Kelly's Update

It’s Valentine’s Day and we’re preparing for another promised snow storm as we head into the long weekend. This weekend, I’m looking forward to seeing neighbors at the Protect RP Community Assembly and participating in a talk back after Sunday’s matinee performance of The Pyg Hypothesis at Theatre Above the Law. Scroll down to our Neighborhood Shoutout for more information.

On Wednesday, after lengthy deliberations, the jury in the trial of Speaker Mike Madigan returned a mixed verdict, convicting the former speaker on ten counts, including bribery and wire fraud. He was found not guilty on seven counts, and the jury could not reach a verdict on six counts in which he was charged with co-defendant Mike McClain who was previously convicted for his role in the ComEd Four scandal. Read more about the trial here.

This newsletter has covered the long saga from my pushing back on his leadership over the years to his ouster as Speaker, indictment, and the multiple trials stemming from his operation. I am relieved that this part is over, although I know the appeals process will drag this out for some time as well. Immediately after the verdict was released, I shared the following statement.

I genuinely hope that this experience will create greater openness to measures to restore public faith in our work and I pledge to use my roles as a member of the Ethics & Elections Committee and the Legislative Ethics Commission to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to seek common sense policies that add transparency and accountability to our ethics and elections laws.

We head back to Springfield on Tuesday for session, with the Governor’s Budget Address scheduled for Wednesday. This will be our first glimpse at Governor Pritzker’s plan for addressing the most challenging budget we’ve seen in some time. With revenue shortfalls projected at $3.2 billion, financial challenges at the federal and local level including the “Transit Cliff” projected at $770 million, and the uncertainty brought on by the chaotic actions and threats by the Trump administration, we will have to very carefully navigate a process that will protect our most at risk populations while finding savings wherever possible. I have also met with advocates seeking to address at least some of the shortfalls with progressive solutions to increase revenue that could also become part of the conversation as we move through the budget process. As I said, Wednesday’s address is the beginning of a process that will see our chamber holding extensive hearings with state agencies and stakeholders to set spending priorities and explore options. As a former chair of an appropriations committee, I do not envy the work of our committees and budgeteers, but I am confident that the experience and dedication of the team Speaker Welch has assembled will serve us well.

Need to Know Info

Our office will be closed Monday, February 17th for Presidents Day. Please email us at info@repcassidy.com with any requests and we will respond when we return.

Our office has secured State funds to provide support to qualified State of Illinois 14th District small businesses to implement violence prevention, business protection, and safety interventions. We are excited to give out grants of up to $25,000 to qualified businesses in the district. To see if you qualify, and to keep up to date with the grant, please visit our grant website https://www.14sbsig.org/ You can also reach out to us directly at info@repcassidy.com with any questions you may have.

Get a REAL ID purchase a vehicle sticker or renew your driver’s license at the Chicago Auto Show. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office is offering DMV services, activities for families, and giveaways for kids. Visit www.ilsos.gov to learn what documents are required for each service

The Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc. (CEDA) is one of the largest private, nonprofit Community Action Agencies in the country, serving residents throughout Cook County, Illinois. They want to help people get connected with resources like LIHEAP. You can do so by scanning the QR Code above or checking out their website to see how to apply.

This Sunday, February 16th Moms Demand Action is hosting a screening of Us Kids.

After a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School claims 17 lives, a number of students rally themselves around the tragedy as an opportunity to speak out against the national gun violence epidemic.

At the Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N Lincoln Ave, 2:00pm.

Tax season is here and there’s a better way to do your taxes this year thanks to IRS Direct File. This simple, secure, and always FREE tool is available to eligible tax filers in Illinois to file both your federal and state tax returns. We're excited that Illinoisans are among the 32 million Americans who will be able to file their taxes online for free this tax season using Direct File - proof that investing in the IRS

pays off for taxpayers. While not all states have opted in, thanks to dedicated efforts by the leaders in our state, Illinois is one of 25 states participating in this initiative in 2025.

Visit directfile.irs.gov to get started.

Community organizations and leaders understand how the changing political climate impacts the community. These leaders will need resources and support to respond, so CFW created a Rapid Response Fund to support these leaders. This funding opportunity will provide grants for grassroots organizations adapting and responding to the changing environment, protecting and defending our fundamental rights.

Please review the CFW's Rapid Response Fund Guidelines and access the application on CFW’s Grant Portal.

The Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame honors the accomplishments of Illinois residents aged 65 and older. Each year, four older adults are inducted into the Hall of Fame for their work in the arts, sports, and entertainment; community service; education; or the labor force.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for nomination to the Hall of Fame, nominees must be:

• Aged 65 or older at the time of nomination; and A current Illinois resident or a previous resident of Illinois for most of their life.
• Posthumous nominations are also accepted.
• To be eligible, the nominee must have been 65 or older and living in Illinois at the time of death.

