For immediate release: Wednesday, March 12, 2019

Contact: Kristi Sanford, 773-456-4024 or kristi@thepeopleslobbyusa.org

Neighbor, father, and customer service manager poised for big city council upset: Reclaim Chicago’s Andre Vasquez draws union support in quest to unseat O’Connor

Chicago, IL — Inspired to be active in politics for the first time by Bernie Sanders’ campaign for president, Andre Vasquez connected with Reclaim Chicago in early 2016 to knock doors on Chicago’s northside for the Senator. Since then, Vasquez has been active in Reclaim Chicago’s core leadership on Chicago’s north side, leading voter contact programs for Daniel Biss for Governor and Ram Villivalam for State Senate and fighting for a fair elections ordinance that would help get big money out of municipal political campaigns in order to level the playing field for campaigns like his against corporate and machine backed candidates.

Today, several major unions announced support for Andre Vasquez: Chicago Teachers Union, AFSCME Council 31, SEIU HCII, SEIU Local 73, and CCCTU.

Reclaim Chicago runs a campaign leadership school with tracks for candidates, staff and super volunteers that want to run visionary campaigns that call for bold reforms and are powered by grassroots leaders. With more than 2,500 door knocks per week, dozens of weekly volunteer shifts and more than $100,000 raised before today’s endorsements, Vasquez has the strength to defeat O’Connor on April 2, 2019. Continue reading →

For Immediate Release: 6:30 AM, Thursday, November 15, 2018
Contact: Kristi Sanford 773-456-4024 or kristi@thepeopleslobbyusa.org

CHICAGO, IL — Reclaim Chicago announces their endorsement of five young candidates of color at a press conference at 10 am on Thursday, November 15 outside city hall chambers, 121 N LaSalle St, 2nd floor:
Colin Bird-Martinez, 31st Ward
Rossana Rodriguez, 33rd Ward
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th Ward
Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward
Maria Hadden, 49th Ward

Chicago is a city in crisis. People of color are segregated in neighborhoods without good jobs, schools or city services and suffer from violence that is a consequence of exclusion and exploitation. Poor and working people of all backgrounds are being pushed out of the city and are suffering from lack of investment in education, infrastructure and services. To create a safe, healthy and equitable Chicago for everyone, people rooted in the neighborhoods need to have political power in city hall. Reclaim Chicago is endorsing candidates who demonstrate viability through strong grassroots support, understand the depth of crises facing Chicago’s neighborhoods and are committed to putting the needs of constituents before the needs of the donor class that typically fund elections.

“I’m running for alderman because city government is failing our people”, says Colin Bird-Martinez running to unseat an Emmanuel ally in the 31st Ward. “I have talked to single mothers who can’t go back to work because preschool is not free, to young people who dropped out of community college because it’s too expensive, to people whose employers are stealing their wages and to parents who are worried sick about their children’s schools closing. It’s time for city council to fight for what our communities need, rather than what the donor class wants. I’m proud to be a part of this slate of candidates leading that fight.”
Continue reading →

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 17, 2019

Contact: Kristi Sanford, kristi@thepeopleslobbyusa.org or 773-456-4024

Chicago, IL — Reclaim Chicago makes the following statement about Rahm Emanuel’s proposed budget:

“In an unprecedented election year, with progressives across the city threatening to take seats from his city council allies, Emanuel’s budget fails to deliver significant goods for incumbents to campaign on, let alone to meet our communities’ needs,” says Amanda Weaver, Executive Director of Reclaim Chicago. “Chicagoans shouldn’t have to wait for an election year to get small increases in resources to eradicate rats, trim trees and provide new trash bins. We also need much bigger investments in addressing the consequences of mass incarceration, in reforming the Chicago Police Department and in boldly reimagining how we create safe communities.”

Reclaim Chicago is known for its ability to mobilize grassroots volunteers to have neighbor-to-neighbor conversations with voters. Reclaim Chicago is supported by The People’s Lobby and National Nurses United. The People’s Lobby organizes people at the grassroots on issues ranging from austerity and budgets to mass incarceration, good jobs, climate change and campaign finance reform. National Nurses United, with 6,500 Registered Nurses in Illinois and close to 185,000 members across the country, is the largest union and professional association of RNs in U.S. history. Learn more at www.reclaimchicago.org, www.facebook.com/reclaimchicago or www.twitter.com/reclaimchicago.

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For Immediate Release: October 15, 2018

Contact: Kristi Sanford, kristi@thepeopleslobbyusa.org or 773-456-4024

Reclaim Chicago is proud to endorse Abdelnasser Rashid for Cook County Commissioner in the 17th District and Kevin Morrison for Cook County Commissioner in the 15th District.

Both Rashid and Morrison are running for seats in the western suburbs on a progressive platform. Both are challenging Republicans with party leadership positions that have consistently put corporate interests before the needs of working families.

Both incumbents voted against raising the Cook County Minimum Wage to match Chicago’s, and both are key allies of Republican Governor Bruce Rauner whose budget cuts have deeply wounded Illinois’ social services providers and public universities. Rashid is challenging the chair of the Cook County GOP and Morrison wants to unseat the chair of the Illinois GOP.
Continue reading →

For Immediate Release: January 22, 2018

Contact Kristi Sanford, 773-456-4024 or kristi@thepeopleslobbyusa.org

Reclaim Chicago Endorses Senator Daniel Biss for Governor

Chicago, Illinois – Reclaim Chicago announces its endorsement of Senator Daniel Biss for Governor of Illinois.  Reclaim Chicago is a grassroots political organization that endorses and elects candidates who put the needs of people and the health of our planet before corporate profits and the interests of the very rich, and holds them accountable once elected. Daniel Biss is running in the Democratic primary scheduled for March 20, 2018.

“Daniel is not a billionaire. He worries about balancing the cost of living with saving for his children’s college education, and he understands that the necessities of life are out of reach for far too many families,” said Amanda Weaver, Reclaim Chicago’s Executive Director. “Daniel knows first hand what a difference it would make in our lives to fully fund public education, to make public universities tuition-free, and to have a Medicare for All system that would free us from the financial crisis that almost always accompanies a health crisis. Daniel is already leading the fight to close corporate tax loopholes and make the very rich pay their fair share so that Illinois can afford to make these investments.”

Continue reading →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016

Contact: Kristi Sanford, info@reclaimchicago.org or 773-456-4024

A new study by Common Cause Illinois, Reclaim Chicago, Demos, and other advocacy groups documents the dominance of wealthy whites in financing Chicago elections and makes a powerful case for a public financing plan that would encourage candidates to focus attention on small dollar donors who more closely reflect the city’s population.

Continue reading →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2016

Contact: Kristi Sanford, info@reclaimchicago.org or 773-456-4024

Growing Volunteer Movement Wins 9 out of 10 State and Local Races

CHICAGO – With state and local election primary results just in, Reclaim Chicago declares victory for the people on the ground in Chicago and across Cook County. Key high profile races targeted by Reclaim Chicago that won include:

Kim Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney; Omar Aquino, IL State Sen., D-2; Juliana Stratton, IL State Rep., D-5; Theresa Mah, IL State Rep., D-2; Rep. Christian Mitchell, IL State Rep, D-26 Continue reading →