IC-SS Weekly News: March 25, 2024
Write Letters – Protect Democracy
WOW. This month, 21 of us wrote hundreds of letters to voters in the critical states Michigan and Wisconsin. Thanks to those who donated stamps and to all of our letter writers!
Join Us April 4 – Write More Letters
Join us again next week on Thursday, April 4th, 6:00-8:00 pm at the Nile Restaurant (1162 E. 55th). RSVP here.
How does it work? Our generous letter leader, Steve Kagan, brings pens, envelopes, and pre-printed Vote Forward letters for you to personalize to help get out the vote in key Wisconsin and Michigan districts. We get a plate of appetizers for the table, and you can purchase your own meal.
We encourage you to bring first-class stamps to donate, and you’re welcome to bring wine or beer to share. But the most important thing is to be there! RSVP for April 4 here
Bonus opportunity: At our April 4 event, you’ll have the chance to take home a “party favor“: a packet of voter-registration info postcards to write on and send to Michigan citizens not yet registered to vote. This is part of a pilot project that Indivisible Chicago Alliance is participating in for Statewide Indivisible Michigan (SWIM).
Can I Write from Home?
Yes! You can write letters on your own, too. Register for a free Vote Forward account, and you’ll get all the necessary tools and information. You just need envelopes, paper, a printer, first-class postage stamps, and a pen.
If you’re writing letters on your own, let us know so we can include your name and your number of letters in the overall count for our group.
Big Thanks to Our Writers & Stamp Donors
Thanks to all our March letter writers: Alexis Cain, Anita Caref, Barb Schmidt, Clairan Ferrono, David Derbes, Deborah Molasky, Dietrich Klevorn, Elaine Hadley, Eli Seaman, Esther Peters, Joyce Mannis, Kathy Atlass, Lisa Rademacher, Mary Naftzger, Robin Swieringa, Sarah Lincoln, Sarah Rubin, Sheron Shapiro, Susan Webster, Teri Watkins, and our letter leader, Steve Kagan.
Do let us know if we left off your name!
Bring Chicago Home: The Work Continues
By now, we’ve all heard the news that the Bring Chicago Home referendum (Ballot Question 1) was almost surely defeated in Chicago’s March 19 election. Although mail ballots are still being tabulated, it’s unlikely there will be enough YES votes to change the outcome.
Read this statement from Bring Chicago Home:
The Bring Chicago Home campaign exists in the long lineage of past and present struggles for fair housing, civil rights, and economic justice. While tonight’s election results are disappointing, we are nowhere near the end of our journey.
There are still 100,000 outstanding mail-in ballots to be counted, but whatever the final count, one thing is abundantly clear tonight: how determined our opponents are to continue profiting from displacement and inequality. From landlords sending intimidating emails to tenants to a legal challenge attempting to invalidate the results, the realtors, corporate landlords, and mega-developers fought us at every turn.
Our broad-based coalition–made up of homeless and formerly homeless people, union members, faith leaders, social service providers, community organizations, and grassroots volunteers–is determined to keep fighting for housing justice. Together, our city-wide field program knocked over 300,000 doors, made over 600,000 phone calls, and sent over 1 million text messages across all 50 wards. This is the work that makes our movement stronger over the long haul, no matter the final result.
South Side Said Yes: Let’s Keep Up the Work!
We voted Yes. The South Side, like the West Side and Far North Side, voted strongly in favor of Bring Chicago Home (Ballot Question 1) in the March 19 Chicago election. Unfortunately, other parts of the city were swayed by the messaging, often misleading, by the real estate industry.
Thank you to everyone who organized for Bring Chicago Home, volunteered for the effort, or voted YES. Let’s continue to support the effort for affordable housing and wraparound services for people without homes.
Activism 101: Jessica Craven Webinar
Are you struggling to find the ways you’ll make a difference to protect our democracy in 2024? Watch this webinar — Activism 101 — with Jessica Craven. Jessica writes Chop Wood, Carry Water, a weekday newsletter that provides easy, effective political actions you can take “to stave off despair, effect positive change, and elect more Democrats.”
Watch the Activism 101 webinar — important information for newbie activists and veterans alike.
Indivisible Chicago Alliance, Indivisible Evanston, and Indivisible Illinois hosted this informative and energizing webinar.
In Activism 101, Jessica Craven covers topics like writing letters and postcards to voters, phonebanking, relational organizing, donating strategically to campaigns, and more. Seriously – watch Activism 101.
Get all Jessica Craven’s activism resources here:
- Activism 101 webinar
- Activism 101 resources
- Chop Wood, Carry Water newsletter
Plan Your Actions: March-April 2024
It really is 2024. In this vital election year, Indivisible Chicago Alliance will be focusing on races in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois. For ways to get involved, check ALL the March-April 2024 options on the Indivisible Chicago Alliance action calendar!
The calendar is a project of the citywide Indivisible Chicago Alliance and is curated by Wendy Posner.
Keep Up with Us In April
Thanks for subscribing to the IC-SS newsletter! A quick alert: In the month of April, our newsletter editor (Betsy) will be away, so April newsletters may be brief.
In the meantime, our Facebook page (curated by Teri) will continue to provide information about IC-SS events and other events of interest. Thank you again for keeping up with Indivisible Chicago-South Side.
Organizations & Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and actions from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
Shelter Evictions Begin – Help for Migrants
WTTW reports that “more than 2,000 men and women sent to Chicago from the southern border will have to leave city shelters by the end of April, according to initial estimates released by city officials.” In fact, evictions have already begun, albeit slowly and with exceptions made for families with school-age children. Read the WTTW story.
From Borderless Magazine: Borderless shares resources for migrants facing eviction.
Resources for Volunteers
While the Borderless article has information and resources for migrants themselves, it also links to organizations that you may wish to contact if you’re seeking volunteer opportunities.
- The nonprofit agencies listed on this IDHS page provide general services but also serve as Illinois Welcoming Centers; most are in Chicago.
- Find food pantries for all 77 Chicago official community areas, including Avalon Park, Chatham, Hyde Park, Kenwood, South Shore, and others.
- See the advocacy and service-connecting organization WelcomeToIL.org
And remember: There are organizations in Hyde Park-Kenwood that welcome volunteers and donations to help refugees and other new neighbors — one of them is the Hyde Park Refugee Project and the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club (here and here).
