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September  2014 Issue 1.0
Coalition NEWS
 

The Coalition of African American Leaders (COAL), along with its Collaborative for Voter Registration partners recognize National Voter Registration Day with these words, "Voting Is Your Voice...Voting Is Our Voice".

 

The following Commentary is a call to action from COAL.  November 4 is election day in Illinois and we need to mobilize our community to vote. Please circulate this Commentary to your family, friends and organization members, in your barber shops and houses of faith. If you tweet or use Facebook, make sure that you share this information.

 

Too much is at stake.   We have to make our voices heard and get out the vote not just in November but also on February 24, 2015 when we elect Chicago's Mayor and Aldermen.


Sincerely,
COAL Board of Directors 

 

The time to work seriously and collectively, to improve the state of our Community, is upon us...

Let's Get  to Work

 

For Immediate Release

 

What Matters Most to You?  Tell Somebody!  

 

CHICAGO, Illinois, September 23, 2014-  

 

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 is Election Day.  This time we get to choose several different city, state and federal offices including Governor, Cook County Board President, US Senators and Illinois senators and representatives.  (See the second page of this release for a complete list). 

 

We will also have a chance to weigh in on an increase of the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour. 

 

People will tell you that voting does not matter.  They will say that it is a waste of time.  It is not!

 

When you vote, you are telling the world what matters to you.  Voting is your voice!

 

We are living in hard times.  Hard times that are, in many ways, the result of choices and decisions made by other people. People who you may not know and you may not have voted for, shape the things that are happening.

 

African Americans are unemployed and underemployed, overextended and living in and near neighborhoods where violence and police brutality is normal. Keeping our homes is harder.  Neighborhood schools have been shut down and the ones left continue to fail our children.  Even with ObamaCare, too many of us use emergency rooms as doctors and can't afford the tests they suggest.  And if you live on the south side of Chicago, you have no trauma center. 

 

We are living on the edge. 

 

What matters to you?  Jobs -- tell the people in charge that you want jobs paying a living wage so that you can take care of yourself and your family.

 

What matters to you? Safety -- tell folks how tired you are of the violence in your community and mistreatment from those who are supposed to keep us safe. 

 

What matters to you? Education -- let them know that you believe that our children have the right to go to schools that teach them well and they should be able to go to college and not spend their entire lives paying back loans.

 

What matters to you?  Feeling Good -- tell the candidates that you want better health care, healthy food and safe places to exercise and play in our communities.

 

What matters to you? Creating sustainable wealth in our Communities -- tell all candidates you want increased focus on economic development in our community and creating an environment for our businesses to grow and prosper.

 

What matters to you?  A Government full of people who serve You - make them hear you!

 

When politicians don't hear our voices, they believe that we don't matter.  We become invisible.  When they hear from us (when we make time to vote), we make a difference. 

 

We, as African Americans, must tell our elected officials what we expect from them and that we will hold them accountable after the election. 

 

In hard times, it is easy to give up - easy to stop trying and caring.  But it is in the hard times, that it is even more important that we keep trying.  Keep trying to make a difference.

 

If you are tired of political malarkey and plans without substance - make time to vote.  If you are done with empty promises delivered to ensure re-election and not to serve us, vote!  Our votes can be used to give a candidate a seat and remove them if they fail to deliver.  

 

The Coalition of African American Leaders (COAL) strongly urges each and every one of us to get out and Vote on November 4.   
Let's make our expectations known! 

COALITION POWER BREAKFAST

hs
  
The next Coalition Power Breakfast
is scheduled for
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Begins 8:30am / Program 9:30am

Blacks in Media: What are their unique responsibilities, if any?

BJ's Market - 8734 South Stony Island Avenue - Chicago - 773.374.4700

National Voter Registration Day

 

Today, September 23rd is National Voter Registration Day. 

It's a concerted nationwide effort to encourage eligible citizens to get registered or update their registration. Voter registration events will be held throughout Cook County today, including registration in Daley Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m and a press conference with registration groups including Chicago Votes, the Grassroots Collaborative, ICIRR, Every Vote Counts and Action Now. 

Many voter drives are planned around the county. Check out the NVRD website for listings in your area and use #CelebrateNVRD on Twitter to spread the word.
 Submitted by Clarence Jenkins - 

Walk the Harold Washington Trail for Voter Registration


 - Submitted by Rose Joshua - 

I WANT TO BE A DEPUTY REGISTRAR

The Southside NAACP is holding Voter Registrar training Saturday, September 27, 2014 at the Avondale Public Library. Call Sharon at 773.429.9830 to join the class. 


 Submitted by 
Collaborative for Voter Registration - 

I WANT TO DO MY PART

If you want to get involved or want to get your organization involved in voter registration, go to VotingIsOurVote.org to get information and to volunteer.


What We Believe 

The Coalition of African American Leaders believes that it is important to examine the critical issues confronting the African American community where injustice, inequality and the absence of access and opportunity continue to prevail, thereby negatively impacting us as a people. COAL is an assemblage that advocates and organizes for appropriate and responsible public policy change, system behavior change and equality of opportunity. We aim to achieve for all of our people the fullness of the life experience without any form of racism or exclusion as a deterrent. We believe we must prepare ourselves for the opportunity of this full participation, thereby achieving the necessary education and training to participate. 

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