Partner Spotlight: CHANGE Illinois and Independent Chicago Ward Redistricting
During redistricting, state-wide district lines are redrawn. However, at the same time, cities are also revising their political boundaries. For example: the city of Chicago, which elects its city council, is currently revising its ward boundaries. These lines will help determine which aldermen are elected.
In order to combat the splitting of neighborhoods and communities in Chicago’s ward redistricting process, CHANGE Illinois launched the “We Draw the Lines” community mapping drive on Representable.
Earlier this year, CHANGE Illinois and its diverse coalition of community groups and advocates launched the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission (CARC). CARC is a resident-led independent commission without ties to the city government. On October 5th, CARC published their proposed ward map. Afterwards, Representable’s partners highlighted how the map empowers residents and respects Communities of Interest (COIs):
I spoke with Chaundra Van Dyk, the Chicago Project Manager at CHANGE Illinois. She has supported this new redistricting process at every step: from commissioner selection, to the adoption of CARC’s proposed map.
Growing up on the West side of Chicago, Chaundra explained that interacting with aldermen is often difficult. Consequently, she views her work as creating an opportunity for these communities to see themselves in the position of alderman, and voice their concerns to the current incumbents.
Here is our conversation together. The interview has been edited and condensed for purposes of clarity:
When did advocates and leaders realize that they could create this independent commission to propose a ward map?
Prior to me coming on, the coalition, and CHANGE IL, saw a need. We kept seeing these maps get passed with no citizen input. But, they saw a loophole at the city wide level. There was an opportunity to trigger a law that no one had been able to trigger before. [It would require at least 10 aldermen to reject the map crafted by aldermen, and trigger a referendum that would put the competing maps up to a public vote]. The last time someone tried to use this loophole was back in 1992. We knew it would be historical regardless if we could trigger this law and get the [ward map] on the ballot.
That was when the thought process was “Okay, Chicago looks like a prize opportunity.”
But there was also this idea of creating a blueprint. There was a lot of hope lost for being able to impact state level redistricting. And there was some hope given with this realization that at the city-wide level, which is just as corrupt as the state level, we could create this blueprint [for redistricting].
People tend to focus on state level redistricting, so how do you explain to them the importance of focusing on the local level?
This work is revolutionary, you know, it’s the first time it has ever been done before. So, it has been extremely difficult because we have dedicated ourselves to educating people who are typically not educated on this topic. It is difficult to get people to connect with a map.
Before this work, I was a part of groups that talked about gerrymandering, but I don’t think I fully understood it: “Like who is gerry and what is he mandering?”
“But what we have had to learn through this process is people don’t connect with maps. People don’t connect with the lines. What people connect with is their everyday experiences in their community…[Issues] like housing , public safety, access to healthcare and education — those everyday things that are affected by the maps.”
What have you learned about community engagement throughout this process?
Initially, to get people to participate in public hearings was extremely difficult. We had to bring on a PR team! What that looks like is teams going into communities to test our messaging
[Many communities] have never really been educated on these conversations. No one is going to tell me that the majority of schools actually nail down the importance of redistricting or what that means…to me that’s just not enough. This is how we bring [redistricting] to people:
“You wake up with a lot of people making decisions for you and you should know who those people are.”
Do you think that aldermen as well are open to this process?
I believe that alders will come around and understand that it is time for something revolutionary. I think that people are tired of the same, old, and racist systems…
“And we’ve seen communities show up”
Not just at one hearing, but at multiple hearings. As you can see, the Asian population really showed up. This created the first ever Asian-majority ward here in the city of Chicago.
I just want to share a little bit about the significance of this first ever Asian ward. When I talk about that “dream deferred” and youth not being able to see themselves in these positions — there has never been an Asian alder in the city of Chicago, even though we know that the Asian population has grown as significantly as it has!
Chaundra also mentioned how, compared to the Black population within the city, the Asian population is highly concentrated within a specific geographic space within Chicago: Chinatown
At the same time, Chaundra referenced the importance of shifting the conversation from a focus on race to a focus on truly competitive elections:
I believe it’s important to think about how these decisions are going to help or hinder the people behind us…I don’t want to reach back and grab a single person and say: “Hey, I kept this seat warm for you”. Instead, I want to reach back and grab an entire group of people and say “Here’s an opportunity for you: now compete”
I say “compete” because that means we have a competitive election and now the people get to choose who represents them.
Chaundra also asserted that, regardless of the color of their skin, alders shouldn’t be wary of fair redistricting and the competitive ward elections that would ensure, if they were truly “doing their job”
Are you hopeful that this process will be successful?
I know there is a lot of work, but I am hopeful because I am willing to put in that work and I have a team [this includes CHANGE IL, their partners, the PR firm, and residents of the City of Chicago] that is willing to as well.
Alders will see that it is time for the people to have a choice. Putting the map on the ballot does not mean that the map passes. Putting the map on the ballot just simply says that you are going to give the people of the city of Chicago the opportunity to vote.
This will allow residents to have a voice, rather than allowing 50 alders to represent [the will] of millions of residents.
What’s next?
Over the next six weeks, CHANGE Illinois and their partners will be working to gain the support of ten city council members. Their hope is that on December first, ten members will vote for the People’s Map and trigger a special election that would allow the people of Chicago to vote for the map that best represents them.
In order to keep up with this process and the work of CHANGE Illinois, please look at these sources:
The CHANGE IL website: https://www.changeil.org/
The Chicago Independent Advisory Commission Website: https://chicagoswards.org
