Thrive Agenda and Green Jobs

Calling for Investments in Communities, not Incarceration, Clergy Plant Flowers at Cook County Jail: via NBC 5 and CBS 2

Budget for Black Lives: Defunding Cook County Jail, Investing in Communities

Chicago Tribune: September 9, 2020: Activists, nurses union demand $157 million cut from Cook County sheriff’s office budget next year: ‘Black life is a priority’

Chicago Sun Times: September 9, 2020: Activists call for alternative Cook County ‘Budget for Black Lives’

Fox 32: September 9, 2020: Video here.

Chicago Tribune: July 30, 2020: Cook County Board passes symbolic resolution to shift money from police, jails in wake of ‘defund’ movements

WBBM Radio: July 30, 2020: Cook County Board OKs Resolution To Defund Police, Jail

Block Club Chicago: June 19. 2020: Policing Isn’t The Only Problem — Defund The Cook County Jail, Too, Protesters Demand

Chicago Sun Times: June 19, 2020: Protesters call for defunding of Cook County Jail

Criminal Justice Reform

Report: Sentences of Incarceration Decline 19% During Kim Foxx’s Second Year in Office: Chicago Sun Times, The Chicago Reporter, Crain’s Chicago Business, WTTW, Fox 32 segment 1, Fox 32 Segment 2, WGN

Organizing Upgrade: The fight to end money bail: lessons from Chicago
Patch.com: Protesters to meet with Chicago judge after courthouse shutdown
NBC: Protesters shut down courthouse Tuesday
WBUR, Boston: What a Reformer District Attorney Might Look Like in Boston, from those Living in Chicago and Philly
Activists Protest Unlawful Detentions by Sheriff Dart: Coverage by WGN and FOX
The South Side Weekly: Evans Bond Court Order Under Watch
In These Times: Electing Progressive Prosecutors Isn’t Enough. Now, Activists Are Holding Them Accountable.
The Chicago Reporter: Where does criminal justice reform stand one year after Kim Foxx elected
The Chicago Reader: Kim Foxx gets a report card
Justice for Harith Augustus at the Mayor’s Door: WGN, FOX report 1, FOX Report 2, ABC

Trade Deals and Workers’ Rights

Stop the GOP Tax Scam

In These Times: In the face of GOP’s class-war tax bill, Chicago activists voice outrage in the street
Hard Lens Media VIDEO: January 5, 2101 GOP Tax Scam protest
Hard Lens Media VIDEO: Chicago Student Action Leader Joe Padilla talks about the cost of the GOP tax scam
Hard Lens Media VIDEO: The People’s Lobby’s leader Samantha Nichols refutes the myth of trickle-down economics

March to Springfield for a People & Planet First Budget

The People’s Lobby is a leader in Fair Economy Illinois, the coalition that organized the March to Springfield.

Public News Service (July 10): Not Many Happy with Illinois’ New State Budget

Politico (June 10): How Illinois became America’s failed state

OurFuture.org (June 9): What I Learned Carrying a Cross From Chicago to Springfield

Daily Southtown (June 2): Protester says taxing rich corporations could solve state’s budget woes

State Journal-Register (May 31): Police: 31 protesters arrested at Capitol for trespassing

State Journal-Register (May 31): Marchers walk 200 miles, wait outside Rauner’s office to demand budget (This Associated Press story also appeared in newspapers across the state and country, including U.S. News & World Report, The Southern Illinoisan, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily Herald, The Bloomington Pantagraph, The State (South Carolina), The Miami Herald, and The Sacramento Bee (California).)

