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Northside News & Updates
Trump's Shifting Attacks on IL
Even with scaled-down attacks by ICE, our local families, teachers, and immigrant neighbors have faced ongoing antagonism from the Trump administration, all following the same pattern. Chicago needs active leadership to protect our communities, now more than ever, as we weather attacks from the r...
Jaime's Money
Have you seen his “Proven Progressive” signs? We say: Proven Pretender.State Rep. Jaime Andrade Jr. doesn’t want you to know about his money. While he claims to be a “Proven Progressive,” Jaime has raked in more than $1.2 million in contributions from the same interests he claims to oppose: tax-d...
2026 Primary Endorsements
Believe it or not, it is once again election season — this time, for the Illinois Democratic Party primaries on March 17. We know — we’re not too thrilled with the Democratic Party right now, either. In fact, the Democratic Machine establishment holds a share of the blame for many of the problems...
The Occupation of Chicago
ALBANY PARK, CHICAGO — On August 23, The Washington Post reported that Trump’s Pentagon has been planning the deployment of National Guard Troops to Chicago.Here is what we know, so far, and what we can expect, based on the troop deployment to LA and the occupation of Washington, DC.National Guar...
The Fight Against Fascism / La Lucha Contra el Fascismo
I want to uplift the fact that everyone here is fighting fascism. This is the fight against fascism. We are witnessing fascism in front of our eyes. I want to make a little connection here, because a lot of what needed to be said has already been said by my friends behind me.I want to talk a lit...
NWS Town Hall Unites Community
ALBANY PARK, CHICAGO — On September 21, upwards of 600 advocates, community groups, elected officials, and concerned neighbors gathered in Albany Park on Sunday for the Northwest Side Progressives Emergency Response Town Hall. A coalition of local leaders emphasized how critical the current momen...
Rossana Debates Chicago's Occupation on WTTW
CHICAGO, IL — On September 4, Alders Rossana Rodríguez Sanchez of the 33rd ward and Ray Lopez of the 15th ward as well as Professor of Law Harold Krent sat down with WTTW's Chicago Tonight to discuss Trump's continued threats to send the National Guard into Chicago.Alders Lopez and Rodríguez land...
New Playground at Patrick Henry Elementary
ALBANY PARK, CHICAGO — 33rd Ward Working Families was honored to support the Patrick Henry Elementary School Back to School Bash and Car Show on Saturday, Aug. 16, which included the ribbon cutting for a new, attractive, and engaging playground. A triumph of Ald. Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez’s Parti...
IL is Weaponizing Pensions
08/26/2025Illinois is betting your money on genocide (and they’re losing). The Illinois state pension system manages retirement money for all the public employees in the state. This system has a notorious funding crisis, meaning that many workers are unsure if they’ll receive the promised pension...
Steep Drop in Shootings, Homicides Where ShotSpotter was Removed
08/12/2025New data from the Chicago Police Department bears out what equity advocates have long known: investing in people, rather than punitive technologies, has fostered a dramatic reduction in violent crime.As reported by WTTW, nearly a year after the end of the widespread use of the multi-mil...
Crime is Down: Investing in People Works
06/09/2025ALBANY PARK, CHICAGO — As the second year of Brandon Johnson’s mayorship commences, Chicago’s communities are safer than they’ve been in the past 10 years. As our city mourns the loss of our community members to gun violence in River North last week, and in other attacks across the city...
Chicago to NYC: Congratulations Mamdani!
06/25/2025Congratulations to the Zohran Mamdani campaign for securing the Democratic nomination for New York mayor! Congratulations to Zohran himself, to every staffer, every endorsing organization, and to every volunteer who made this dream a reality.Congratulations to a campaign that reminded t...
Chicago to NYC: Solidarity with Zohran Mamdani
06/17/2025As a Chicago ward organization that primarily focuses on elections, 33WF has been following the inspiring campaign of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.Day in, day out, many of our members comb the news and social media, constantly dispirited by the genocide in Gaza, the co...
Organizing Stories: The Rossana + Brandon 2023 Campaign
06/06/2025On Wednesday, June 4, community organizations from around the city, including Organized Communities Against Deportation and 25th Ward IPO, sounded the alarm about a potential ICE raid at the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) office located at 2245 S. Michigan Ave.In respon...
Organizing Stories: The Rossana + Brandon 2023 Campaign
We believe in creating safety for everyone in our community: our immigrant and undocumented siblings, our houseless siblings, and our Jewish and Palestinian siblings. We affirm that Jewish and Palestinian liberation are deeply intertwined and that it is our collective duty to fight for both.Yeste...
