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When Block Club Chicago originally posted about Tonika Lewis Johnson’s Folded Map Project, I was eager to take part — not just as an individual, but as a representative of the 12th district.  This revolutionary project connects residents at corresponding addresses on opposite sides of Chicago aka “neighborhood twins”— meaning, for our district office on […]

We still have some summer left which means we still have a few more weeks to read!  Our office wants to celebrate reading this summer and remind folks of the countless adventures they can go on just through one simple book. After all, 52% of kids lose 39% of what they’ve learned through the school […]

Chicago summer is in full swing — it’s getting hotter every day, construction is popping up all around our city, and many local street fests are back in our neighborhoods. Despite my heartbreak over losing eight amazing Cubs players, this summer has been good to me and my family. I hope you and yours have been […]

This Juneteeth, let’s celebrate, reflect, and educate. What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation, the last slaves in Texas were freed.   Is it an official holiday? For the first time, Juneteenth is an […]

Happy June! This month means so many things in our state and our community; it’s the start of Pride month, the end of the academic year for our students, the close of the legislative session in Springfield, and the celebration of Juneteenth, to name a few. We also have a lot to celebrate with more than 63% […]

HB3968 creates a Special Purpose Trust Company making digital assets a part of Illinois’ financial services future. It will create a stable regulatory environment where businesses in Illinois have the ability to bank digital assets. The bill passed the Illinois House unanimously, bringing Illinois one step closer to being the national leader in fintech. Cryptocurrency […]

I want to highlight vaccine distribution in IL-12 and answer common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. The City of Chicago is moving quickly, 692,237 doses of the vaccine have been administered as of March 11th. I encourage everyone that is eligible to receive the vaccine in order to protect our community.   What phase are we […]

Happy Women’s History Month! Every March we have the opportunity to reflect on the past and honor the women who have paved the way for all of us. I want to expand on their legacies through my work in Springfield. This legislation session, here are some of the bills I’m championing for the womxn in […]

As we settle into March, I can’t help but reflect on how different our world has become in the last year. There isn’t one part of my life that hasn’t been affected by COVID-19, and I know this is the case for many of us. Worries about our loved ones’ health, our finances, our communities, […]

Speaker Welch recently announced the Democratic House committee assignments, and I’m thrilled to share with you a little bit about the committees I’ll be serving on in the 102nd legislative session. Financial Institutions. I am honored to be the Vice Chair of the Financial Institutions Committee, where I will be uniquely positioned to help make […]