As you may have heard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance for fully vaccinated people this week. With new data and information emerging with the more contagious B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, the CDC is now recommending that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission.  As of now, that includes suburban Cook County, as you can see in the CDC's heatmap of community transmission, available on their website. Suburban Cook County has brought back an indoor mask mandate this week, and while Chicago has not yet taken this step,Continue

Chicago is now in possession of nearly $2 billion in federal COVID relief funds. How do you think the city should spend this money to ensure that all of our communities can recover? Along with progressive and socialist colleagues on City Council, I'm advocating for a Chicago Rescue Plan that includes major investments in housing, mental healthcare, childcare, and violence prevention. Chicago, like almost every major U.S. city, is continuing to see a rise in gun violence in the wake of the pandemic. We need a new approach to public safety, and we need it urgently. One of my topContinue

Participatory budgeting for our 2022 cycle is officially underway! In 2019, we began using participatory budgeting in the 33rd Ward to allow neighbors to propose and decide democratically how they want to spend the $1 million in infrastructure funding allocated to our ward annually. We are one of nine wards citywide that uses this process, which allows any resident of the ward 14 or older to vote.  In the past two cycles, neighbors have come up with some truly creative ideas for projects to enhance the safety, beauty, and functionality of our ward for all of us. We can't waitContinue

I hope everyone is looking forward to this holiday weekend! There's a lot going on in the 33rd Ward to help make it a fun, safe one for all.   First, we hope you'll stop by our second outdoor pop-up market in Albany Park tomorrow morning, from 9AM - 1PM at 4433 N Kedzie, to check out vintage clothing, jewelry, and other unique pieces by our local vendors. We'll also have two family-friendly community events hosted by the 33rd Ward's Transforming Community Safety Collective. On Saturday, join us for a Community Walk and Clean-up event Saturday, July 3rd from 6:30-7:30Continue

We just wrapped up a long City Council meeting in what had already been a chaotic week. On Wednesday, Mayor Lightfoot adjourned our meeting early after confronting my colleague, 20th Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, over her principled stand to to defer the appointment of the city's top lawyer for mishandling of the Anjanette Young case. I'll be sharing more about our work to make the Council a more effective and independent body, but for now I want to highlight some positive news from today for our community: We were able to pass two ordinances allocating a total of $6 million inContinue

Today's community vaccination clinic and grocery giveaway today was a huge success! Thanks to Heartland Health Clinics, Revolution Brewing, Centro Romero, Lakeview Pantry for providing groceries, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa for co-hosting with us, and the dozens of neighbors who volunteered to make the event run smoothly. If you or someone you know needs a vaccine, there are lots of convenient options near our ward. You can find a list of nearby locations and hours here, or call our office for help.  This evening, we're excited to help inaugurate a new tradition here in the 33rd Ward. Join us for aContinue

Today, the State of Illinois and City of Chicago are officially reopening. It's been an incredibly difficult 15 months, and there's a lot of reason for optimism with where we're at now. About 53 percent of all Chicago residents have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and closer to 60 percent have done so in most parts of our ward. We do need to remember that the pandemic isn't over. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, masks are still required in indoor settings. Even if you are fully vaccinated, masks will continue to be required onContinue

It's June, and there's a lot to celebrate this month! A majority of eligible Chicagoans have now received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and positivity rates for the virus are at their lowest point since the beginning of the pandemic. This weekend, our beloved Horner Park Farmer's Market is returning, and later this month the city and state will be lifting restrictions on most businesses and activities. Plus, we'll be celebrating Father's Day, Pride month, and--for the first time ever in Chicago--officially celebrating Juneteenth. One summer activity I'm especially excited for is our "walk your block" program.Continue

Despite the nasty weather today, summer is almost here! With more and more residents getting vaccinated, I am looking forward to all the opportunities this time will bring to come back together and continue building community with you.  On Sunday, our ward office is working with neighbors in the Transforming Community Safety Collective to host an outdoor, family-friendly event outside Roosevelt High School. Maintaining and using our public spaces to build intentional community is an important long-term strategy for building safe, healthy neighborhoods; it's also a chance to get back in the swing of meeting new neighbors after such a difficult andContinue

Over the course of the pandemic, one of the most frequent calls our office received was from residents struggling to make their rent or mortgage payments. This week, I spoke with Wendy Rodriguez from the office of State Rep. Delia Ramirez about the Illinois housing relief bill just signed into law, and how to access the resources it provides. You can watch our Facebook Live conversation here. I want to make sure all residents are aware that there are now two major rental assistance programs available to Chicagoans. The State of Illinois is currently accepting applications for the Illinois RentalContinue