NPR Illinois (May 31): 15 Day ‘March To Springfield’ Ends In Arrests

Chicagoist (May 31): 34 Arrested At End Of Big ‘March To Springfield’ Protest

The Daily Northwestern (May 31): Northwestern student arrested in Springfield budget protest

NBC 5 TV, Chicago (May 30): Protesters Dragged From Capitol as Illinois Approaches 700 Days Without a Budget

WAND TV, Decatur (May 30): Police pulling protesters blocking access to Rauner’s office

WICS TV News Channel 20, Springfield (May 30): March to Springfield Leaders Block Doors to Gov. Rauner’s Office

ABC 7 TV, Chicago (May 30): Protesters stage overnight sit-in over budget outside Gov. Rauner’s office

WCIA 3 TV News, Champaign (May 30): Hundreds protest lack of budget

WICS TV News Channel 20, Springfield (May 30): Activists March to Springfield for Change

Chicago Tonight (May 30): Protesters Demand Budget as Legislators Edge Closer to Adjourning

WGN TV, Chicago (May 29): World War II Veteran Marches to Springfield to Push Lawmakers for a Budget

WAND TV, Decatur (May 29): World War II Vet leads March to Springfield

WBBM News Radio, Chicago (May 29): Veteran, 91, Among Activists Marching To Springfield To Demand Budget

Equal Voice Magazine (May 25): A 91-Year-Old to the Ill. Governor: Pass a Budget, Help People

Daily Northwestern (May 25): Activists march to Springfield to demand progressive budget, highlight effects of stalemate

Pontiac Daily Leader (May 24): Organization on the march for a new state budget

Bloomington Pantagraph (May 24): Marchers call for ‘people first’ state budget resolution

WJBC Radio, Springfield (May 23): Activists march to Springfield in effort to demand budget (12-minute radio interview with marcher Samantha Nichols)

Progressive Magazine (May 22): Fed Up with a Budget Crisis, Illinois Citizens Take to the Streets (featuring marchers Joe Padilla and Egle Malinauskaite)

WTAX Radio, Springfield (May 22): An update on the March to Springfield (5-minute radio interview with marcher Samantha Nichols)

Joliet Herald-News (May 18): Marchers make their points in Joliet

Lawndale News (May 18): ‘Put Our People First’

Chicagoist (May 16): These Activists Will March 200 Miles To Springfield Over The State Budget

Ted Slowik, columnist, Chicago Tribune Daily Southtown (May 16): Southland residents urge budget passage in march to Springfield (also includes 2-min. video comments by marchers starting Day 2)

Associated Press, US News and World Report (May 15): 200-Mile Chicago-To-Springfield Budget March Steps Off

CAN-TV Live (May 15): 200-Mile March from Chicago to Springfield Kick-Off (41 min. video)

Colorlines Magazine news site (May 15): Protestors Embark on 200-Mile March on Illinois Budget Crisis

Martese Chism, marcher, in Common Dreams (May 15): From Selma to Springfield: Why We’re Marching in Illinois

NPR Illinois (May 15): Activists Embark On 15 Day March To Springfield (with 8-minute interview of marcher Samantha Nichols)

Joliet Herald-News (May 14): ‘March to Springfield’ comes through Joliet

Martese Chism, marcher, interviewed on WRFU Radio, Urbana (May 13): World Labor Hour (14 min. audio; interview is about 30 minutes in)

Laura Washington, columnist, in Chicago Sun-Times (May 12): A 200 Mile March for Hope — and a Fair State Budget

Hyde Park Herald (May 10): Hyde Park Seniors Plan March to Springfield

Ben Joravsky Show, on WCPT Radio (May 9): Activist Cindy Bush Talks Her 200 Mile Walk (12 min. audio)

CAN-TV Live (May 3): Full press conference announcing the March to Springfield (20 min. video)

Chicago Sun-Times (May 3): Activists Plan 15-Day March to Springfield for State Budget

Univision TV (May 3): Chicago en un Minuto (1 min. video)

Phil Kadner, columnist, in Chicago Sun-Times (April 18): For Illinois, a better way than ‘paying more for less’

Cook County Minimum Wage

Chicago Sun-Times: Brown: County’s $13 minimum wage puts $15 in sight
Chicago Tribune: Cook County approves $13 hourly minimum wage affecting suburbs
Crain’s Chicago Business via AP: Cook County approves $13 minimum wage
WGN TV: Cook County approves $13 hourly minimum wage

