I’m a mom of 3 residing in Oriole Park on the NW side of Chicago. My three children are my “why.” I am fighting for our democracy and progressive values because I want our kids to live in a better, more accepting, and more empathetic world. Our country is falling apart under an administration that operates from a position of cruelty, bigotry, racism, misogyny, and hatred. I am scared for our future, but I’m even more scared to be silent. I believe in the power and strength of community and that love, acceptance, and light can change the world. Our country and our democracy are too precious to give up without a fight.

I have considered for myself an informed voter since the day I turned 18 never missing an election. In 2017, my friends and I got heavily involved in working for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendement in Illinois. 

From then on I became more involved in politics, mostly on a state level. Since the 2024 election, I have been appalled by the destruction of our rights and our future. I am especially concerned about our climate and environment, women's rights, healthcare, immigration, international relations and the affordability of living. 

What is happening in this country is not normal and I want to advocate so that no one ever accepts it that way. Additionally, as a kidney transplant recipient, I have also been involved in patient support and eliminating the disincentives for living donors.

I have always been aware politically, but this is my first step into activism. My top issues are women's health care, immigration, and access to health care for all. I am fighting for my kids and their friends.

I have participated in marches of the years, mostly during Trump’s tenure as president. I am in my 60s and as a voting adult, have lived through Reagan and both Bush senior and junior. 

I had young parents and have vivid memories of the war in Vietnam and the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. It’s not as if I haven’t seen this country under stress. 

I am concerned - more than ever - the rights, privileges and laws of The United States of America, as outlined in The Constitution and The Bill of Rights, are in peril. 

Issues and institutions I believe are under attack, and need to meet with counter measures to build back (or construct) their strength and integrity are supporting education, science, free speech, voter rights, upholding human rights, equality for women, children and minorities regardless of ethnicity, gender identification, or other identity choices or affiliations currently under siege, securing a just refuge/immigration process, standing for due process, assisting the poor and underprivileged, being against emoluments and corruption, restructuring a tax code that has each individual and corporation paying fair share of taxes, fighting against oppression, term limits, social programs; these are only a few of the issues and institutions currently being eroded.

I am a 72 year old semi retired analyst. We moved to Chicago in 2019 after having lived in Florida since 1991. Good riddance. 

I am very active on social media and belong to some private FB groups. I have been opposing this unquallified unfit president since 2015. 

We cannot afford to sit idly by and watch our freedoms disappear in a wave of right wing lies and propaganda. While we were living in Florida, someone 

I just met asked me about my politics. I said I grew up in NYC in the 60's. What do you THINK they are?

First of all, on behalf of every Chicagoan, thank you, Kevin. I grew up in Chicago, though I was born in Mexico. 

My father carried me in his arms here, through deserts and rivers, but those arms never truly held me again. For as long as I can remember, he worked two jobs—always either sleeping or working, never taking a vacation or a day off. 

He missed birthdays, milestones, and family moments, all to fuel the capitalistic machine with his life blood. Most of his life was spent working in kitchens, where swollen, burned hands became his only reward. 

Because of my family’s mixed status, I grew up acutely aware of immigration struggles and the laws that shaped them. 

My first real political awakening came when I joined Occupy Wall Street protests and meetings. Fifteen years later, I see how little has changed. 

But our time is now. I fight for those who can't. I fight for my fellow Dreamers. I fight for women's rights. I fight for the environment, and all her beautiful critters. Scared? Do it scared.

I joined the Campus Greens in college to support Green New Deal actions, specifically interested in environmental causes and government corruption. Things have only gotten worse in our country in the last decade and seeing the immoral tactics of ICE warrants more radical and direct action. I'm trying to do a small part to help when I have the courage and energy to do so, and I hope others can, too.

I am in the O’Hare Neighborhood in the 41st Ward. I have been politically active my entire adult life. The issues that concern me most are the threats to the LGBTQ community, the violation of human and civil rights, the attacks on education as well as the destruction of the Department of Education. Censorship. Safety net programs, especially the Ryan White AIDS Drug Assistance Program, health care and the attack on science.

I am a teacher, a mom, a wife, and daughter. I am standing up for democracy at this time because I think Donald Trump is dangerous, cruel, and self centered. 

