Statement on Last Tuesday's Meeting Surrounding the Proposed Migrant Tent Encampment in Brighton Park
On Tuesday, October 24th, Brighton Park residents were given an opportunity to share their concerns regarding the proposed migrant tent encampment at 38th Street and California Ave. The community remains infuriated over Tuesday's meeting, where hundreds of community members were left standing outside while a cherry-picked group of individuals, including an alderman from Logan Square, sat firmly in the pews vocalizing their support of a migrant tent encampment on behalf of our community.
Allow me to repeat that last point: Our community. While the bulk of Brighton Park is in the 12th Ward, I, too, represent the community and live in Brighton Park. I had hoped that a meeting allowing the true residents to speak would have sufficed, and we all could have moved on. That is not what happened Tuesday, and the community knows it. This process disenfranchised them hoping to force a utopian narrative that would support the effort to bring this location online. Simply put: the administration and this process failed.
The community deserves the opportunity to be heard. This administration decided to take a different route, allowing their political allies to circumvent the actual democratic process. The administration’s collective credibility on this matter has been lost.
Therefore, I am holding a community meeting on Tuesday, November 7th from 6-8 pm at the Brighton Park Community Campus at 48th and Western Ave. Residents who felt that their voices were shut out last Tuesday are invited.
I make no claims of having the ability to impact the 38th St. & California Ave. location in my neighboring ward; however, holding a truly democratic process will help Brighton Park residents feel their voice is being heard. Written and spoken testimony shared at this upcoming meeting will be passed on and presented to this administration, the Department of Family Support Services, the Chicago Police Department, and the 12th Ward Office so that residents' concerns are documented.
Priority at the meeting will be given to residents of Brighton Park, those most impacted by this proposed settlement. Questions can be directed to the 15th Ward Office at (773) 823-1539 or Ward15@cityofchicago.org.