Organizing Stories: The Rossana + Brandon 2023 Campaign
From the office of HSPRD Ltd.Originally communicated May 27, 2025Below is the content from the original cease and desist letter. Dear Alderman Lopez:Our law firm represents Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez. I write to address the series of false statements that you have made to the media and ...
Organizing Stories: The Rossana + Brandon 2023 Campaign
04/23/25In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====2023 saw Chicago’s first municipal elections since the 2020 uprising. At 33WF, we began the campaign season with two important lessons in mind.1...
Organizing Stories: TNT Referendum 2022
04/16/2025In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====In the summer of 2022, we were in a massive demobilization following Joe Biden’s election. The uprisings against the racist violence of the Un...
Organizing Stories: The Rossana 2019 Campaign
04/02/2025In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====In a concession interview, former Alder Deb Mell said that we “never stopped running over the last four years.” It’s the one thing that Deb Me...
Organizing Stories: 33rd Ward Pandemic Food Pantry
04/13/2025In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====In 2020, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 33rd Ward, this caused us to close our storefront office on Montrose Ave. Weeks fe...
26 Alders to Chicago: Cough It Up
03/18/2025In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====In 2017, 33rd Ward Working Families (33WF) mobilized to get a referendum on rent control in the 33rd Ward. The experience helped grow the orga...
26 Alders to Chicago: Cough It Up
ALBANY PARK, Chicago — Chicago has until December 30th to pass the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 or face an unprecedented city government shutdown, as stated by WTTW. As it stands, there are two budget proposals on the table: the mayor’s “Protecting Chicago Budget” versus “the alternative budget”.T...
Get Organized - Join a Ward Organization!
Reshare this: https://bit.ly/WardOrgYellowPagesWhether political moments look bleak or inspiring, the best thing an individual can do is unite with like-minded people to fight for a better world.If you're in Chicago, here are some progressive ward organizations you can join!You can join us! 33rd ...
Early Voting Has Begun!
**En Español debajo**If you're voting early, get ready to submit your ballots on Monday, October 21 in the 33rd Ward at the American Indian Center.The American Indian Center is located at 3401 W Ainslie St.Early Voting is between October 21 – November 5 with the following hours:Weekdays: 9:00 am ...
Organizing Stories: Tim Meegan 2015 Campaign
In the lead-up to our joint 10-year anniversary fundraiser on May 1, we will be sharing stories about key moments in our organizing history.=====About a decade ago Tim Meegan ran for 33rd Ward Alderman. His campaign became the nucleus for 33rd Ward Working Families. Here are some reflections on t...
What If... They Defund the Dept of Education?
Click Here to View the Entire Presentation The news headlines have been full of terrifying stories about the Trump administration defunding the Dept of Education. Let's explore the current and potential impacts of the Trump administration on American Public education and how these actions will af...
We Keep Us Safe: The First Days of 2025
Alarmed by the news that the incoming Trump administration was planning to separate families and break up communities with deportations, Chicago’s progressive politicians and local organizations kicked into high gear to protect our neighbors. 33rd Ward Working Families proudly joined in this mobi...
2024 Year in Review
Amid the many ups and downs of 2024, 33rd Ward Working Families is closing out the year by celebrating the many accomplishments of our people-powered movement. We are grateful to all of the members and volunteers who have given time, money, and support to our fight.Together, we will continue to c...
Rossana and the 2025 Chicago Budget
Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez,for standing strong against property tax hikesand fighting for progressive revenue!Days before the November election, Mayor Brandon Johnson proposed a $300 million property tax hike. Rossana stood strong in opposition, voting “no.” With that budget defeated, she continue...
Two Progressive Solutions for Chicago's 2025 Budget
The 2025 Chicago budget has a multi-million dollar deficit. Proposals to fill that deficit have become a battle between two poison pills. Right-wing alders like Raymond Lopez propose cuts to departments services while Mayor Brandon Johnson proposes hikes to property and sales taxes. But both of t...
Over 450 Attend NWS Post-Election Debrief
In response to the disappointing news that Trump had been elected to a second presidency, progressives from Chicago’s Northwest Side gathered last Saturday to discuss how we can stick together and support each other through these troubling times.Over 450 neighbors from all over Chicago met at Roo...
2024 General Election Voter Guide
**En Español debajo**Early voting has begun! We have endorsed four candidates in the 33rd Ward, and there is an important referendum question to support.33rd Ward Working Families believes in fighting to keep our ward diverse and affordable and that public schools are the heart of every community...
One week to go: GOTV for Brandon and Rossana
We had a great Saturday with Brandon Johnson, who visited 33rd Ward Working Families to fire up our weekend volunteers. Brandon is our pick to be Chicago's next mayor.Election Day is next Tuesday, so we have just a few days left to talk to neighbors about why we're voting to re-elect Ald. Rossana...
Let There Be Basketball Lights at Horner Park!
THANK YOU to everyone who joined us last Thursday to push for basketball lights at Horner Park! Shout out to HANA Center and the Roosevelt High School students for your leadership and determination!For more info, see this article from Block Club Chicago.
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" Workshop Performance & Community Reading
JOIN US FOR A WORKSHOP PERFORMANCE OF & COMMUNITY READING OF "MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE" performed by Emiley Kiser and directed by Alex Mallory.My Name Is Rachel Corrie is a play based on the diaries and emails of activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli soldier when she was aged 2...
Rossana at Socialism 2024
We are thrilled to announce that 33rd Ward Alderperson Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez will be speaking at two events at the Socialism Conference 2024.Rossana will speak on Saturday, August 31, 10AM - 11:30AM as part of a panel with her staff regarding the fight for #TreatmentNotTrauma.Then she will be...
Treatment Not Trauma Implementation Begins!
Congratulations to 33rd Ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez, her staff, and the Collaborative for Community Wellness for helping launch and lead the fight for Treatment Not Trauma!The Treatment Not Trauma (TNT) initiative emerged as a direct response to the tragic murder of George Floyd, wh...
2024 Primary Wrap-Up
Time for the 2024 Primary Wrap-up for the 33rd Ward!Thank you to every member, neighbor, volunteer, and coalition partner who joined us to phone bank and knock on doors for our slate. Without you, none of this would have been possible.Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez beat Iris Martinez with 60% of the ...
2023 Year in Review
As we close out 2023, 33rd Ward Working Families wants to take a moment to reflect on everything that our community has accomplished this year. We especially want to give thanks to all the amazing members and volunteers who have donated countless hours to our fight to build a #ChicagoForTheMany.N...
Rossana's City Council Stand Against All Violence
Thank you Alderperson Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez for speaking out against all violence and standing with the Palestinian community in Chicago City Council!We would also like to thank 1st Ward Ald. Daniel La Spata, 14th Ward Ald. Jeylú Gutiérrez, 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, and 26th Ward Ald...
Statement: Cancel GardaWorld
09/27/23As an organization that publicly endorsed, canvassed and raised money for Mayor Brandon Johnson, we feel a responsibility to speak out about the recent plan to house asylum seekers in temporary structures that have to withstand the harsh reality of Chicago winters, and are built and admin...
Support Affordable Housing
In the 1970s, protestors in Wrigleyville and Belmont Harbor gathered to demand affordable housing for Chicago’s ignored and underserved Native community. Though the protest ended with a promise at both the federal and local levels for affordable housing, that promise was never fully kept.We will ...
We Stand With Rossana
33rd Ward Working Families Condemns Far-Right Smear Campaign Targeting Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-SanchezTuesday, July 11th, 2023We, the steering committee of 33rd Ward Working Families, strongly condemn the efforts by far-right agitators to smear and harass 33rd Ward Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez a...
Election Day Wrap-up: Brandon Johnson 1st in 33rd Ward, Rossana Wins Re-election
Thank you to this community of people who gave your time, your enthusiasm, and your hearts to deliver big wins for Brandon Johnson and Rossana Rodriguez this Election Day.Together, we re-elected Rossana and put Brandon into the mayoral runoff. Brandon won the 33rd Ward by a 10-point margin—and go...
Open Letter to Police Superintendent David Brown from Northwest Side Elected Officials and Community Leaders
Isidro Valverde was leaving a local bar and had an altercation just outside, where he pointed a gun at the security guard. The security guard was able to de-escalate the situation, Isidro left, and police were called. The police then pursued Isidro down an alley, where he was fatally shot. In the...
Women & Femmes for Rossana
Want to add your name to this letter?Go to https://bit.ly/lividwithlaith
6 Year-End Ideas to Make a Difference
Before our year ends, here are 6 ways you can make an immediate difference:1. GIVE SOLIDARITY with a donation to Howard Brown Health Workers United's strike fund! Their new union is striking Jan. 3 to stop Howard Brown's management from laying off more than 60 people at the start of the year. Sup...
