Meeting Notes 4-28-11

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Notes from Redistricting BootcampApril 28, 2011

Sponsoring Organizations

State Representative Arthur Turner, Jr., State Representative La ShawnFord and Commissioner Robert Steele have teamed up with a coalition of regional and community-based organizations to conduct a redistrictingbootcamp. The coalition includes the Illinois Campaign for AccountableRedistricting (ICAR), Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct

Organization (IVI-IPO), Open Door Foundation, Empowered Citizens of NorthLawndale (ECONL), the United Congress of Community and ReligiousOrganizations and the North Lawndale Community News. The coalitionenvisions working with community stakeholders to ensure that Illinois'legislative boundaries are drawn in a manner that is equitable for allstakeholders. Questions regarding the workshops may be addressed toValerie F. Leonard, Co-Founder of the Lawndale Alliance atvaleriefleonard@msn.com, or 773-521-3137.

Planning Committee

Richard Barnett Fred Mitchell Melva Brownlee Gene MorenoMichael Evers Josina MoritaMillie Goldsmith Aviva PattBruce Jackson Sondra SpellmanMickey Johnson Dwayne Truss Jimmy Lee Lard Jeffery TurnerValerie F. Leonard Jocelyn WoodardsIsaac Lewis Gladys Woodson

Meeting Outcome

 The opening prayer was offered by Rev. Govan Campbell, and Ms. MillieGoldsmith read from Psalm 37.

  Jocelyn Woodards provided remarks from the Illinois Campaign forAccountable Redistricting (ICAR). She provided and overview of theCampaign and welcomed the Lawndale Alliance to become a part of the

4111 West 21st

PlaceChicago, IL 60623Phone: 773-521-

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statewide coalition. A primary objective of ICAR is to expand organizationalparticipation to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, the

maximum diversity is achieved working in collaboration and coalition toensure accountability, transparency, and accessibility to the Stateredistricting process.

Steve Laue, of the Census Bureau, provided a live demonstration of theCensus.gov website. This included navigation and running reports to collectcensus data and develop maps. He also provided insights into how theCensus Bureau collects data; their process for evaluation of the results aswell as a process for appealing the results.

In the interest of time, Valerie F. Leonard did not share a Power Pointpresentation on North Lawndale as a community of interest. She provided avery brief verbal description of the community and some of its most pressingissues—including education, foreclosure, and the desire to structure districts

with future economic growth potential. She encouraged the audience tothink of issues of concern to them as they participated in a facilitateddiscussion regarding proposed boundaries for the West Side districts.

Ms. Josina Morita, Executive Director of the United Congress for Communityand Religious Organizations facilitated a discussion regarding proposedboundaries for African American legislative districts on Chicago’s West Side.Residents from North Lawndale and East and West Garfield re-iterated aconcern to keep their communities intact. Dwayne Truss, an Austin resident,indicated that the 78th District is diverse, and he was comfortable with thediversity and the fact that the region is served by more than one legislator.

A copy of the proposed maps are attached. The maps are part of a statewidemap that includes Latino and African American majority districts. Thestatewide proposal also includes districts in which Latinos, Asians and AfricanAmericans may not have a majority, but may have enough people to exertpolitical influence.

 The final Redistricting Bootcamp meeting will be held on May 5, 2011 at the10th District Police Station, 3315 West Ogden Avenue, from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm.  The meeting will include an overview of the legal implications forredistricting, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Illinois VotingRights Act of 2011.

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Chicago-Westside RegionLegislative Map

 The overall situation is that although there was significant Black populationloss, there is still enough Black population to draw four majority-Blackdistricts on the west side. These districts will have lower percentages thanpast districts—all around 57 percent. In general, the areas included in thesefour districts are needed to keep these percentages as high as possible—butthe lines of the individual districts within this area are more flexible. So, anyfeedback on these lines would be great.

Source: United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations.

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Potential Majority-Black HouseDistrict:

West SideBN1 (This is currently Turner’s District)

DISTRIC

T POPULATION LATINO WHITE BLACK ASIAN

LATINO

18+

WHITE

18+

BLACK

18+

ASIAN

18+

BN1 108734 8.00% 26.17% 56.62% 7.35% 7.75% 31.13% 50.69% 8.69%

Source: United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations 

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Potential Majority-Black HouseDistrict:

West SideBN2 (This is currently Smith’s (formerly Collins’)

District)

DISTRICT POPULATION LATINO WHITE BLACK ASIAN

LATINO

18+

WHITE

18+

BLACK

18+

ASIAN

18+

BN2 108734 15.81% 23.62% 56.97% 2.07% 14.78% 28.56% 52.79% 2.50%

Source: United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations 

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Potential Majority-Black HouseDistrict:

West SideBN3 (This is currently Ford’s District)

DISTRICT POPULATION LATINO WHITE BLACK ASIAN

LATINO

18+

WHITE

18+

BLACK

18+

ASIAN

18+

BN3 108736 5.77% 32.21% 57.52% 2.52% 5.16% 34.29% 56.40% 2.75%

Source: United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations 

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Potential Majority-Black HouseDistrict:

West SideBN4 (This is currently Yarbrough’s District)

DISTRICT POPULATION LATINO WHITE BLACK ASIAN

LATINO

18+

WHITE

18+

BLACK

18+

ASIAN

18+

BN4 108733 17.22% 22.99% 56.47% 1.90% 14.78% 25.96% 56.11% 2.0

Source: United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations