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Toward the Chicago Poor People’s Conference 2018

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This young man has been on the Chicago streets for five years, sleeping at a homeless shelter.
PHOTO/CHARLES EDWARD MILLER

 
Basing ourselves in the long history for justice and on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, we announce our plan to build citywide organizations in Chicago around the following five-point basic agenda. These five points are not meant to fully represent all our areas of concern, but they serve as a unifying beginning to what will be a growing agenda and list of demands by the people of Chicago. We welcome participation in this summer’s Chicago Poor People’s Conference by any and everyone who agrees with the five-point agenda.
1. We want and demand full employment in healthy jobs at real living wages that benefit our communities and the city of Chicago.
2. We want and demand immediate safe and healthy housing with modern amenities for every man woman and child in Chicago. Wherever housing is built, adequate housing for all individuals and families.
3. We want and demand fully funded, equal, quality education provided free to every resident. This shall include college as well as K-12.
4. We want and demand free universal state-of-the-art healthcare for every man woman and child in Chicago. This shall include (but not limited to) eye, dental and mental healthcare services.
5. We want and demand an elected police review board with disciplinary power to hire and fire personnel. Police districts will reflect the communities they serve. Police officers under indictment will not receive pay until the guilt or innocence in their cases is determined. No personnel found guilty of crimes against the people will receive salary, pension, or other continued compensation.
For more information, email chicagopoor@gmail.com/

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