ELECTION RESULTS: Treatment Not Trauma Referendum Wins 93%
Last night, the Treatment Not Trauma referendum and 33rd Ward Working Families-endorsed candidates won landslide victories, showing the continued power of progressive organizing in Chicago.33rd Ward Working Families and Ald. Rossana Rodriguez are leading the charge for Treatment Not Trauma and pe...
Mayoral and Solidarity Endorsements: Municipal Elections 2023
In addition to endorsing Ald. Rossana Rodriguez for re-election, our members have voted to make several other endorsements in Chicago's February 2023 elections.See all of our 2023 municipal endorsements33rd Ward Working Families is happy to announce our endorsement of commissioner Brandon Johnson...
Join the Campaign: Re-elect Ald. Rossana Rodriguez
Since our people-powered movement helped elect her to City Council in 2019, Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez has fought hard for our communities. She's brought new affordable housing to the 33rd Ward, implemented participatory budgeting and zoning processes, and introduced legislation that protects r...
Iris Martinez gets Cozy with MAGA and January 6th Supporters
We write as community residents committed to diverse and equitable communities that are safe havens for all – especially our neighbors facing attacks from rightwing Republicans, including our neighbors of color, trans and queer families, and our immigrant neighbors.As such, we are concerned with ...
We Support Local Organizing for Abortion Rights
Neighbors and Chicago allies: Our 33rd Ward Working Families organizing space at 3248 W. Montrose Ave. is available to local groups working to defend reproductive rights and support safe access to abortion, especially in the wake of the leaked Roe v. Wade decision.We have coffee and WiFi, a child...
Chicago needs rent control. I know. I got priced out while pregnant.
33rd Ward Working Families, a local independent political organization, put the referendum on the ballot and campaigned for its victory."Neighborhoods like Albany Park are being drained of the very people who make it so special—immigrants, working-class families, seniors, and longtime residents. ...
The Fight Against Fascism / La Lucha Contra el Fascismo
I want to uplift the fact that everyone here is fighting fascism. This is the fight against fascism. We are witnessing fascism in front of our eyes. I want to make a little connection here, because a lot of what needed to be said has already been said by my friends behind me.I want to talk a lit...
Tell Joe Biden: Keep Rahm Emanuel Out of the White House
Elementary school closures. Privatization disasters.There are plenty of reasons we were relieved to see Rahm Emanuel leave office. But with news that he's being considered for a place in the Biden White House, we have a message for the incoming administration: Put a "do not hire" on Rahm.Sign and...
Tell Jaime Andrade: It's Time for Mike Madigan to Go!
We are calling upon Jaime Andrade, Illinois State Representative of the 40th District, to join more than a dozen of his colleagues and formally call for Mike Madigan to step down as Speaker of the Illinois House and from the leadership of the Democratic Party of Illinois.As a top recipient of cam...
VIDEO: An Activist's Guide to Zoning
Zoning and Land Use are key tools in maintaining, or changing, the character of Chicago's neighborhoods.Unfortunately, these processes are intentionally difficult for the average person to understand. This gives developers and other wealthy insiders an advantage over working-class communities, wh...
WF33 and allies discuss next steps in rent control campaign
In the March primaries, 71 percent of 33rd Ward voters said they wanted Illinois to lift the ban on rent control to address gentrification and displacement.This win brought new momentum to the push to keep our neighborhoods affordable and challenge the interests of big developers.In the March pri...
Chicago needs rent control. I know. I got priced out while pregnant.
In 2015, only a few months after I learned I was pregnant, our landlord raised our rent.My partner and I had been living in an apartment in Albany Park for two years. It was not in good shape but we put love, time and energy into making it a place we could welcome our son. We paid our rent on tim...
Solidarity Update
Earlier this month, CTU members endured a week-long lockout in the fight for school safety. This was a difficult fight, and we wanted to show some love and solidarity.33rd Working Families joined with our neighboring 35th and 39th Ward IPOs to pick up lunch for locked-out local school staff. Our ...
An Important Year to Build our Progressive Movement
The year ahead will be an important one—nationally as well as right here at home.The pandemic, now heading toward its third year, is posing new and ongoing dangers to our workplaces, schools, and communities. For many working people, the economic impact of COVID continues to take its toll, and ho...
