IC-SS Weekly News: January 15, 2024
Jan. 29: Bring Chicago Home – Learn with Us
In March, Chicagoans will be voting in the Illinois primary… and we all will be voting on the Bring Chicago Home referendum. Want to know more?
On Monday, January 29th, 7:00-8:30 pm, join us on Zoom for an info session on Bring Chicago Home. Register here.
Indivisible Chicago-South Side and Indivisible Downtown Chicago are partnering on this January 29 info session via Zoom. Together, we’ll co-host speakers representing the Bring Chicago Home coalition.
At this info session, you’ll find out how Bring Chicago Home will help Chicago’s large population of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. You’ll learn how revenue will be raised to support it and get your questions answered. And you’ll see how YOU can support the effort to get Chicagoans to vote YES. Register here.
Want a preview? In our Organizations & Opportunities section below, read about Bring Chicago Home and actions you can take now to support it.
IC-SS: Be a Voting Member!
Will you become (or remain) a voting member of Indivisible Chicago-South Side? We invite you to become or remain a voting member to have a voice in leadership, endorsement, and governance decisions for our group.
To become a voting member of IC-SS, please register via this voting member registration form as soon as possible and no later than 5:00 pm, Friday, January 19, 2024.
Who can be a voting member? You qualify if you’ve been active in some way with our group in the past two years: attending an IC-SS meeting or event; joining us or citywide Indivisible Chicago to get out the vote by canvassing, phoning, texting or writing to voters; or simply by participating in actions we’ve shared in the IC-SS newsletter or social media, such as phoning our lawmakers, signing letters to elected officials, or attending a demonstration.
Notes:
- If you’ve already received an email asking you to confirm or join, you need only reply to that email to remain or become a voting member. If you did not receive an email, just complete the voting member registration form instead.
- Anyone is welcome to take part in Indivisible Chicago-South Side’s open meetings, events, and projects. However, only voting members can vote on leadership or endorsements or participate in matters of group governance.
- Youqualify to become a voting member if you’ve been active with our group in any way in the past two years.
Thursday: Renato Mariotti at Hideout
From Indivisible Chicago, Blue Beginning chapter: Are you following all Donald Trump’s numerous legal entanglements? With so many indictments, venues, witnesses, and motions, it’s hard to keep up.
This Thursday, January 18th, 6:00-7:00 pm, Renato Mariotti will explain it all to us at or our monthly Blue Thursday political mixer at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia. Register here.
You know Renato Mariotti from Politico, CNN, MSNBC, and the podcast “It’s Complicated,” among many other outlets. He’s the former federal prosecutor everyone wants to talk to.
NOTES:
- The official program runs 6-7 PM, but you’ll want to come early and stay late for some first-class schmoozing. Free and open to all well-behaved adults, but please RSVP here.
- If you can’t attend in person, look for a livestream on the indivisible Chicago Facebook page
Dr. King’s Birthday – Holiday Events
Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday holiday. Find activities to honor Dr. King today, and use your activism to honor him all year long.
- Today, January 15th, from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center will be hosting We Are One: A Day of Service
- See also a listing of events shared by Block Club Chicago
Organizations and Opportunities
Bring Chicago Home
Support Bring Chicago Home… act and learn.
ACT: Phonebank for Bring Chicago Home
Do you support Bring Chicago Home and believe the ordinance would be a fair way to help alleviate homelessness in Chicago? Bring Chicago Home can pass only if we convince enough voters to support it in the March 19 referendum.
So take a couple of hours to phone voters and inform them about Bring Chicago Home! From anywhere, you’ll get on Zoom with Bring Chicago Home organizers, who’ll give you all the info and training you need to use a dialer system to phone Chicago voters.
Sign up here for one or more Tuesday evening, Thursday evening, or Sunday afternoon sessions
LEARN: What is Bring Chicago Home & Why Vote for It?
On March 19th, Chicago voters will find the Bring Chicago Home referendum on their ballots. Bring Chicago Home (BCH) would create a new revenue stream that would be legally dedicated to providing permanent affordable housing with wraparound supportive services to people experiencing homelessness.
The revenue would come from a “mansion tax” — buyers of properties selling for $1 million or more would pay an increased Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), a one-time tax on properties when they are sold. Others would see a decrease in this one-time tax.
If a majority of Chicago voters vote YES on the Bring Chicago Home referendum, then it will be up to the Chicago City Council to vote on it and pass it. To date, the campaign has been endorsed by over 100 community, policy, labor and faith-based organizations. Find more information at the Bring Chicago Home website and in this WBEZ article.
Rainbow PUSH: Recorded Summit for Gaza
If you missed Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s 2-day Emergency Summit for Gaza, which took place at their headquarters this past Friday and Saturday, you can watch it on YouTube.
- Day 1: Friday Jan 12: Emergency Summit for Gaza
- Day 2: Saturday, Jan 13: Emergency Summit for Gaza*
- Find listing of speakers & more info here
*Day 2 opened with a discussion of ways to get the Biden administration to pressure Israel to stop the bombing and siege. Congressman Jonathan Jackson is among the Day 2 speakers.
“We unequivocally condemn attacks on all innocent civilians, including the October 7th Hamas-led attacks in Israel which killed 1200 Israelis and saw 240 people taken hostage. We condemn the Israeli government’s military siege and indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza, where U.S.-made weapons have contributed to the loss of nearly 20,000 Palestinian lives… It is our moral obligation to leverage our collective power to end the escalation of death and ongoing humanitarian crises.”
~ Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Tell Your Alder to Support a Ceasefire Resolution
From Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago: On Wednesday, January 24, the Chicago City Council will be asked to vote on a resolution calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Here’s the text of the resolution.
JVP-Chicago and allies have been organizing tirelessly to stop the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. If Chicago passes this resolution, it’ll be the biggest U.S. city yet to demand a permanent ceasefire.
Alders are under immense pressure from the pro-Israel lobby to not support this ceasefire resolution. Right now, we need to flood their offices with calls demanding that they stand on the right side of history by voting YES.
ACT: Go to the JVP-Chicago form for more information and to connect with JVP-Chicago: JVP-Chicago ceasefire phone form