To learn more about the nomination process, click HERE!

Neighborhood Shoutout

Theatre Above The Law's latest production is Jeff Recommended! You can catch their world premiere of Greta Geiser's The Pyg Hypothesis at the Jarvis Square Theater (1439 W. Jarvis). To celebrate enjoy $15 tickets all weekend February 14-16. Use the code C-CTW25 at checkout. Online only.

LGTBQ+ couple Dr. Henrietta Higgins and Professor Quinn Pickering are tasked with transforming sheltered cis male, Elijah, into a “proper” ally of the community.

Cast includes: Abby Gilster, Sara Wisterman, Kara Rivera, Elliot Lockshine, Isabella Labove, Eric Norman & JayCey Carlson.

After the 3pm performance of The Pyg Hypothesis this Sunday, February 16th, Rep. Cassidy will be present for a special talk back!

You can purchase tickets here.

Fundraisers and Drives

Trilogy's annual winter clothing drive has begun and they will be accepting new and gently used winter clothing through February 2025. You can drop off all donations locally at their Rogers Park location at 1400 W. Greenleaf.

District Events

The Loyola Park Advisory Council is hosting a special Black History Month Celebration at the Loyola Park Fieldhouse (1230 W Greenleaf) on February 23rd from 12:30 pm to 2 pm! This year’s theme is Youth & Teen Entrepreneurship, shining a spotlight on the next generation of Black innovators and leaders. Plus, they are thrilled to unveil their NEW Teen Room—a dynamic space designed for creativity, connection, and opportunity!

🌟 Did you know? Loyola Park has proudly hosted a Black History Celebration for 25 years! Let’s come together to honor the achievements of Black Americans, recognize their profound impact on history, and inspire future trailblazers.

Join the LPAC for an afternoon of empowerment, community, and celebration. We can’t wait to see you there!

Bender Martial Arts and Fitness, Northside Chicago's Premier Source for Fitness and Martial Arts, hosts a Free Women's Open Mat/Self-defense Workshop on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 9am. They have an inclusive and welcoming environment that makes timid beginners feel welcome immediately. 

They have Coaches that specialize in Striking Arts: Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Karate as well as Grappling Arts such as Brazilian Jiujitsu, Submission Grappling, American Wrestling, Mongolian Wrestling, and Judo.

They also offer trial weeks for folks interested, a Free Sober Self-defense Workshop on the 3rd Friday of the month, and First Responders and Vets are eligible for their 1st year's tuition paid for through the WeDefy Program. 

If interested, please contact Coach Jason to sign a waiver before attending class.

You can contact him through email or by phone: 773-655-6305 or bendermartialarts.com/contact.

Andersonville Restaurant Week is back! The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is excited to once again showcase the abundance of great restaurants throughout the district. Restaurant Week is a great way to try a new spot, explore the diverse cuisine and fine dining in Andersonville, and support small businesses! The wide variety of restaurants will offer $30 / $45 / $60 special prix fixe menus* to enjoy. *Price varies by location.

To see the list of restaurants participating click here.

Join the 24th District Police on Friday, February 21 at Shadaab Restaurant (2309 W Devon) for coffee and conversation with the 24th District commander. RSVP for this event is not required!

The Loyola Basketball team invites residents of the 48th Ward to attend their game against George Washington on Wednesday, February 26th at 7 pm! Tickets are discounted at $7.73, and the game will feature a 3-1-2 concessions menu with $3 sodas, $1 popcorn, and $2 hot dogs. Click HERE to reserve your tickets, pick out your seats, and select the 48th Ward ticket type to receive the discounted tickets. Tickets must be purchased in advance of game day.

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will be hosting its February 27, 2025 Public Meeting at Sullivan High School (6631 N Bosworth) at 6:30 PM. This meeting will also be streamed via Zoom, which you can sign up to view by clicking HERE.

Join The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce for Sag Hej Day, an inaugural wellness fair dedicated to fostering connection and care within the Andersonville community and beyond. This special event will take place on Sunday, March 2nd, from 10AM to 3PM at Bramble Arts Loft (5545 N Clark).

They will be hosting a variety of interactive workshops designed to support your health and healing in the new year. There will also be free legal consultations available; with so many changes happening at the federal level lately, you might have questions about your or your family's rights, get them answered! 

Hey Edgewater families and future explorers! Get ready to mark your calendars for Saturday, March 1, 2025 because Summer is in the air. Edgewater is hosting a free Kids Activity Open House to showcase and discover the best camps for kids (0 to 17). This exciting event is your golden ticket to discovering the coolest camps around, all in one place. Whether your kiddo dreams of diving into science experiments, exploring the world of nature, creating a masterpiece artwork for the fridge, or just making awesome new friends, this camp extravaganza has something for everyone! Don’t miss this chance to make your child’s summer the best one yet!

