in support of reproductive rights and Virginia voters in advance of critical elections for their state legislature.

Parade to the Post Office – This Sat., Oct 21

It’s time to mail our Vote Forward letters to Virginia and Ohio (mailing deadline is October 31). Join us this coming Saturday morning, October 21st, at the post office. Here’s a glimpse of last year’s event:

One year ago: We mailed our Vote Forward letters to voters. Join us this Saturday!

This Saturday, October 21st at 10:30 am, meet us at Henry W. McGee Post Office (4601 S Cottage Grove) as we send off boxes of Vote Forward letters headed to Ohio and Virginia. Join us there for photos, donuts, and a cheer to ourselves and to our Vote Forward letter leader, Steve Kagan. Email us with any questions.

Last Letter-Writing Event: Tues., Oct 24th

But wait – there’s more. After we parade to the post office, we have a final letter-writing event. Our last chance to write together. Won’t you join us?

Next week, Tuesday, Oct. 24th, from 6:00-8:00 pm, we’ll meet at the Nile, 1162 E. 55thto finish up our letter lists. Then we’ll immediately drop our letters in the mail. (Sign up.)

Last week, 7 of us wrote nearly 150 letters to OH & VA voters

If you’re writing Vote Forward letters on your own, bring them along, but not necessary — our letter leader Steve Kagan will bring letters for all. If you can, bring postage stamps to donate –– we also welcome stamp donations from folks not able to attend.

Sign up here!

We encourage you to order your own food to support the Nile, which has been such a friendly host (note: the Nile is BYOB). But the most important thing is to bring yourself! Sign up.*

*NOTE: We are now using a sign-up form (instead of requesting registration by email). Since the Oct 11th event is now over, simply choose October 24th on the form. If you’ve previously signed up for the 24th by email, you’re already set and don’t need to sign up again.

Phone Ohio Voters – Protect Our Rights

What happens in one state affects all of us in the United States. As 2024 nears, let’s step up the work! One state to act for: OHIO. Sign up to phone bank.

Hardworking Ohio volunteers are canvassing door to door to encourage people to vote YES in November for the NEW Issue 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Ohio state constitution.

Ohioans canvassing for reproductive rights on the ballot – Ohio Dems FB page
You may not be able to join Ohioans on foot, but you CAN phone voters from your home. Here are lots of opportunities to phone voters with Indivisible Chicago Alliance OR with the Ohio Dems. SIGN UP:

Phone Ohio voters with Indivisible Chicago Alliance on Wednesday evenings October 18 and 25 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Via Zoom, friendly ICA volunteers give newbies and veterans alike the info and support you need throughout each phone bank. Get info/Sign up
Phone Ohio voters with the Democratic Party of Ohio – choose your dates and times between now and November 7th (times listed are ET) Get info/Sign up

Ohio AND Wisconsin

In addition to all the Ohio opportunities listed with Indivisible Chicago and Ohio Dems, you can also phone bank with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Volunteers with WisDems are asking voters to call their state reps and senators and warn them off the far right’s extreme scheme to impeach duly elected Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

TOMORROW: Ranked Choice Voting

What’s Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), and should it come to Illinois? On October 17th, come hear the executive director of Fair Vote Illinois make the case.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17th, our sister group Indivisible Downtown Chicago will hold an in-person informational event on Ranked Choice Voting. The guest speaker will be Andrew Szilva, executive director at Fair Vote Illinois.

WHAT: Ranked Choice Voting info session
WHEN: Tuesday, October 17th, 7:00 pm — TOMORROW!
WHERE: Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn
DETAILS: This event, hosted by Indivisible Downtown Chicago, will feature a presentation by Fair Vote Illinois, with time for Q & A. The info session will be followed by IDC’s regular member meeting and social time.
RSVP: Register here

See Fair Vote Illinois’s explainer for a quick intro to Ranked Choice Voting.

Israel, Gaza, and Civilians

Many Chicagoans have friends and loved ones in Gaza or Israel, and our hearts are broken for you. We denounce the targeting of civilians in acts of torture, kidnapping, rocket attacks, and killing. We decry acts of collective punishment, which harm and kill many thousands of civilians in airstrikes, destruction of cities, forced mass evacuations, or sieges, including blockades of food, water, fuel, and electricity.

Illinois lawmakers need to know what their constituents think. Share your own message with them here:

A RESOURCE: Human Rights Watch discusses international humanitarian law governing the conduct of hostilities on this webpage.

Organizations and Opportunities

Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and actions from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.

This Thurs: District Council 2 Meeting

This Thursday, October 19, attend the meeting of the 2nd District Council. Hear from and share your concerns with the three District Councilors, Alexander Perez, Ephraim Lee, and Julia Kline, serving the people in Chicago’s 2nd police district. Here’s the invitation from the 2nd District Council:

WHAT: Monthly meeting of the 2nd District Council
WHEN: Thursday, October 19th, 6:30-8:00 pm (doors open 6:00 pm)
WHERE: Wabash Avenue YMCA Building, 3763 S. Wabash
REMOTE OPTION: To attend via Zoom, register here.

Learn more about the role of Chicago’s 22 district councils and the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) here.

Bring Chicago Home – Support It!

From the Bring Chicago Home movement: What’s the solution to homelessness? Housing. With the Bring Chicago Home ordinance, our city will finally have a dedicated revenue stream to create and preserve affordable housing with supportive services– so neighbors can get housed and stay housed.

LEARN MORE:

Read more about the Bring Chicago Home ordinance in this Hyde Park Herald article. See our recent newsletter post on Bring Chicago Home.
The Bring Chicago Home movement includes United Working Families, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, and other organizations.

ACT: Tell YOUR alder that YOU support the Bring Chicago Home ordinance, and you call on them to actively work to support and promote the ordinance with their fellow alders. If your alder already supports BCH, thank them!

To contact your alder about Bring Chicago Home, use this form. When you fill in the form, it matches you with your alder and includes a proposed message based on whether they already support BCH. You can edit your message!

Help Asylum Seekers

People from Venezuela and other countries continue to arrive in the United States as asylum seekers and are then bused to Chicago and other cities by Texas Gov. Abbott. (See the City of Chicago’s Welcoming City website.)

Although Chicago has opened more shelters, these sites can’t house all the new arrivals, and people continue to sleep in police stations, including in police districts 2 and 3. Many Chicago residents, including South Siders and members of IC-SS, are volunteering their time or donating funds and needed supplies. Here are some ways you can help:

Hyde Park and Local Police Districts 2 & 3

Donate needed items via Lab Refugee Support‘s Walmart wishlist: Refugee Support | Walmart.com
Support or volunteer with Hyde Park Refugee Project: Home – Hyde Park Refugee Project and Volunteer – Hyde Park Refugee Project
Volunteer with Districts 2 & 3 – Meal Delivery: Info/Sign-up

Citywide