I have voted in every election since I was 18 because I always knew how important it was and honored for the right after all those people who couldn’t vote for generations. 

My first activity in a campaign was for Obama because I believed in him and his campaign greatly. 

The current state of Checks and Balances is gone and I can’t understand why. Donald Trump is ignorant about the executive branch and republicans are staying silent.. It’s incredible and terribly sad. 

It’s important that I/we speak for people and communities who can’t speak for themselves. For the most vulnerable: children, seniors, disabled, LGBTQ, refugees, the starving, the sick, disabled, abused, people without homes. We live in a society. Thank you.

I started protesting on May Day. 

My mom, unfortunately, has dementia and hated Trump the first time around. She was always finding ways to lead small-town Iowans to volunteer in the community. 

I'm fighting for her. She would be out protesting at 95 right now. 

I'm doing this because I'm scared of what might happen to my Hispanic neighbors, friends, and myself, too. 

I'm fighting to keep good Americans, whether they're illegal or not, safe. 

I'm fighting for those who can't fight, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, the environment, and veterans. 

All of it.

I will be 73 years of age next month and have lived in the Jefferson Park neighborhood since 1992. 

I have supported and volunteered for progressive causes all my adult life, but my husband and I participated in our first NO KINGS protest only last weekend. 

It was a peaceful and exuberant demonstration, full of like-minded people exercising their First Amendment right in an effort to save our now seriously endangered democracy. 

If we do not speak up for ourselves in these perilous times, who shall we expect to speak up for us?

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, to a family of politically active Democrats, I was raised to always be informed and active on issues that matter to me. 

I graduated with a degree in writing a little over a year ago, and I am working toward engaging younger generations in reading fact-based, independent journalism and supporting at-risk public media. 

Democracy will not survive without a thriving free press, and I believe it is crucial to show future generations the value of the written word. 

We must protect public access to stories that breach our collective comfort level and hold empathy and connectivity at the forefront of whatever issue we support. To me, this is the only way to make progress on the generational, racial, and partisan divide. 

If you are afraid of speaking out, take some time to just listen, hear what others have to say, and make an effort to hear voices you wouldn't regularly hear in your day-to-day. Your unique voice and method of action will come naturally after that!

I’m a first-generation South Asian immigrant living in Sauganash with two little kids. 

I’ve spent my career as a public servant both in federal and local government, in campaigns, and in the nonprofit space. 

I care deeply about economic and social justice, radical democracy, upholding fundamental rights of immigrants of all stripes, and advancing inclusive economic opportunity for all.

I’m fighting for those like me and those who came before me from distant shores seeking a better life in America. For those afraid of speaking out, we have already lost to tyranny if we give in to fear.

I have dedicated my life to fighting for the most vulnerable, those with the most barriers, those in need of support. 

As a social worker, I know how crucial public benefits are to the life and potential death of those that live navigating poverty and oppression. 

I have worked in the fields of homelessness, women's rights, and LGBTQ activism for over 20 years. 

While the work has always been hard, the challenges have never been so great. The very work that protects those in need, that prevents public health crises, that supports and affirms identity.. those services are being severely cut/eliminated every day. 

We are watching programs gutted and mass layoffs, and we know that this is only the start of the impact of these changes. Now is the time, before we see the true impacts of these losses. 

I fight for those who have to spend their time surviving, just making it through the day. I fight for my daughters.. for my queer family, for the world I believe is possible. 

I fight because I have hope for a future without injustice.

I fully expected Kamala to win the presidential election. Surely everyone knew what Trump represented (power, greed, fear of immigrants, anti-NATO, pro-dictator, criminal, etc) and the fallacies of the tenets of his campaign (immigrants raise crime .. NOPE, tarrifs are good .. NOPE, unilaterally stopping the Ukraine war .. NOPE, lowering prices .. NOPE, etc). 

I was shocked he was declared the winner before the end of the night. I can no longer see my family, friends, and neighbors duped into believing and trusting this man. I had to do something. 

My wife and I protested for the first time in Hands-Off a couple of weeks back and will again. I joined our community's Town Hall, which the DNC organized, but was not attended by our local GOP representative. 

I've volunteered for more and look forward to the 2026 midterm elections. We all must do something!!