Contact:
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO
773-477-7173
Rick Garcia, Public Policy Director
312-560-0405
For additional comments contact:
Juan Salgado, Board President , Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights 773.317.5980
William McNary, Co-Executive Director, Citizen Action/Illinois 312.560.3569
Jane Ramsey, Executive Director, Jewish Council of Urban Affairs 773-203-6159
On the One Year Anniversary of Obama Presidential Election, Progressives Rally for: “Change Worth Fighting for!”
Well-known Chicago Supporters sign Letter to President Obama supporting Health Care Reform and urging “Courage” on Progressive Issues
WHAT: On Tuesday, November 3, the first anniversary of the election of President Barack Obama, progressive Chicago leaders will gather in front of Grant Park to rally in support for “Change” Worth Fighting For, and to urge President Obama to act courageously in addressing critical issues that will make this a fairer and more inclusive America for all. These include immigration and financial regulation reform, workers right to organize, inclusion of the LGBT community, and addressing our warming planet.
WHEN/ WHERE: Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Press Conference, Media Availability and Rally 12:00 Noon Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Ave.
WHO: Prominent Chicago progressive leaders including, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Jane Ramsey, LGBT leader Rep. Greg Harris, ICIRR Board President Juan Salgado.
As the Health Care debate enters its critical phase a wide range of progressive and long time leaders have signed a letter that supports President Obama and urges “courage” on a range of important and difficult issues that face our nation and urgently require solutions and the President’s support. These include:
- Inclusive health care with a strong public option
- fixing our broken immigration laws and ending the separation of immigrant families;
- ensuring the rights of workers to organize for just wages;
- providing living wage jobs to the unemployed;
- ensuring the full and equitable inclusion of the LGBT community and women fully in our society;
- reforming our financial system to end the predatory practices that result in economic chaos, home foreclosures, and personal bankruptcies;
- protecting our children’s future by addressing our warming planet;
- and creating a more peaceful world.
Initial Supporting Organizations: Action Now; AFSCME; Aids Foundation of Chicago; Asian American Institute; Centro Romero; Celts for Immigration Reform; Chicago Coalition for the Homeless; Citizen Action Illinois; Equality Illinois; HealthCare for America Now (HCAN); Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR); Instituto del Progreso Latino; Jewish Council on Urban Affairs; Mujeres Latinas en Accion; Rainbow PUSH; Rep. Greg Harris; Rep. Will Burns; SEIU; Sen. Kwame Raoul; Shriver Center on Poverty Law; Unite HERE; United African Organization
For a list of Initial Letter Signatories, visit www.icirr.org/change or call Catherine Salgado at 312.332.7360 x 235
-END-
