As new high rises and upscale eateries have populated the Near North Side in Chicago, it is hardly recognizable as a space that was once a vibrant Black community. It is often portrayed only as an area deprived of resources and stereotyped as dangerous.
With the hack investigation of the attorney general's office still ongoing, some people want to know how the breach in April affects staff work at the agency. But how do you properly seek transparency from the AG's office about, well, itself?
We know how crucial it is to understand how governments work and how policies and the people who create them work for or against us. But we also know a lot of the information we need as citizens to hold our governments accountable isn't always accessible, especially to our Black and Brown community members.
A Near North resident, who asked not to be named, said she is mentally exhausted and reached out to the Better Government Association after she filed a consumer complaint to the Illinois Attorney General's office last October and did not get a response.
Access to government documents is fundamental in our system of open government. You have a right to know what your governments are doing. One way people, groups, corporations or organizations can obtain government records is by filing a request under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.
A Chicago Park District employee who asked not to be named wrote to us about pay equity issues at the agency during the pandemic. In December, the Chicago Tribune reported the Park District 'lost $100 million in revenue during the pandemic due to special events and program fees disappearing,' according to the agency's superintendent Michael Kelly.
As the federal government's main initiative to help small companies survive the coronavirus pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program has become a focal point for businesses across the nation and praised by Democrats and Republicans alike. But questions remain about how well PPP loans have worked - and who they worked for best.
It's been a year like no other. The unprecedented events of 2020 remind us at the Better Government Association how critical it is to expose corruption and abuses of power, hold decision-makers accountable, and ensure the resources to change it are equitably accessible and utilized.
Scenes from last week's protest that shut down Lake Shore Drive
As the unofficial Black Panther -themed convention came to a close Sunday, there wasn't a dry eye at the panel table when organizers thanked attendees, volunteers and their loved ones for their part in bringing to life the first WakandaCon.