New Playgrounds, Streets, and Trees coming to 33rd Ward through Participatory Budgeting
We’re getting new trees, playgrounds, and crosswalks through our 33rd Ward participatory budgeting process.Read more at Block Club Chicago: "Albany Park Getting More Public Spaces, Community Food Pantry Upgrades, Street Repairs in Latest Ward Budget"Participatory budgeting lets ward residents vot...
Saturdays are for Progressive Victories
Please join 33rd Ward Working Families on Saturdays this April to canvass for our endorsed 2022 candidates.We're working to elect progressive champions like U.S. congressional candidate Delia Ramirez.In Springfield, Delia has taken on the status quo and fought for youth and families, renters, and...
Updated Hours for Brave Space Pantry
Starting this week, the Brave Space Alliance food pantry hosted at our office has a new schedule.To donate groceries: Wednesdays from 11 am - 6 pm; Thursdays from 4 - 7 pmTo pick up groceries: Fridays from 12 - 2 pm and 4 - 6 pmThis remains an all-volunteer operation, so if you’d like to help out...
This week: Grocery drop-off and pick-up
UPDATE 10/5/20:Thank you to all who have helped and donated! Please see our updated grocery donation and pickup hours.All this week, we're hosting a grocery drop-off and pick-up with our friends in Brave Space Alliance at our office at 3248 W Montrose.We have boxed and canned goods, toiletries an...
The Time is Now to Defund the Police
1.7 billion dollars and counting.This is what the city of Chicago will spend this year on policing—about 40 percent of the city's budget.Over the past few years, hundreds of millions of dollars have been added the police budget. These are hundreds of millions of dollars that did not go to communi...
Joint Statement on Emergency Funding
The proposed ordinance would give the mayor expanded and unprecedented authority to allocate emergency funds and approve city contracts without approval from City Council.During Wednesday’s virtual City Council meeting, Aldermen Ray Lopez (15th) and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), Rossana Rodriguez S...
The 33rd Ward is feeling the Bern
Bernie Sanders is using his national platform to advance the issues that we care about and that would dramatically improve our communities: housing for all, a Green New Deal, immigrant rights, and putting power in the hands of working people, not corporations and billionaires.We’re in the fight l...
A organized community is an strong community
Last week, President Trump announced plans for mass ICE raids aimed at cities including Chicago.On a day's notice, more than 100 volunteers moved into action to help keep our community safe. 33rd Ward Working Families members and allies knocked on thousands of doors across Albany Park to talk to ...
The Case for Abolishing the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Program
In October 2019, nine striking CTU members were arrested for blocking the entrance to the Sterling Bay offices, the developers who are on track to receive $1.3 billion in Tax Increment Financing dollars to construct 6,000 homes at the future Lincoln Yards development. Lincoln Yards will create a ...
Rossana Rodriguez, our alderman-elect!
Nearly a year ago, WF33 members nominated one of our own, Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, to be our candidate for the 33rd Ward aldermanic seat.Eleven months, two rounds of voting, and tens of thousands of knocked doors later, it’s official: The Board of Elections this afternoon certified Rossana for ...
As developers invade, tenants fight for a place to call home
We stand in support of the Kimball Tenants Union and call on Stark Chicago, the owner of their building, to find a solution to keep these tenants in their homes.Since June, tenants at 4841-4853 N Kimball have been waging a fight to keep their place in the neighborhood. Stark bought the building e...
Working Families members tell Cullerton: We want an elected school board now!
33rd Ward Working Families members joined our allies in the education justice movement to march from Ravenswood Manor Park to the home of state senate president John Cullerton to demand that he move the bill for an elected, representative school board in Chicago.The rally took place amid the late...
WF33 endorses Johnson, Ramirez
33rd Ward Working Families is pleased to issue solidarity endorsements to Delia Ramirez for State Representative (District 4) and Brandon Johnson for Cook County Commissioner (District 1), two movement-backed candidates seeking office in Chicago.Delia Ramirez is a social service director, communi...
Pobre País / This Poor Country
[In English below]A ver - dejemos en claro que una sociedad amedrentada y un entorno de miedo son realidades y contextos horrendos que nadie quiere. ¿Sí? Dale. Estamos todos de acuerdo. Califico entonces, a los que propician dicho entorno, como terroristas. Justamente porque hicieron palpable ese...
City Council: Invest in our CARE!
08/12/2025New data from the Chicago Police Department bears out what equity advocates have long known: investing in people, rather than punitive technologies, has fostered a dramatic reduction in violent crime.As reported by WTTW, nearly a year after the end of the widespread use of the multi-mi...