@CHIdocumenters Today’s meeting is a public hearing on the redistricting process. On December 1st, the wards boundaries are redrawn to reflect the census, which is taken every ten years. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/committee-on-rules/home/chicago-redistricting-information.html

@CHIdocumenters You can view a stream of the meeting here https://livestream.com/accounts/28669066/events/8800236

The time is 1:04pm, Chairperson Harris Begins Roll Call

There are technical difficulties with the live stream, the meeting will resume at 1:30pm.

It is 1:32pm, the meeting is called to order.

45 members present, Quorum is met; public hearing begins with Nancy Chen.

Nancy is an active member of the Chinese American Community of 30 years. She advocates for a majority Asian American Ward in the Chinatown.

She says that her community is tired of being told what is good enough. She asks for support in creating the first Asian American majority ward in the city.

Grace Chen Executive Director of CBCAC, Coalition For A Better Chinese American Community, says that the 2021 census data supports an Asian American majority ward and that her community groups support this based on public policy.

Jill Crosses (sp?), a property owner in the 43rd ward, suggest a no vote on redistricting as it will affect land development and business operations.

David Woo, a Chinatown resident of 25 years, urges the council to increase protecting centers for Asian Americans. He used the redistricting tool given on the city of Chicago website to offer a ward boundary that reflects the proper data.

Jennifer Freide, a member of the 43rd ward, says that its a community that has been in the same form over many decades. She says that a community wide approach is the most proactive and effective.

This concludes the public committee hearing. There were also at least 100 emails provided to the committee on this issue. The council will stand at ease until 3pm.

The time is 3:03, the meeting resumes. Ald. Patrick D. Thompson comments that he has been working together with community groups and has not been trying to disparage the Asian American community. He asks, “what are they doing with the Asian population on the Northside?”

Ald. Nicholas Sposato says that it’s disheartening to hear Ald. Thompson is being attacked for something he didn’t do. This refers to the public hearing in which participants mentioned that Thompson has worked against community groups in making making new ward boundaries.

Ald. Raymond Lopez asks about the rules of the committee in the map making process.

Chairperson Michelle Harris says the caucuses brings a product for approval and then collaborates with neighbors.

Ald. Lopez says to his knowledge that this process hasn’t happened, only the Black caucus has submitted a proposal and Mike Kasper and his group are the only people working on making a legitimate map.

Chairperson Harris says that the map room is fluid, and that she has asked caucuses, mentions the Latino caucus, and that they did not show. She says that Ald. Lopez’s characterization is unfair.

Ald. Anthony Beale, asks about documentation from the map room. He says that his map wasn’t what he was shown. Harris says that since he cooperated with the Latino caucus, he would have been called in. Beale says that people are picked and chosen.

Ald. Maria Hadden says that members do not have to be invited to the map room to enter.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas says that Beale’s map is in the out of boundaries that was submitted. Ald. Villegas asks about the term “locked in” as a legal term. Mike Kasper says that it is not a legal term in regards to the voting rights act.

Ald. Villegas asks about the language of “rushing in first”, in regards to census tracks and submitting out of boundaries maps. He asks if this affects protected classes in submitting boundaries.

The Latino caucus did not submit an arbitrary number because they wanted to analyze the data. Ald. Villegas says this is the least transparent process ever. There are only two days away from a decision being made.

Ald. Michelle Harris, says that she invited everyone to the room to collaborate, but separate processes were made from the Latino caucus. The map room has been open and they came in at the last minute.

Ald. Villegas says that this is not an issue of gender based discrimination as Harris characterizes it as. He says that this is an example of disenfranchising the Latino community.

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa comments that he went into the map room with white alderman and was told this is the group he will be mapping alongside. He says that the Latino Caucus was excluded from map room meetings. He was told repeatedly that his boundaries must move East.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa that moving boundaries East will not reflect the data and the voting rights act. The Latino Caucus is being told that they are where they are at because of a lack of a participation is simply untrue.

Ald. Sue Garza says that she that the map that she submitted was not what she was shown, and when she comes in she is told that she is only given restrictions. So, in her experience this hasn’t been a give a take.

Chairperson Harris says that you need to be in the room and be part of the process, to which Ald. Garza says she has done that and hasn’t felt that it was collaborative.

Ald. Jason C. Ervin says that the presentation needs to be presentation so that comments won’t be off base.

Ald. Villegas asks Mike Kasper what he is waiting on in terms of boundaries. Mike Kasper says that he is reluctant to describe the conversations he had with attorneys.

Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez says that it would be important to clarify on the new ward being created in the downtown area. He says this is about protecting Black, Latino and Asian communities, so what is being done.

Mike Kasper responds that the process deserves compromise and that any redistricting plans he suggests should comply with the voting rights act.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa, says that members of the Latino caucus have expressed the vision of the data being reflected and that Kasper has received this information and has disregarded this and sold everyone a bill of goods.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa says that since others are locked in this is no room for a give and take, but that the Latino caucus is willing to negotiate.

Ald. Maria Hadden says that it is unfortunate that people who worked outside of the process are saying that this isn’t transparent, but that doesn’t resonate with her experience in the room. She says it is unfair to blame attorneys since everyone was given the same opportunity.

Ald. George Cardenas says yesterday in the map room, potential conflict zones were identified and he was optimistic about those being resolved and remains optimistic.

Ald. Michelle Harris says that she didn’t bring a map today, so that there could be a dialogue.

Ald. Daniel La Spata asks that since there was a map shown to some members, can the draft be sent to all 50 members in the council. Chairperson Harris says that until the process is finished a draft will not be sent.

The opportunity for the public to respond is what is important to Ald. La Spata. He asks how much time does the public have to view the map before the vote happens. Harris responds that depends on how fast aldermen get into the space.

Ald. Raymond Lopez motions to adjourn. The time is 4:17pm CST. This concludes my reporting.