PRESS RELEASE: CHANGE Illinois Action Fund & The People’s Map Forge New Path in Collaboration With Coalition Map

For Immediate Release:
February 16, 2022

Contact:
Rebecca Evans
rebecca@sgstrategies.com | (312) 888-1983

CHANGE Illinois Action Fund & The People’s Map Forge New Path in Collaboration With Coalition Map
*Media interviews available upon request*
Updated Coalition Map Attached

CHICAGO – Today, the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund and The People’s Map commission have joined forces with the Coalition Map to advance an updated map that incorporates key elements of The People’s Map. This revised map follows census data and gives every Chicagoan a voice.

“Today marks a turning point in our effort to bring more transparency and accountability to the mapping process,” said Alderman Gil Villegas (36th), Chairman of the Latino Caucus. “We’re proud to have the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund’s endorsement and collaboration as we work together to put forward a map that’s reflective of hundreds of hours of community input, follows the census data, and fairly represents all of Chicago’s communities.”

Together, this partnership means the two groups will pursue a referendum that puts power in the hands of the people and legislative initiatives to bring lasting transparency to the remap process moving forward.

“The CHANGE Illinois Action Fund is eager to continue the fight, alongside the Coalition Map group, for the communities that engaged with The People’s Map,” said Chaundra Van Dyk of the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund. “We worked hard to engage residents in our city to try to ensure their feedback is in a map proposal to give voters a choice in the 2022 referendum. This map is more compact and does a better job of keeping key communities from being significantly splintered. We will work together to fix Chicago’s redistricting process long-term. This will not only give the voters a choice this year, but lead to a truly transparent and independent process in the future.”

“We are grateful for this partnership with the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund, who have been tireless advocates for the people and their right to fair representation,” said Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th). “We will not accept a map that protects indicted Aldermen, disenfranchises immigrants, and is the product of backroom deals led by Michael Madigan’s lawyer. It’s time for Chicago to change, and the Coalition Map is that change.”

With this new partnership comes the following updates to the Coalition Map in solidarity with The CHANGE Illinois Action Fund and The People’s Map commission, and their community input process:

Strengthens Englewood’s representation by configuring it into two wards, from three, splitting it by the boundaries of the Englewood and West Englewood community areas
Keeps an Asian-majority in Chinatown, thus creating the first ever Asian-majority ward.
Retains Austin’s Chicago Avenue corridor in the same ward as South Austin
Reconfigures the Woodlawn ward to reflect The People’s Map’s respective boundaries and keep the Woodlawn neighborhood and Washington Park in the same ward.
Changes the 16th, 20th, 5th, 37th, 29th, and 28th wards to align with the ward boundaries in The People’s Map.

The updated map is linked here and attached below. The Coalition Map is endorsed by:

CHANGE Illinois, The CHANGE Illinois Action Fund and The People’s Map
Ald. Daniel LaSpata (1st)
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd)
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th)
Ald. Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10th)
Ald. George Cardenas (12th)
Ald. Ray Lopez (15th)
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd)
Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd)
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th)
Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th)
Ald. Felix Cardona (31st)
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33rd)
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th)
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th)
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th)