IC-SS Weekly News: February 5, 2024
Bring Chicago Home: View, Learn, Act!
In March, Chicagoans will be voting in the Illinois primary… and we’ll all be voting on the Bring Chicago Home referendum. Did you miss our recent info session on Bring Chicago Home? No worries — we’ve got the recording for you, and lots of resources too.
LEARN
Jackie Bustamante and Jimmy Rothschild helped us understand why Bring Chicago Home is so urgently needed in Chicago and how Bring Chicago Home will work.
- View the 1/29/24 recording Bring Chicago Home Info Session
- See the webinar’s slide deck
- Visit the Bring Chicago Home Coalition resource webpage
- Read Indivisible Chicago Alliance’s BCH fact sheet
ACT
In the coming weeks, step up and inform Chicago voters about this important referendum. Get on Zoom in the comfort of your home and phone Chicago voters together. Knock doors in or near your neighborhood and talk face to face with voters. You get friendly training and support – both veterans & newbies are welcome!
Phone voters every Sunday, 4:00 pm – Indivisible Chicago Alliance in partnership with Bring Chicago Home: get info/sign up
Phone voters every Tuesday/Thursday, 5:30 pm – Bring Chicago Home Coalition: get info/sign up
Saturdays & Sundays: Canvass (knock doors!) with Bring Chicago Home – find a convenient date and neighborhood: get info/sign up
We thank Jackie Bustamante of the Bring Chicago Home Coalition and Jimmy Rothschild of JCUA for their clear, informative, and powerful presentation. Thanks also to Indivisible Downtown Chicago and Indivisible Chicago Alliance for co-hosting the event along with Indivisible Chicago-South Side. Special thanks to the 40 people who attended the Zoom info session… and to the countless others who are phoning voters and knocking doors in support of Bring Chicago Home.
Emma Tai at the Hideout – Feb 15
From the Blue Beginning chapter of Indivisible Chicago Alliance: Blue Beginning’s special guest at the Hideout on February 15 is the extraordinary organizer Emma Tai, former head of United Working Families, the organization behind the successful campaigns of Brandon Johnson and Delia Ramirez, among others. RSVP here.
Now Emma Tai is the director of Bring Chicago Home, Mayor Johnson’s proposal to fight homelessness with a “mansion tax” that asks the city’s wealthiest–those who can afford to buy properties of $1 million or more–to help house 68,000 neighbors who have no homes.
Hear Emma Tai at the next monthly Blue Thursday event at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia — Thursday, February 15th, 6:00-7:00 pm. RSVP here.
Blue Thursday, hosted by Indivisible Chicago and its Hideout-based chapter, Blue Beginning, is a monthly mixer for pols, pundits, and persons of principle. Bar opens at 5:30, program starts at 6. Free and open to all, but please RSVP here.
Work for Wisconsin!
Wisconsin elections play a critical role in the future of the United States as a free country. In this election year, we in Chicago can help Wisconsin elect Democrats and progressives who’ll fight to protect our democracy.
Phone Bank to Recruit Volunteers in Kenosha
The Indivisible Chicago Alliance is working with Wisconsin Democrats in Kenosha on the Chicago and Kenosha Building Voting Power Together project.
From Indivisible Chicago Alliance: Help find and recruit fellow activists in Kenosha. Join us to phone folks we believe are strong supporters living in Kenosha’s KTown North area to invite them to a gathering February 29th, at which Wisconsin/Kenosha Dems are developing new neighborhood teams.
ACT FROM HOME: Get on Zoom to phonebank from your own home every Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 pm. Info/Sign-up.
Help Flip NY-03: Santos’s Old Seat: Feb 13
From SwingLeft: Indivisible and Swing Left chapters across the Midwest are teaming up to call voters ahead of the Feb.13 special election in New York’s 3rd congressional district – and flip George Santos’s former district from red to blue! Get info/sign up
On Tuesday February 13th, 12:00-1:30 pm CT, we’ll talk to voters about supporting Democratic nominee Tom Suozzi and encourage them to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Get info/sign up
Join your fellow Midwest volunteers from Indivisible Illinois, Indivisible Evanston, Statewide Indivisible Michigan (SWIM), Swing Left Chicago, Swing Left Milwaukee, Swing Left Twin Cities, and more, showing up for our friends in New York.
