Since 2009, CIOGC has provided the greater Chicago Muslim community the opportunity to engage with Illinois legislators in a meaningful way through Illinois Muslim Action Day (IMAD).
2019
Al-Hamdulillah, last year (IMAD 2018), your engagement and participation helped to get the Religious Garb Bill, the Illinois Trust Act, Combating Hate Crimes, Ensuring Police Accountability and Faith-Based Violence Prevention bills successfully passed by both the Illinois State Senate and House, and subsequently signed into law by Governor Rauner.
Moreover, several of our youth civic leaders had the opportunity to shadow a state senator during the legislative sessions on IMAD day. This year we have already adopted the Anti-Registry Program and the Gun Dealer Licensing bill into our legislative agenda, and we desire to expand the scope of issues for which we will lobby. A number of potential issues touch upon civic concerns of our partner organizations, like ICIRR, IAF affiliates, and CRLMC. Collaboration with them can amplify our voices as we make demands upon the legislators.
Schedule of the Day:
The agenda for Thursday, April 11, 2019 will begin with a light breakfast at 8:00 a.m. in the State House Inn, which is located at 101 E. Adams Street, Springfield, Illinois. The breakfast is intended to bring community leaders and members of the Illinois legislature together before the legislative sessions begin. During last year’s breakfast program, we presented Senate President John Cullerton and Senator Jacqueline Collins with individual awards recognizing their ongoing commitment to the Muslim community. After the breakfast, our activities will move to the State Capitol building, located one block north of the State House Inn.
At 11:00 a.m. CIOGC will host a press conference in the State Press Room. The Press Room is located in the basement of the State Capitol Building. At the press conference we intend to host, as speakers, invited state representatives, leaders of partner organizations and leaders of our member organizations.
From the end of the breakfast to the commencement of the press conference and then after the press conference concludes to the beginning of our rally, members of the community who have registered on the website as an IMAD day participant will be assigned to a team of community members who will visit the offices of legislators seeking a meeting with these legislators.
While we anticipate having secured meetings with some legislators, many do not set appointments because of the unpredictability of their schedules during legislative sessions. They encourage us to come to their office on April 11.