I’m excited to join my neighbors on another fun-filled weekend. Last weekend brought back Midsommarfest in Andersonville and a Juneteenth Block Party in Rogers Park. It was so great to open the traditional start of festival season in Andersonville with Alderman Osterman and see neighbors gather for the festival on Clark for the first time since the pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of Alderwoman Hadden and all the community partners (we’re looking at you, Torrence), we also got to enjoy the first-ever commemoration of Juneteenth on Paulina north of Howard with great music, neighbors, and a special performance by the Jesse White Tumblers. I loved seeing all the smiling faces, connecting with neighbors, and just enjoying the beautiful weather in our amazing neighborhoods. I especially appreciated how meaningful it was to bring a Juneteenth celebration to the Howard Street area as we continue to work to bring positive traffic to that corridor.

It was very special to witness the raising of the Juneteenth flag on Daley Plaza in the city’s official commemoration of the holiday. Our very own Torrence Gardner has been an integral part of the Chicago Juneteenth Planning Coalition and spoke passionately about his commitment to the people and communities who have worked so hard to ensure that the holiday of Juneteenth is a catalyst for learning and change while pushing back on efforts to trivialize and commercialize what can be an opportunity to learn and grow.

I also had the pleasure of witnessing Governor Pritzker signing HB5441 which strengthens sexual assault consent laws by clarifying the existing definition of "unable to give knowing consent." Survivors are now protected legally who do not give consent after voluntarily consuming an intoxicating substance. I worked closely with the lead sponsor of this bill as well as the woman who inspired it. At the same ceremony, the Governor signed SB3023, which addressed needed changes to the laws covering care for sexual assault survivors. Most notably, the new law doubles the amount of time survivors can access coverage for follow-up care from 90 days to 180 days. To read Governor Pritzker's Press release click here.

I'll keep it brief since there's so much to look through in this newsletter this week, but here’s a quick rundown of some of the places our team will be this weekend!

Saturday, June 18th:

11 AM - Glenwood Al Fresco Area Ribbon Cutting located north of Morse on Glenwood Ave

12:45 PM - Memorial for Lake Michigan drowning victims near Pratt at the Artists of the Wall Ceremony (I’ll be painting too…)

2 PM - A Just Harvest Juneteenth Celebration, 7649 N Paulina

Have a happy Father's Day weekend! We have many terrific fathers in the community so please give them some love this weekend.

I was happy to see everyone out and about at Andersonville's Midsommarfest last weekend after two years of absence due to the pandemic. I had the pleasure of kicking off the Saturday acts, which included Drag Queen Story Time with Mrs. Yuka and Dancing Queen: An Abba Salute. The festivities continued into Sunday, with highlights including performances from the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective and DJ Dan Luna, Chief of Staff for Alderman Harry Osterman, and our office neighbor. I look forward to seeing you all next year for another great Fest!

I was also excited to participate in the kick-off of Chicago's Juneteenth celebrations. On Saturday, I joined Alderwoman Maria Hadden and many other local organizations for our Juneteenth Block Party celebration. On Monday, my staff and I attended the Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony at Daley Plaza. I was thrilled to see my Chief of Staff, Torrence Gardner, speak at this event. To see his remarks and the rest of the ceremony, visit WGN's website. To check out the ABC7 special on Juneteenth which features Torrence and other organizers who made Juneteenth a city holiday please watch ABC7 at 4:30 pm this Sunday, June 19th.

Celebrate Juneteenth this year at one or several of the Juneteenth celebrations being held across the city. The Chicago Junteteenth Planning Coalition (CJPC) coordinated these events. CJPC is a group of Juneteenth organizers who make up all parts of Chicago and are dedicated to ensuring that fun and educational celebrations occur.

For more information on these events, click here.

Please join us on Thursday, June 30th for our second legislative conversation event of the summer! We will be gathering at Taste Food & Wine for beverages and a legislative wrap-up by Representative Cassidy. Hope to see you there! Register at bit.ly/Drinks14Taste.

Voting for the 2022 Primary Election began on June 13th. The last day to vote is Tuesday, June 28th.

