IC-SS Weekly News: February 12, 2024
Bring Chicago Home – How Will You Help?
When we go to the polls for the March 19th primary, we’ll be voting in the Bring Chicago Home referendum. On your ballot, you won’t actually see the words “Bring Chicago Home”; instead look for Ballot Question 1, which asks if you want to support affordable housing and supportive services, to be funded by adjusting the one-time Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT).
Reminder: under Bring Chicago Home, the wealthy would pay more in RETT than they do now, but most of us would pay less.
Act: Talk to Voters About Bring Chicago Home
In the coming weeks, step up and inform Chicago voters about the important Bring Chicago Home referendum (Ballot Question 1). 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. Either way, 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
Canvass on Saturdays & Sundays: Knock doors with Bring Chicago Home – find a convenient date and neighborhood: get info/sign up
This Thursday: Hear Emma Tai at the Hideout
From the Blue Beginning chapter of Indivisible Chicago Alliance: Blue Beginning’s special guest at the Hideout THIS THURSDAY, February 15th, 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.
THIS WEEK: Hear Emma Tai at the 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.
Learn about Bring Chicago Home (Ballot Qu. 1)
At our recent webinar, Jackie Bustamante of Bring Chicago Home and Jimmy Rothschild of JCUA helped us understand why Bring Chicago Home (Ballot Question 1) 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
Please vote YES for Ballot Question 1 (Bring Chicago Home) and inform your friends, family, and neighbors!
Organized Labor in the US: Webinar, Feb 19
From Indivisible Illinois: Join Indivisible Illinois on Monday, February 19, at 7:30 pm CST for a panel of three top Illinois labor union leaders who will explain how the building trade unions have had a profound effect on helping make the American Dream a reality for so many. They’ll also discuss the effect unions have on getting union-friendly legislation passed. Register here.
The panel includes: Mark Guethle – Illinois AFL-CIO 11th Congressional District COPE Chair; Jarrett Clem – Business Manager for IBEW Local 601 and Vice President of the East Central Illinois Construction and Building Trades; Jim Dixon – Retired President Springfield and Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council. Learn how we can collaborate with unions to help pass legislation by coming to our online meeting! Register here.
Help Flip NY-03: Santos’s Old Seat: Feb 13
From Swing Left: 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.
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
Community Meeting on Morgan Shoal Revetment: Feb 22
The Promontory Point Conservancy urges people to attend a February 22 community meeting. In the paragraphs below, see Part A, the City of Chicago announcement of the meeting. In Part B, read the perspective of the Promontory Point Conservancy.
A. From City of Chicago:On Thursday, February 22nd, 5:30-6:30 pm, at Kennicott Park, 4434 S. Lake Park, please join the Public Building Commission of Chicago and its partners, the Chicago Department of Transportation, Chicago Park District, and US Army Corps of Engineers, for an update regarding the Morgan Shoal Revetment Reconstruction project.
Representatives from the team will be prepared to discuss project status, including planning and design efforts. Register here.
B. From Promontory Point Conservancy: What CDOT and the Corps propose at Morgan Shoal will be a predictor for what they propose for Promontory Point later this year. Promontory Point and Morgan Shoal are funded for revetment reconstruction under a joint congressional funding authorization passed in December 2022….Construction at Promontory Point will begin the moment construction at Morgan Shoal is completed in spring 2026. The proposed construction will close the Point for 3-5 years.
The beginning of the community meetings by the governmental agencies means that it’s now up to us to show up and advocate for what we want for our lakefront parks. Remember, when they ask you if you want pink or blue concrete, say “NO CONCRETE!”
[Read more at the Promontory Point Conservancy blog post for February 7th.]
House Party for Bring Chicago Home: Thurs. Feb. 29
rom community member Anne Holcomb: On Thursday, Feb 29th at 6:00 pm, join your South Side neighbors at a Bring Chicago Home in-person house party in South Shore! (RSVP by emailing aaholcomb85@gmail.com to obtain the address.)
Help raise funds to support the campaign for Bring Chicago Home, and learn about how you can help pass the initiative to create housing in Chicago to help people experiencing homelessness, all while enjoying an evening with friends. This event is vegan- and carnivore-friendly, and children are welcome.
To support the campaign for Bring Chicago Home, come to the House Party and make a donation that’s comfortable for you – even if that is just a promise to vote YES on the ballot referendum on March 19th! Hosted by Anne Holcomb, Allan J. Lindrup, and K.T. O’Loughlin, RSVP by emailing aaholcomb85@gmail.com to obtain the address.
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.