Theatre

"Queering Centerstage" is claiming main character energy and demanding that LGBTQ+ stories are held with care and power. It means standing in our truth. It means breaking through the status quo to a more just future.

We’re dedicated to the ongoing work of queering centerstage, contributing to our culture, and providing life-affirming care for our communities. We're also dedicated to resisting ignorance and hate that attempts to erase us. As we continue to uplift the people who came before, we will continue gathering as a beacon of hope and resistance. We hope you can join us!

QUEERING CENTERSTAGE

Wednesday, February 26 at 7PM at The Understudy

This event is free and open to the public

ASL will be provided and refreshments will be served

City Lit Theater (1020 W Bryn Mawr) is premiering its newest production "Glassheart," on Friday, January 10th! The production runs until February 23rd.

From City Lit's website:

A modern-day reimagining of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

After centuries of living under a curse, the Beast and his one remaining magical servant have moved into a shabby apartment near a 7-11, hoping for a lower cost of living and better luck with girls. Their building manager, a fellow immigrant with a taste for gingerbread and children, offers help in navigating this threatening, impossible, completely mundane world, but all her gifts come with a price. When an eligible maiden moves into the second floor apartment, Beast’s servant (a relentlessly cheery lamp) colludes with the landlady to kidnap the girl. The servant finds herself assimilating the girl’s identity, her name, and bookstore job. As she becomes increasingly human, and the Beast becomes increasingly lost, she discovers what– and who– must be sacrificed for an ordinary life.

To purchase tickets, click HERE!

The Lifeline Theater (6912 N Glenwood) is starting a new production on Friday, January 17th, through Sunday, February 16th, called "The Kid Prince and Pablo."

From Lifeline Theater's website:

In the divided Capital City, the ruling class has banned rap and dance after an attempted revolution by the People. Kid Prince is set to inherit the throne…that is, until he meets Pablo, a drummer who performs for underground rap battles. When the two hatch a plan to switch identities, mayhem and music ensue. But by standing in each other’s shoes, Kid Prince and Pablo discover connections that could start a whole new revolution. Don’t miss the Midwest premiere of this incredible hip-hop adaptation of a classic piece set to inspire a new generation!

Lifeline is also offering a preview run of the production for $25 from January 5th through the 12th.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE.

Bramble Theatre Company proudly presents a workshop production of Racecar Racecar Racecar running February 13-23 at Bramble Arts Loft (5545 N Clark) Written by Kallan Dana and directed by ensemble member Spencer Huffman, this wild ride of a show offers performances Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2PM. The show runs 60 minutes without intermission. Tickets range from $5 to $35 and are available at BrambleTheatre.org. Use discount code NEIGHBORLY for $5 off any general or reserved ticket! 

Loyola University is beginning a new production called "Notes From The Field" starting February 13th and running until February 23rd at The Newhart Family Theatre (1020 W Sheridan Rd.)

From the Loyola Fine and Performing Arts website:

When fiction isn’t enough, stories must be told as they actually happened. Using verbatim transcripts of real-life interviews, Notes from the Field tackles incarceration, police brutality, and systemic educational issues with heart and hope. Anna Deavere Smith’s striking piece of documentary theatre shows the school-to-prison nexus not in allegorical critique, but in grotesquely real detail. Shattering notions of punishment and the justification of violent force, Notes from the Field interrogates what is activism, what is performance, and what you can do about it.

Loyola is also participating in the Chicago Theater Week, which runs from February 6th through the 16th. As a part of this, tickets will be offered HALF OFF using code CTW25 at checkout.

To purchase tickets for this production, click HERE!

Seasonal Events

This Black History Month, why not check out some special events at the Field Museum?

On February 19th join them for their Cultural Curators: Black Voices in the Museum Industry panel! From 10:30am-12:00pm, a career panel of Field Museum staff will share their experiences in pursuing careers in the museum industry.

On February 23rd, from 5:00pm-6:00pm, Written in the Waters with Tara Roberts. Tara Roberts, a writer, National Geographic Explorer, and underwater archaeology enthusiast has released a new book Written in the Waters: A Memoir History, Home and Belonging detailing her work recovering slave ships lost to time. 

On February 26th from 11:00am-12:00pm Families can join them for their PlayLab PlayDate: Black History Month Storytime. families with 2-6 year olds are invited to a free, drop-in storytime session hosted by the Chicago Public Library (CPL)

And on February 28th from 10:30am-12:30pm join them in the Stanley Field Hall to celebrate the opening of their newest exhibit Africa Fashion. Meet their collaborators, enjoy a live performance, and learn more about the various styles Africa has to offer. 

