The Chicago South Side leg of the multi-state John Lewis National Day of Action Votercade was a success, declared C. Betty Magness, Illinois political director of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC), who said 70 cars joined the four citywide caravans leaving from the RPC headquarters on May 8.
Included in the PUSH votercade were the League of Women Voters, RPC, the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee, Chicago Women Take Action, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. This votercade was organized by Magness, Jacqui Algee, Mary Gardner, Donna Gutman and Attorney Kimberley Egonmwan, who organized all the sor- orities.
On the West Side, Mary Gardner organized cars came from the 7th Congressional District wo- men left from Malcolm X College. On the North Side, cars contained supporters from Indivisible, the National Council of Jewish Women and CJW led by Donna Gutman and Jan Sch- wartz. On the South East Side, millennials came from the Black Stone Corners led by Sherronda Booker.
“This was held in recognition of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis’ efforts for voter rights and to promote the three key legislation that are up in Congress right now,” Magness said.
She was referring to H.R.1, “For the People Act,” H.R. 4., the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the H.R. 51, the Act for D.C. Statehood.
The four votercades converged at the 31st West parking lot, 641 E. 31st St. as the song, “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” blared. There, a national broadcast began on a huge screen with speakers. Participants watched and listened from their cars.
Some of the speakers were introduced by Algee, vice president of SEIU Healthcare and Women’s March Chicago. Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. appeared onscreen, and Representative Danny K. Davis (D-7th) and Representative Bobby Rush (D-1st) were live promoting the four bills. Attorney Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, was the master organizer of the nationwide event.
The event was sponsored by AFL/CIO, Chicago Federation of Labor, Amalgamated Transit Union, SEIU Healthcare, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, League of Women Voters, National Council of Jewish Women, Chicago Women Take Action, Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee and the Greek-letter organizations.
The Evanston votercade was sponsored by the NAACP, and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-9th), spoke. The South Suburban Minister’s Coalition, headed by Apostle Carl White had a votercade, and Representative Robin Kelly (D-2nd) was the keynote speaker. Vaccinations and voter registration were onsite. The NAACP of DuPage County also had a votercade.
