Events

Join us for our April EJ Task Force meeting to hear updates about transit legislation, learn more about our campaign, help us plan future events, and more!

Join us for a delightful evening of good food, great company, and meaningful conversation at our Potluck for Parity in Oak Park! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your neighbors, learn more about our work toward dignified healthcare for all, and discover how you can be part of the movement.

At this event, we’ll share an overview of our strategy and why building a strong base in the near west suburbs is so important, along with a fun and engaging political education session on how a bill becomes law in Illinois. You’ll also hear a powerful story from a healthcare provider about the impact of mental health parity and why fair pay for therapists is crucial for making healthcare more accessible to all.

Whether you’re curious about our work, eager to get involved, or just want to meet your neighbors, this is the perfect event for you!

Bring a dish to share if you can, but most importantly, bring yourself! Let’s come together for good food, great conversation, and a shared vision of healthcare justice for all.

We can’t wait to see you there!

This is your chance to learn, connect, and take action for the causes you care about. Don’t miss out—we can’t wait to see you there!

The Healthcare Task Force is deeply engaged in the fight for equitable healthcare in Illinois. Right now, we’re working to pass key legislation in the Illinois State Legislature that will bring us closer to achieving dignified healthcare for all. Our current focus is on advancing two critical bills:

• Improving Network Adequacy and Access to Behavioral Health Services (HB1085/SB55)

• Banning Prior Authorizations for Behavioral Health Services

These efforts are crucial to ensuring that everyone in Illinois has access to the care they need, when they need it.

We invite you to join us at our April Healthcare for All Monthly Meeting on April 1st from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. During this meeting, you’ll learn more about:

• What our fight for dignified healthcare means for Illinois communities,

• The latest updates on our campaign, and

• How you can get involved to make a difference.

Together, we’re taking meaningful steps toward a future where everyone has access to the healthcare they deserve. Your voice and energy are essential to this movement!

[RSVP to receive the Zoom link]

We hope to see you there as we continue this important work. Let’s make healthcare justice a reality for all!

Join us for the Environmental Justice team's Narrative Training! In this training we will learn the importance of sharing our stories, be it at a public meeting, with an elected official, or even in an everyday conversation. We will be crafting our experiences into narratives that we can share and filming a couple to post onto social media.

We are the rideshare drivers who have been organizing for more than five years to make gig jobs good jobs, and we deserve to choose our own representation! Drivers united in Chicago Gig Alliance have built a coalition with SEIU Local 1 and the Local 701 of the Machinists Union (which includes the Independent Drivers Guild) to ensure that workers will be protected both by a strong union *and* by the legal protections laid out in the Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance. We demand that Uber respect that choice by extending neutrality to the unions WE choose to represent us, creating a level playing field that gives drivers a voice in our own futures.

On Thursday, March 13, at 10:30am, join us at Uber Headquarters at 401 S. Canal for an all-hands-on-deck press conference where we let Uber know that it's the drivers, not the rideshare corporations, who will determine the future of this industry.

PARKING WILL BE PROVIDED! We will reach out with details on parking after you register.

Come be part of something powerful! Join us for an in-district lobbying training where you’ll learn how to share your story with legislators and discover how you can make a difference as part of our grassroots team.

Whether you’re passionate about being a policy advocate, a meeting facilitator, a scheduler, or even a photographer, there’s a role for YOU to shine!

Calling all advocates, activist, and organizers!
Join us for the inaugural Power Building Coworking Meetup—a dynamic virtual space to connect, collaborate, and fuel the Health Care Task Force’s mission to ensure dignified healthcare for all.

What to Expect:

• Build Connections: Forge meaningful relationships with fellow task force members and allies.

• Stay Informed: Get real-time updates on task force priorities, campaigns, and upcoming events.

• Take Action: Engage members and explore how you can contribute your skills to the movement.

Why Join?
This isn’t just a meeting—it’s a springboard for impact. We’ll meet twice monthly to cowork on critical tasks like member outreach, and resource sharing. While attendance at every session is optional, your participation will help expand our collective power. And don’t worry—no prior commitment is required! Come to the first meetup to learn more, ask questions, and decide how you’d like to plug in.

Who Should Attend?

• Anyone passionate about healthcare justice.

• Those eager to mobilize communities but unsure where to start.

• Folks who thrive in collaborative, action-oriented spaces.

Ready to Flex Your Power?
If you’re “Power hungry” to make a difference, save the dates! Let’s grow this task force deep and wide, together.

No long-term commitment required. Just bring your energy, ideas, and drive to build a healthier future for all.

Our state’s public transportation system has been in crisis for a long time. Service cuts to Metra and Pace have made it almost impossible to figure out when it makes sense to travel. Gaps between trains and buses make it so that taking a trip to the city, or even a different suburb, requires hours of waiting between rides.

We're hosting a discussion on how to fix Chicagoland public transit on Wednesday April 9th, at 6:30 PM at the Nichols Branch of the Naperville Public Library (a 15 minute walk from the train.) Come be heard about what needs to change in our public transit system.

Come to a special zoom teach in about making our communities safer by strengthening the public defender systems and getting people more services and less jail time.

The Sheriffs of Kane and DuPage Counties have made public statements alleging that we need to lock people up in order to provide them mental health coverage and social services.

https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/kane-county-sheriff-ron-hain-criticizes-safe-t-act

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2025/02/28/the-sheriff-who-wants-to-be-governor-00206652

However, the truth is that these counties have failed to utilize resources that would provide mental health and social service support WITHOUT locking people up.

Also, this legislative session, the state assembly is considering the FAIR Act which would make courts more fair and efficient for everyone by strengthening the public defender system.

