Members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus gathered Friday at the Booker Washington Community Center in Rockford to preview a new working list of demands.
As part of a planned statewide tour, members of the caucus say they understand the frustration behind the recent protests over the death of George Floyd. In some cities, there has been looting. Rep. Carol Ammons says it’s time to think about the root causes.
"We are stressed," she said. "We are without jobs. They are stealing milk and diapers. That’s a message y’all. Anybody [who's] going to steal food and walk down the street after they just stole it—that is a message. And, if we’re not paying attention we will see this over and over again.”
But Rep. Sonya Harper says she supports a call for action.
“But we don’t condone looting, so we want to spread that message throughout the state," Harper told the crowd gathered in Rockford. If people want to peacefully protest-- do so."
The Black Caucus will soon release a plan to address economic injustice in the Black community and police reform and are planning their next meeting in Peoria or Champaign.
- Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco is a 2020 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project which is a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms.