There are multiple ways to vote! You can vote early in-person, vote by mail, or vote in-person on June 28th at your designated polling place.

You can vote early in person at any of the Early Voting locations listed here. However, Early Voting locations in the 14th state district are Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway

Anyone can also vote by mail. You must register to vote by mail by June 23rd at this link. All mail ballots must be postmarked by June 28th in order to be counted. Alternatively, mail ballots may also be returned to secure ballot boxes at any of the Early Voting locations until June 28th.

Finally, you can also vote in-person on Election Day, June 28th. To vote then, you must vote at your designated polling place. To find your polling place, click here.

All Early Voting locations and Election Day polling places will have voter registration services. Those wanting to register to vote for the first time or under a new name or address must show two forms of ID, one of which must reflect the current address of the voter. More information and acceptable forms of ID are listed here.

Based on your address, the Chicago Board of Elections can provide your polling location as well as your sample ballot ahead of voting at this website. After inputting your information and clicking "search," click on the second tab located at the top reading "Sample Ballot."

Care for Real is most in need of personal care items, menstrual products, and diapers. But you can find a full list of their needs here. 

To purchase items on CFR’s wishlist directly, click here. 

A massive Pride display in Andersonville, now known as the Chicago Pride Home, has returned for a second year with the addition of a 6-foot-tall styrofoam unicorn named Diamond Buttercup Mist. Jesse Campbell, one of the owners of the house, is an interior designer and designed the unicorn. Campbell grew up on a farm in Ohio and named the new display after his childhood pony. Planted around it are 38 flags representing the segments of the LGBTQ community. This year's display also includes the option to donate to the group Men Having Babies, a nonprofit that seeks to help LGBTQ couples become parents. Campbell and his partner Nicholas Vasquez had their son, Rocco, through surrogacy, and he served as the initial inspiration for the display. Despite online hatred after last year's display went viral, the couple decided to bring it back -- and make it bigger -- to celebrate the LGBTQ community and teach people about acceptance and pride. To read more about the Chicago Pride Home, click here.

I had the pleasure of attending a ribbon-cutting for one of our newest businesses in the district. Marais Home & Garden is a new home goods store located at 1206 W. Victoria. This store has an array of vintage and homemade goods including, jewelry, blankets, bags, and greeting cards. The smell of the sore was amazing as they also sell candles and other good-smelling products.

Go check them out and find a great Father's Day present!

More information about the Artists of the Wall Festival can be found here.

The Chicago Mosaic School is hosting a Make-and-Take Day on June 18 as part of its fundraising efforts. Attendees will have the chance to create a variety of mosaics.

The event will run from 11am - 5pm. Tickets are $45. Kids 6 and under can attend for free. To learn more, click here.

A closing ceremony for the Ride for Life Chicago will take place on Sunday, June 19 at Foster Beach.

Cyclists will celebrate the completion of their ride at the beach for TPAN's largest community-based fundraising event.

TPAN will also be celebrating 35 years of assisting people living with HIV. The event is from noon to 5pm. It is free and open to the public.

To learn more about TPAN, click here.

For the June event of their Community Resilience Workshop Series, organizers from Edgewater Environmental Coalition will lead the group in a brief summer solstice reflection exercise, and then native plant & tree stewards will lead an ID walk. The walk around the lakefront will feature identification, appreciation, and storytelling.

Date: Tuesday, June 21st at 6-7:30pm

Location: Meet at Meditation Point at Osterman Beach

After 2 years, the Rogers Park Business Alliance will host its annual Best of Rogers Park Awards Ceremony in person. Join them in celebrating the outstanding Rogers Park community members who make our neighborhood special.

Date: June 22 @ 5:30pm

Location: the McCormick Lounge in Coffey Hall (Loyola University) -- 1000 W Sheridan.

Price: tickets are $20 each (RPBA members receive 2 complimentary tickets, RSVP required).

For more information and to register, click here.

