Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to Detail How Budget Disproportionally Affects Black Community

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus today will discuss a telling report detailing how the budget impasse is disproportionally affecting the black community. African-Americans make up nearly 15 percent of the population, yet 30 percent live in poverty. There are four areas of interest that affect the most vulnerable populations in the black community: early childhood education, violence prevention, MAP grant funding and senior concerns. These issues concentrate economic loss directly in communities where black people reside.

“The media constantly reports on how young black men and women are killed in Chicago almost daily, and that is extremely alarming,” said Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Kimberly A. Lightford. “Perhaps if we were funding violence prevention and after-school programs at an adequate level, then our children would have an alternative to the streets.”

The report outlines how the budget impasse is positioning the next generation of leaders for failure. Without funding for MAP grants, thousands of first-generation African-American students won’t have an opportunity to attend or continue their education.

“Minority students are disproportionally low-income,” Representative Will Davis said. “MAP grants help close the achievement gap between low-income black and white students.”

At 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Thompson Center Press room on the 15th floor, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus will host a press conference with community advocates to discuss how the ongoing budget fight is affecting the black community.

The ILBC is also calling on Governor Rauner to end this stalemate and sign the budget that elected representatives sent him to end this madness.

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Date: Monday, Dec. 14th

Location: Thompson Center – 15th Floor press room