We will explain the Success Act and the proposed Fair Act and answer questions. It's on zoom, but please contact us if your church or community group is interested in hosting a watch party.

Please register on zoom for a personalized link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FAxbXv3tRHa5GzTIB-giqQ

Please contact Chris White at 815-274-9635 westsuburbs@gmail.com

Join us for a series of meetings leading up to our big action to escalate the campaign to pass the FairShare Ordinance.

Breakfast will be available at 10:30 AM and the meeting will commence at 11 AM. Please be on time.

Parking: Please use the parking lot behind the building, the address of the parking lot is 1528 W Van Buren and it is free of charge.

Accessibility: ASL and Spanish Interpretation will be available. If you need other interpretation, please reach out to Lori at 217-721-7527

Background: Every worker in Chicago will be getting a pay raise on July 1st thanks to the hard work of the most progressive city council we have had in decades- but unless we pass this legislation in the first quarter of 2025 Rideshare drivers will be left out in the cold and THAT AIN’T RIGHT.

We will be planning our campaign through these bi-weekly meetings and need workers to come join the fight. This is GO TIME!

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Meet with elected representatives to learn how we are working to improve access to mental and behavioral health services and protect Medicare and Medicaid in the current political landscape.

Join community leaders, grassroots organizations, and elected officials including Alders Matt Martin, Ruth Cruz, and Andre Vasquez, State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, Committeeperson Michael Rabbitt, and former Committeeperson Robert Murphy for a town hall about the Chicago Fair Elections Ordinance!

The Fair Elections Ordinance is a small-dollar matching program that aims to increase participation in local elections, empower people from all walks of life to run for elected office, and help make it possible for candidates to win without putting the demands of the wealthy over the needs of working people.

Have you or a loved one struggled to access mental health services in Illinois? Have you faced challenges finding an in-network therapist or getting the care you deserve? If so, this workshop is for you. Join us for a Letter Writing Workshop where we’ll come together to urge state officials to support the Improve Network Adequacy and Access to Behavioral Health Bill (HB1085/SB55). This critical legislation aims to increase access to mental health care by requiring minimum reimbursements for in-network behavioral health services, ensuring fair pay for providers, and improving equity for individuals seeking treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.

Now is the time to act. By participating in this workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to make your voice heard, write personalized letters to state officials, and learn how this bill can transform mental health care in Illinois. Together, we can build the pressure needed to pass this legislation and ensure everyone in our state has access to the care they deserve.

Join us on February 27th at 6 PM via Zoom to take a stand for mental health justice. Let’s make sure our voices are heard and our stories drive change.

Join the Fight for Improved Medicare for All!

Join us for our November EJ Task Force meeting to hear updates about transit legislation, learn more about our campaign, help us plan future events, and more!

Join us for a series of meetings leading up to our big action to escalate the campaign to pass the FairShare Ordinance.

Breakfast will be available at 10:30 AM and the meeting will commence at 11 AM. Please be on time.

Parking: Please use the parking lot behind the building, the address of the parking lot is 1528 W Van Buren and it is free of charge.

Accessibility: ASL and Spanish Interpretation will be available. If you need other interpretation, please reach out to Lori at 217-721-7527

Background: Every worker in Chicago will be getting a pay raise on July 1st thanks to the hard work of the most progressive city council we have had in decades- but unless we pass this legislation in the first quarter of 2025 Rideshare drivers will be left out in the cold and THAT AIN’T RIGHT.

We will be planning our campaign through these bi-weekly meetings and need workers to come join the fight. This is GO TIME!

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Every worker in Chicago will be getting a pay raise on July 1st thanks to the hard work of the most progressive city council we have had in decades- but unless we pass this legislation in the first quarter of 2025 Rideshare drivers will be left out in the cold and THAT AIN’T RIGHT.

We have negotiated in good faith with Uber and Lyft, but they are still not willing to pay workers a living wage. Meet us at 3 PM at the shopping center behind Walgreens at 501 W. Roosevelt Road in Chicago, and from there we will travel together to the action site. More details to come- stay tuned!

Uber and Lyft are currently negotiating with the City of Chicago on the details of our FairShare Ordinance. This event is intended to center worker stories in the media and remind everyone who suffers when companies don't pay a living wage- the workers and their families. These people mean nothing to Uber and Lyft, but they are valued members of our community who are being targeted by greedy corporations for exploitation. Enough is enough!

Parking: You can park on Noble St. which snakes between North Ave and Elston right in front of the Uber Greenlight hub at 1401 W North Ave.

Accessibility: If you need interpretation, please reach out to Lori at 217-721-7527

Background: Every worker in Chicago will be getting a pay raise on July 1st thanks to the hard work of the most progressive city council we have had in decades- but unless we pass this legislation in the first quarter of 2025 Rideshare drivers will be left out in the cold and THAT AIN’T RIGHT.

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Our campaign to win safety protections, transparency, and a significant raise for the 85,000 people who drive rideshare in Chicago is heating up! We've got actions, press conferences, and car caravans ahead of us, and we need YOUR artistic talent to ensure that our message shows up in public (and makes it onto the news).

Join us at the TPL office from 6 – 8pm on Monday, February 24th to hang out and create signs together. We'll provide art supplies, but if you have paper, paint, markers, etc lying around, feel free to bring them. We'll order food! It will be fun.

Join our training session for this month's Lobby Day (2/26) and learn about our plans for that day! You'll be able to:

Find out what geographic team you'll be with for the day.

Learn about our legislative meeting agenda and find out what day-of roles that you can take during lobby visits.

Get informed on logistical details for our trip to Springfield.

And have the space to have your questions about Lobby Day be answered.