Chicago Mayor Johnson to Host ‘Equity or Else’ Seminar

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will chair an invitation-only seminar designed to inform education and union leaders on how to combat systemic racism a day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off.

The Equity or Else Quality of Life Platform aims to inform politician and policymakers how to coalesce around nine key areas the group has determined are most actionable: education, affordable housing, community safety, economics, environmental justice, food production, healthcare, immigrant rights, and youth issues. The overall goal of the event is to “elevate the conversation on racial equity, challenging traditional approaches and urging national leaders to prioritize justice in policymaking.”

The summit will conclude with the introduction of an Equity for All Resolution, which lays out the list of demands the group has determined will produce results in their key policy areas. All of the demands include the transfer of state and federal funding to the organization in some fashion.

For education, the group demands that Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, a resource to aid elementary and secondary schools in time of emergency, be made a standard line item in the federal budget.

For housing, the group demands federal funds to aid anti-gentrification efforts to prevent the influx of wealthy individuals from moving into traditionally underserved neighborhoods.

For the environmental justice platform, the group seeks to transition all community housing to solar power.

And to make their communities safer, the group demands the restoration of voting rights to current and former felons with better access to ballot drop boxes.

Key attendees include Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa.; Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y.; American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten; Journey for Justice Alliance National Director Jitu Brown; and 250 grassroots leaders from across the country.