New Chicago 2011
Who We Are
New Chicago 2011 is a city-wide coalition that draws from every side of Chicago, from Rogers Park to Roseland, from Austin to Logan Square to Little Village. We are everyday people who are fed up with business-as-usual and who are ready to demand a city administration that respects and represents all the people of this city. Our communities have common dreams and needs. United, we will create a vision for a new Chicago.Our Formation
A circle of community-based groups began discussing the opportunity to build communication with a new mayor. We noticed the current administration’s lack of community engagement on issues affecting Chicago’s neighborhoods. As more organizations joined these discussions, we knew we struck a cord. The discussion of who would be the next mayor of Chicago would not go on without the voice of the people.Our Goal
We want to create the relationships necessary to hold the future Mayor of Chicago accountable. Community must educate the candidates on the issues impacting hardworking Chicagoans who love this city. Working together, we can make it better. The Forum is a catalyst for a reinvigorated movement for civic education and voter turnout. A strong democracy needs organized and informed voters.Process
We respect all candidates running for mayor. New Chicago 2011 organizations collectively decided to establish criteria for participation in our forum, which was communicated to candidates in early November. The top six candidates with the most signatures, a minimum of 25,000, or anyone who submits more than 35,000, were invited to fill out a questionnaire regarding their stance on issues affecting the city. Those candidates who met our criteria were invited to our town hall.Read the candidates' responses to our questionnaire here.
