Since the end of March, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa of the 35th Ward has hosted a weekly Facebook Live discussion to share about resources for dealing with the ongoing pandemic. The series, entitled “Recovery For All,” takes place Tuesdays at 1 p.m. CDT at the alderman’s Facebook page.
That title comes from an agenda authored by United Working Families, the Chicago Teachers Union and other groups. Rosa, 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata, and fellow aldermen Rossana Rogriguez, Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Jeanette Taylor co-authored an article for the Sun-Times on the agenda, which called for “15 days of paid emergency leave, emergency housing for all people who are unable to self-quarantine, an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-ins, and weekly payments of at least $750 for all workers and families impacted by coronavirus.”
Rosa’s “Recovery for All” sessions are scheduled for every Tuesday, though the most recent archived talk occurred on May 19. You can find all recorded sessions on the alderman’s website.
In his April 28 discussion, Rosa said, “Week after week, as long as this crisis is impacting working people’s lives in the 35th Ward and in the city of Chicago and across this nation and globe, we want to have a weekly conversation to talk to you — residents of the 35th Ward, the people of the city of Chicago about the policies and resources that are available in this moment to help our working families.”
In the April 7 taping, Rosa said, “I know that there are so many working people that are not able to stay at home. For so many working people right now, staying home is a luxury. There are those that have professional jobs that are able to stay at home. There are those that are essential workers that are working in our food-supply chain, that are working in our hospitals, that are working driving our buses, that are working to keep our city and our nation functioning … And so employers need to provide the resources and support they need.”
Rosa welcomes different guests for the episodes, and topics examined in detail have included the federal coronavirus relief policies, a movement for rent and mortgage freezes in Chicago, and proper social distancing guidelines for residents.
Guests have included People’s Policy Project President Matt Bruenig, Autonomous Tenants Union organizer Jesse Connor, 33rd Ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez, 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin and Heartland Health Centers’ Dr. Sonia Oyola.
Tune-in weekly at www.facebook.com/35thWard.
Featured photo: Erin Brown
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