We are bearing witness to the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, which has resulted in the killings of over 20,000 Palestinians - half of whom are children. Simultaneously, we are responding to a massive uptick in anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim violence. CAIR reported that they have responded to over 774 bias-related incidents. This includes the brutal murder of 6-year-old Wadea al-Fayoume who was stabbed over 26 times in his home, his mother who survived a violent attack from their landlord, and the shootings of three Palestinian students, Hisham Awartani, Kinnan Abdalhamid and Tahseen Ahmed who were wearing a Kuffiyeh and speaking Arabic. There have been hundreds of reports of anti-Palestinian racism against students. All of these incidents are still an undercount of the actual violence communities are experiencing, including right here in Chicago. We have also witnessed tens and thousands of Chicagoans pour into the streets calling for an immediate permanent Ceasefire, many of whom have been met with police brutality and violence. Further, we know that every single year, millions of dollars from taxpayers in Chicago are given to support US’s military funding to Israel.

In addition, given Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in 2024, we believe Chicago can take leadership and demonstrate the city’s united support for human rights and justice. Given the city is planning to spend public dollars to support the convention, we support the Chicago Progressive Staffer’s call that we cannot invest in programs that do not support calls for peace. 

Therefore we support the following demands made by the Chicago Progressive Staffers (UPDATED DEMANDS): 

• Supporting Alderman Daniel La Spata and Chairwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez’s resolution R2023-0006422 by:

  Signing onto the resolution as a co-sponsor and voting YES on January 24. We implore our city leaders to call for President Biden and the DNC to demand an immediate ceasefire. The people of Chicago are on the right side of history in disavowing the United States’ complicity in Palestinian genocide and we hope our Mayor, our Council Members, our bosses and their coworkers can find time to hear them too and support the call for a ceasefire.
  

As organizations that work in Chicago, we hope the city’s elected officials endorse the call for a Ceasefire. This call is the bare minimum and silence at this moment is an endorsement of genocide and settler-colonialism against Palestinians. From Palestine to Chicago, we must endorse justice, peace, and collective liberation. 

Signed, 

(In Formation)

1. Muslims for Just Futures
   
2. IfNotNow Chicago
3. GoodKidsMadCity
   
4. ChicagoVotes
   
5. Jewish Voice for Peace- Chicago
   
6. 50th Ward United Working Families
7. Black Village Foundation
   
8. Students for Justice in Palestine Chicago (SJP)
   
9. CODEPINK Chicago
10. American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)
11. What’s in it For the Black People(WIIFTBP)
12. 39th Ward Neighbors United
13. Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE Chicago)
14. ANSWER Coalition
15. Latino Union of Chicago
16. 30th United
17. Illinois Coalition for Human Rights
18. Liberate Ward 46
19. 33rd Ward Working Families
20. 48th Ward Neighbors for Social Justice
21. Asian American Midwest Progressives
22. Black Lives Matter Women of Faith
23. Ward 44 Neighbors
24. SOUL - Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation
25. Chicago for Abortion Rights
26. Chicago Asian Americans for Environmental Justice
27. Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
28. Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC)
29. Ujimaa Medics
30. 40th Ward Workers United
31. Never Again Action Chicago
32. Pilsen Alliance
33. Chicago Islamic Center
34. Al-Nahda Center 
35. United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN)
36. US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USPCR)
37. Love and Struggle Photos 
38. Axis Lab
    
39. Sensitive Visual
40. Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition & Solidarity (MAMAS)
41. United Neighbors of the 35th Ward 
42. Party for Socialism & Liberation
    
43. Law Students for Justice in Palestine, Chicago Chapter
44. Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE)
    
45. Muslim Civic Coalition
46. Rayo Counseling & Community Co-op
47. Justice for Palestine at NEIU
48. PO Box Collective
49. American Friends Service Committee-Chicago
50. Chicago Liberation Center
51. Justice Cream
    
52. Chicago Torture Justice Memorials 
53. Rogers Park Free Store
    
54. The #LetUsBreathe Collective
55. Bosniak Brotherhood of Genocide Survivors
56. SoapBox Productions and Organizing
57. Dissenters
58. Nikkei Uprising
59. Resource Generation Chicago
60. Freedom Road Socialist Organization - Chicago
    