Always remember our office has our Museum Pass available for constituents for up to 4 free tickets to Chicago Museums!

Youth & Teen

This Spring, Saturday Morning Quantum will host a 10-class series, led by experts highlighting special topics and Fermilab career opportunities in an effort to connect Chicago high school students with Fermilab science and inspire the next generation to join the field of high energy physics, specifically quantum physics, and engineering. Interested High School students, in grades 9-12, are invited to complete this interest form by February 24, 2025. The program is March 8 - May 31 (10 weeks) from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the South Chicago Olive Harvey Learning Center, 3055 East 92nd Street, Chicago IL 60617. In addition to learning about quantum and related topics, students may earn a Certificate of Participation and a Certificate of Perfect Attendance from Fermilab as well as a $200 stipend from After School Matters for successful completion of the series. For questions regarding the stipend, please reach out to ECCE@cps.edu.

Chicago nonprofit After School Matters (ASM) is now accepting applications from Chicago teens for their Spring programs, which run from February 24 - May 10! Teens ages 14-18 can choose from hundreds of programs in the arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM, to discover their passions, develop new skills for life beyond high school, and earn a participation stipend in the process.

ASM Spring program participants can earn money all while exploring their future! Teens can apply here: https://afterschoolmatters.org/apply/

For more information about ASM, visit: www.afterschoolmatters.org  

Are you between 16-24 years old and passionate about making a difference in your Chicago community? Or do you have young people in your life who would enjoy this opportunity? Here’s your chance to get involved with something big. The Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago is looking for a diverse group of young people to help plan and shape the Youth Health Conference happening on Saturday, May 10, 2025. This conference is all about bringing young people and adult allies together to talk about important health issues like mental health, LGBTQ+ health, substance use prevention, harm reduction, preventing homelessness, HIV awareness, justice system impacts, and other systems that impact youth's well-being.

Interested? You can apply by filling out an online form or scheduling a time to meet with the team. You only need to complete one of these tasks to apply.

There is No School on February 25th for CPS Professional Development. We’re offering a Day Camp for kids 6 and up! It’s fun, affordable and interactive. Join Sensei Amy Jones, LSW, and Senpai Kyren Epperson, PhD, LMT to learn karate, mindfulness, play games, and more! All-day camps are LGBTQIA+ affirming and neurodivergent-friendly.

Tuesday, February 25th

Camp runs 9am-3pm (drop off starts 8:45, pick-up by 3:15)

Late pick-up is available for an extra fee (must pick up by 4:15pm)

Learn more and register online here

The Broadway Armory has published their 2025 open gym schedule! Be sure to call them at 312-742-7502 for more information.

Job Openings

Greencorps Chicago is the City of Chicago’s green-industry employment program with on-the-job training for individuals with barriers to employment.

Greencorps Chicago promotes environmental stewardship and improves the quality of life in Chicago by establishing, maintaining, and restoring natural and public spaces that are safe, healthy, and sustainable through hands-on involvement with program participants.

The outcome is healthier, safer, and more engaged communities and individuals who are prepared for employment through practical field experience and technical training in a variety of environmentally related jobs.

Greencorps Chicago is a public/private partnership between the Chicago Department of Transportation and WRD Environmental.

The Illinois Department of Human Services is Hiring!

Explore career opportunities in professional, healthcare, administration, technical, clerical/administrative, and service roles—across the entire state of Illinois!

Join their next Virtual Recruitment Presentation to:

Discover the benefits of working with the State of Illinois.

Learn about future career opportunities.

Get a clear understanding of the online application process.

Receive tips to help you successfully complete your application.

Don’t miss this opportunity! Click to register for the next presentation (English and Spanish available)

Each year, the Illinois Secretary of State's office awards 100 grants for Adult Volunteer, Family and Workplace Literacy programming. One-on-one tutoring is essential to the success of the thousands of students enrolled in these programs.

Tutors are needed throughout Illinois. Volunteer to tutor basic math, reading, writing or English acquisition and the Illinois Literacy Foundation will refer you to one of our partners statewide.

Send your name, email, and zip code to info@illinoisliteracy.org or inquire HERE.

The Misericordia community needs hard-working, dependable, compassionate and motivated individuals to give of themselves to help enrich the lives of our residents. They offer a highly competitive salary and an excellent benefits package in addition to paid training for employees hired as Direct Support Professionals and Certified Nursing Assistants who have passed their state boards or have state boards pending!

To see positions available and to apply click here.

Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy

State Representative, 14th District



Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

1507 W. Morse Ave

Chicago IL 60626