University Walkouts Protesting Trump’s Agenda

CBS: Illinois students walking out of class Tuesday to protest Trump
WGN: Chicago area students stage walkout protest against Trump
Chicago Tribune: UIC, U. of C. students rally against Trump, call for action against intolerance
Chicagoist: Students At UIC & UChicago To Stage Walkout Protest Against Trump

Free, Fully Funded Higher Education

Hyperallergic: Students March on Art Institute of Chicago to Protest Trustee’s Ties to Public Education Cuts
CBS & WBBM Radio: College Students Rally For Fully-Funded Public Higher Education
NBC: Student Activists Shut Down Michigan Avenue Near Art Institute
South Side Weekly: The Fight to Fund Higher Education
Chicago Maroon: Two Students Arrested For Blocking Traffic on Michigan Ave at Free Tuition Protest
The Daily Northwestern: Student Action NU joins higher education protest in Chicago

State of Illinois Budget Crisis

Moral Mondays Illinois – November 2, 2015
ABC 7 – Protestors Demand Financial Transaction Tax to Balance State Budget
NBC 5 – Protestors Demand Trading Tax
WTTW Chicago Tonight – Protestors Demand State Financial Transaction Tax
WGN – Moral Monday protestors arrested in the Loop
Fox 32 – Activists protest Illinois budget with ‘Moral Monday’
Chicagoist – Activists Shut Down Board Of Trade To Demand ‘LaSalle Street Tax’
Progress Illinois – Dozens Arrested During Protest Over ‘LaSalle Street Tax’ At Chicago Board Of Trade (VIDEO)
Truthout – With the “Robin Hood Tax,” a Grassroots Movement Seeks to Bring Wall Street to Heel
Fox Business News (Nationwide Coverage)

ABC 7 – University of Chicago students call for end to state budget crisis

Response to Gov. Rauner’s Budget Address – February 16, 2016
Public News Service – Unions, Low-Income Advocates Want More from Rauner

Direct Action at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra – April 2016
WGN
ABC 7
DNA Info
Chicago Maroon

Moral Mondays Illinois – May 9, 2016
NBC 5
Fox Business News (Nationwide Coverage)
Chicagoist – 23 Arrested At Moral Monday Demonstration In The Loop

Responsible Business Act

CAN-TV – Introduction Press Conference
Chicagoist – Proposal Targets County Businesses That Don’t Pay A Living Wage
The Chicago Reporter – Corporations should pay for employee benefits, not taxpayers
BizJournals.com – Cook County commissioner floats plan to require ‘living wage’ at big corporations
Chicago Tribune – Report: Taxpayers cover the costs of low wages
ABC 7 – Activists Demand Walmart Support the Responsible Business Act
In These Times – This Bill Would Force Large Corporations To Pay a Fine if They Don’t Pay Workers a Living Wage
CAN-TV – Action at Walmart in Commissioner John Daley’s District
Progress Illinois – Activists Protest At Walmart For ‘Cook County Responsible Business Act’
Fox Business News (Nationwide Coverage)
Chicago Sun Times – 11 people arrested in protest at West Loop Walmart
Chicago Tribune – Activists push for law that would bill employers for not paying living wage
Chicagoist – Police Carry Protesters Out Of West Loop Walmart
Progress Illinois – Activists Protest At Walmart, Demand Passage Of Cook County Responsible Business Act

Chicago Student Action (formerly IIRON Student Network)

The Guardian – University of Chicago professors urge fossil fuel divestment over climate change fears
Time Magazine Online – The Million Student March Protesters Say They’re Just Getting Started, Quote from Brianna Tong, Student Organizer
New York Times – On Eve of Graduation, University of Chicago Student President Faces Expulsion
People.com – University of Chicago’s Student Body President Who Feared Repercussions From Sit-In Graduates – and Receives Support From Bernie Sanders
Chicago Maroon – Kissinger Receives Probation, Will Graduate Tomorrow