The public comment period has ended. Thanks to all who submitted feedback and input.
This page served as the Public Submission Portal inviting Chicagoans to submit proposals, testimony, or general feedback on how they believed their community should be reflected in Chicago’s 50 wards. A form was built-in to the bottom of the page to allow Chicagoans to submit testimony at any time during the public hearing period about their communities of interest. A community of interest is a geographic area or population that shares cultural, historical, demographic, or economic interests. Communities of interest do not necessarily share the same political viewpoints or support for certain candidates or political parties. They can include your neighborhood, or an area you live in, the people you would like to choose representatives with, or a local group that is brought together by a common interest, like a theater or community center.
Chicagoans were welcomed to use the following FREE mapping tools to draw maps of their community of interest to submit to the commission:
Representable - community-mapping tool. CHANGE Illinois also provides Representable training sessions. If you’d like to arrange for one for your group or organization, please contact us at info@changeil.org.
Interested in learning more about communities of interest? Email info@changeil.org to sign up for a “We Draw the Lines” community mapping session featuring Representable.org.
Listen to David Wu, executive director of the Pui Tak Center, discuss why he testified and the importance for Chicagoans to talk to the commission about their communities.
Here are some of the questions provided to help Chicagoans define their communities of interest to the commission:
Where do people in your community gather or socialize?
How and where does your community access services (health care, transportation, educational services, etc.)?
What are the cultural bonds in your community?
If your community has a shared history, what is it?
Where do residents work?
If there are environmental or economic concerns in your community, what are they?
What should politicians and/or map drawers know about your community?
What are the needs of your community?
Is there anything else you want us to know about your community?