CHICAGO: Local mothers, providers, and advocates held a rally outside Illinois – 53rd. District – Republican Representative David Harris’ office, the day after Mother’s Day, May 9, regarding the budget impasse’s negative impact on mothers and women.
They unveiled a new report demonstrating how the failure of leaders in Springfield to put aside non-budget agendas and pass a budget that chooses revenue is creating barriers for mothers and women. Representative Harris attended the press conference and afterwards invited the group into his office to discuss the impasse in more detail.
They asked Representative Harris to stand up for mothers by asking his leadership to put aside non-budget agendas and pass a responsible budget.
Randi M. Gurian, the CEO of “The Harbor”, Yesenia Maldonado, ?Executive Director of “Between Friend”, JiHye Kim, the Associate Director of “KAN WIN,” and Sheila Schultz, an advisor for the North/Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing spoke at the conference.
Rajinder Singh Mago of Sikh Religious Society Palatine Illinois accompanied the group who met State of Illinois Representative David Harris to discuss the severity of the impact of Illinois State budget impasse on the Asian American community.
“Governor Bruce Rauner and Illinois State Legislators must put mothers on the agenda first. The budget stalemate is hurting our community. Many community service providing agencies like Indo-American Center, are forced to cut their services and lay off staff due to this budget impasse. Students get hurt due to cuts in MAPS educational grants,” Mago said.
The individual organizations that belong to the Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC) represent a diverse range of interests but are united by common goal to help mothers and students.
Surendra Ullal