Once you register, you’ll receive a Zoom registration form to fill out and that’ll get you the Zoom link for the call. If you have questions about this event, please RSVP and respond to confirmation email you receive to reach out to the host. We’re excited to take action with you! Get info/sign up
Organizations & Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and actions from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
Black History Month at DuSable Museum
From DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center: While we honor Black History Month year-round at DuSable, [February 1] starts the nationwide celebration of Black History Month. The 2024 theme… revolves around the significant contributions African Americans have made to the arts. Find a listing of Black History Month events at the DuSable website:
IL Supreme Court Candidates Forum: Tues. Feb 6
From American Constitution Society-Chicago Lawyer Chapter (thanks to Vice Chair Jaylin McClinton): Join the ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter and the ACS UIC Student Chapter for a public forum featuring the candidates running to fill the 1st District seat on the Illinois Supreme Court. The forum will take place tomorrow Tuesday, February 6th, 6:00-8:00 pm,at the UIC School of Law (300 S. State St).
State of the Race: On March 19th, there will be an election to fill the vacancy left by Justice Anne Burke. As of the end of the filing period, there were no Republican candidates. On the Democratic side, two candidates (Justice Joy Cunningham and Justice Jesse Reyes) filed. Because these are the only candidates, the primary will be the only opportunity to hear from a candidate, of any party, vying for the Supreme Court of Illinois on critical issues facing our judiciary in the coming years. Tickets are free; RSVP here.
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Read about the candidates at Ballotpedia.
Public Hearing on ShotSpotter: Thurs. February 8
From the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA): On Thursday, February 8, 2024, 6:30 pm, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will hold a special public hearing on gunshot detection technology, commonly referred to as ‘ShotSpotter.’ The hearing will take place at St. Sabina Church (1210 W. 78th Pl) at 6:30pm or attend by Zoom.
This hearing will dive into the use of gunshot technology in our city, aiming to educate both Commissioners and residents of the intricacies of this technology- from its operational mechanisms to its implementation by the city. Panelists include representatives from the Chicago Police Department, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, Office of the Inspector General, P.E.A.C.E, SoundThinking, and the StopShotSpotter Campaign.
If you wish to speak during the virtual public comment period, kindly request to do so by reaching out to Community Commission staff by emailing CommunityCommissionPublicComment@cityofchicago.org. In the event that we have more interested speakers than the allotted time permits, we will select speakers through a random drawing process. We also welcome written public comments, which can be submitted in person during the meeting or sent to the email address above.
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Here is story about ShotSpotter in South Side Weekly: CPD Reported Hundreds of Missed Shootings to ShotSpotter Last Year
Swing Left Chicago 2024 Kickoff: Feb 21
From Swing Left Chicago: 2024 will be a critical election for defending democracy and defeating MAGA extremism. We must re-elect Biden-Harris, defend our narrow Democratic Senate majority, win back the House, and build state power for Democrats—the only way to strengthen our democracy and make progress on the issues we care about.
Join Swing Left Chicago in a virtual event to learn about our group’s plan for 2024, meet other volunteers, and get to know Swing Left’s overall strategy. We’ll share opportunities for how you can take action, now and throughout the year, to have a real impact on the elections that determine the balance of power in our country.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 21, 7:00-8:00 pm CT
REGISTER: Info/Sign-up
Helping New Arrivals – HP Refugee Project
Many members of Indivisible Chicago-South Side helped the new arrivals who were staying in police stations – through meal assistance and donations. Migrant adults, children, and families are no longer staying in police stations. If you’re looking for more ways to help on the South Side, check out the Hyde Park Refugee Project’s Helping Our New Neighbors page.