61. F.L.Y. Radical Therapy
62. Healthcare Workers for Palestine - Chicago
    
63. Care Not COVID Chicagoland
    
64. Chicago Loot Drop
65. Neighbors for Ceasefire Now
66. World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations
    
67. SABAH Islamic and Cultural Center
    
68. UChicago United for Palestine
    
69. Just Practice 
70. Inner Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
    
71. Chicago Desi Youth Rising
72. Helping Hearts of Bosnia & Herzegovina 
73. Heartful Healing 
74. Circular Force Self Defense Academy
75. Apna Ghar, Inc. 
76.  Lilies of Hope
    
77. HELP FROM USA TO BIH
    
78. Healthcare workers for Palestine-Chicago
    
79. Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy
    
80. Generative Chaos 
81. Neighbors for Environmental Justice
82. Final 5 Campaign
    
83. Rogers Park MOVES 
    
84. The Southwest College
85. Indigenous Graduate Student Association at UIC
86. Middle Eastern North African Medical Student Association
    
87. Chicago Sikhs for Ceasefire
    
88. Sanad Pantry
89. Muslim Student Association - Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
    
90. Love & Protect
91. Organized Communities Against Deportations OCAD
92. Chicago United Solidarity Project (CUSP)
93. Better Streets Chicago Action Fund
    
94. Pushing Envelopes Chicago
95. Policing in Chicago Research Group
96. Teachers for Social Justice
97. Radical Public Health at UIC
    
98. ChiResists - Chicago Solidarity Network
99. Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine
100. Faculty for Justice in Palestine, UIC
101. THE NICKOLAS LEE FOUNDATION
102. FreeStyle Chicago
103. Rampant Magazine
     
104. Trash People
105. Warehouse Workers for Justice 
106. Alternatives
107. GirlForward
108. Circles and Ciphers
109. Project Taqwa
110. Sikh Youth of Chicago
111. People's Response Network
     
112. Youth Empowerment Performance Project (YEPP)
113. Rebirth Garments
114. Autonomous Tenants Union
115. MASHALLAH
116. First defense legal aid
117. Women for Liberty and Justice for All
118. Chicago faith. Coalition for middleEast policy
119. We Run Until victory
120. Blacks in Green
121. HRDI Human Resources Development Institute
122. Cent(her)ed Collective
123. Illinois 123GO
124. Ayazz LLc
125. Unified Under Hope (501c3)
126. Earthseed Native Landscaping & Edible Gardens LWCA
     
127. Kuuumba
128. Chicago South Side Birth Center
129. Southsiders for Peace
130. Intercultural Music Production
     
131. American Muslim Medical Student Association (AMMSA) Chicago
132. The CornerStore Chicago, NFP
133. Muslim Student Association at University of St.Francis
     
134. Uprising Theater
135. Puppetqueers
136. The People's 32nd
137. ArtHaus Vigil
138. See Color See Me
139. Heart of Dog Production
140. gonzo mania
141. MAKE NOIZE FOR CHANGE
142. Palenque LSNA
143. Neighbors for Ceasefire Now!
144. MKT Market
145. The Honeycomb Network
146. Links Hall
147. Chicago Abortion Fund
148. Selfhood Movement
149. Palenque LSNA
150. Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices
151. Yeojeong LLC
152. Together We Cope
153. Raise the Floor Alliance
154. Syrian Community Network
155. Chicago BIPOC Birders
156. Neighbors For Peace
157. Howard Brown Nurses for Palestine
158. Local 1600: Community, Labor, and Student Engagement Committee Chair
159. Starbucks Workers United - Illinois 
160. Gage Park Latinx Council 
161. Lincoln Square Ravenswood Solidarity Network  
162. Sacred Roots
     
163. The Second Baptist Church of Maywood
     
164. The Surface
     
165. Sunrise Movement Chicago Chapter
     
166. The Surface
167. Sunrise Movement Chicago Chapter
168. 33rd Ward Working Families
169. Taleef Collective