6018North, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of culture and events in Chicago, is bringing back a community favorite this summer. Two live performance series, Water Music on the Beach and Boulevard Dreamers, are combining to create a community-focused variety show that celebrates Chicago's location on Lake Michigan and connects the community of talent from Edgewater, Rogers Park, and Uptown.

Date: June 25 from 4-7pm

Location: 5915 N Sheridan Rd

For more information on this event, click here.

Shedd Aquarium now has community tickets available. Community members can take advantage of this opportunity by following the steps below:

To enter, go to chicagogardeningawards.org/entry-form. For gardener and garden profiles, information, and much more, visit CEGA online at chicagogardeningawards.org. Follow the awards as the season progresses on Facebook at facebook.com/ChicagoGardeningAwards.

Date: The event will take place June 21 from 4-9 pm

Location: Willye White Park - 1610 W Howard St

Fee: No fee for playing in the event

Cook County is currently experiencing Medium Community Level risk for COVID-19. However, Illinois as a whole still has 25 counties rated with a high community risk level. Despite the downgraded risk for Cook County, the IDPH still encourages caution and common sense in group gatherings this Juneteenth and Father's Day celebration weekend. It is currently recommended that all immunocompromised and elderly people wear masks in crowded indoor settings. Please also stay up to date with your vaccines and get tested if you are experiencing symptoms or have been exposed.

In recent news, the FDA has declared both Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to be safe for children as young as 6 months old. The CDC is expected to officially approve the FDA's recommendation this Saturday, June 18th. After approval, vaccines should be readily available for this youngest age group in doctors' offices and pharmacies.

Illinois health officials reported 27,112 new COVID-19 cases over the past week. There have been at least 3,380,095 total COVID cases including at least 33,994 related deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

For more details regarding the status of COVID in Illinois click here.

Please click here to see the status of COVID in our zip codes.

To find a vaccine clinic within the City of Chicago click here.

For questions or info regarding COVID-19 testing click here.

Statewide Totals: 3,380,095 confirmed cases and 33,994 deaths

Hotline: 800-889-3931

Email: dph.sick@illinois.gov

Hotline: 312-746-4835

Email: coronavirus@chicago.gov

The City of Chicago has launched the Home and Business Protection Program (HBPP) to ensure that Chicagoans have access to private security equipment to protect their property and feel safe. Starting today, the City will provide select rebates to cover costs associated with outdoor security camera systems, cloud storage for video footage, outdoor motion-sensor lighting, vehicle GPS trackers, and subscription costs.

Learn more about the program and apply for rebates at Chicago.gov/HBPP. If you have any questions, feel free to email HBPP@cityofchicago.org or call (312) 742-3317.

To help as many people as possible keep their Medicaid coverage, HFS needs updated addresses to send people their renewal forms. People who use Medicaid can update their addresses two ways: calling the HFS hotline (877-805-5312), or through an HFS web form.

To start the process, schedule an appointment for an energy advisory to perform a free energy assessment. For more information and to schedule an assessment, visit multifamilyportal.com. 

To apply, visit chicago.gov/cpr.

CPS created a website - cps.edu/summerprograms — with the district's summer programming information and links to programs that are offered through CPS and through other city agencies.

Information about the event and the application are available at ComEdEVRally.com.

The application is now open. Students (and adults) can apply at pollworker.chicagoelections.gov before the application closes on May 1. Election Judges earn $230 for completing training and working on election day.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Learn more and apply at GoodmanTheatre.org/InterGens.

To register for this event, click here.

Work at Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service

Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service is now hiring for EMT and Paramedic positions in Chicago and Evanston. They provide emergency response services to special events like sporting events and concerts. The program includes 12 weeks of training, a free accelerated EMT course, and a guaranteed job. For more information, visit emsjobs.org or email emtclass@superiorambulance.com. 

Register to attend this virtual event, here. 

Heartland Alliance is dedicated to advancing human rights and championing human dignity through services and solutions both locally and globally. Their approach is multi-faceted, and stretches through multiple arms of the organization.

Heartland Alliance is offering many different positions in Chicago's Northside, such as Case Worker, Community Health Worker, Refugee Specialist, Cook, among many others.

More information on careers with Heartland Alliance can be found here.