💻 From Under the El
It’s an outside day! Don’t forget your jacket, but enjoy that warmed up weather today, if you can. And definitely get outside this weekend, Chicago. Happy Friday! Let’s get to some good news.
⏰ tl;dr
Chicagoans are part of a global convoy delivering life-saving aid to Cuba after a nationwide blackout
New data shows gun violence in Chicago is down sharply over the past year
Enjoy the weather Saturday morning by helping with a garden cleanup at Pullman State Historic Site
🌻 What’s Going Right In Chicago Today
🌎 Chicagoans join global aid mission to Cuba
Local organizers are helping deliver over 20 tons of critical supplies to a country facing a nationwide power crisis.
When Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed this week due to the U.S. blockade on oil to the country, millions of people were suddenly without power or access to basic necessities like clean water, medical care, and food preservation.
Within days, an international coalition mobilized. And among them: Chicagoans.
A group called Levántate por Cuba, which includes a former assistant commissioner from the Chicago Department of Public Health, is helping lead a humanitarian convoy carrying more than 20 tons of aid with everything from portable solar panels and cooking equipment to vitamins, medicine, and farming supplies.
“By increasing the blockade in ways that are not just illegal, but are inhumane, so people do not have electricity. There are dozens and dozens — maybe hundreds of surgeries that are canceled every day because Cuba does not have electricity, they do not have sutures, they don’t have medicines. The food situation is critical. Water purification cannot happen without electricity.”
The group said they expected to depart for Cuba today.
🎉 Chicago launches “Chicago 250,” a citywide celebration of history, culture, and community
A year-long series of events will spotlight Chicago’s role in shaping the American story, with a focus on the people behind it.
Chicago is getting ready to tell its story. The city just announced “Chicago 250,” a year-long commemoration tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. But instead of focusing only on founding-era history, the programming is built around the people and movements that have shaped the city over time, from Indigenous communities and the Great Migration to labor organizing, immigrant neighborhoods, and cultural innovation.
Chicago represents the soul of America, not just in our triumphs, but in our struggles to build a more just and inclusive democracy. For 250 years, progress in this country has come when working people stood in common purpose, organizing, demanding fairness, and pushing this nation closer to its founding promise. That spirit lives in Chicago.
Chicago 250 will include neighborhood events, public art, performances, and storytelling projects that invite Chicagoans to contribute their own perspectives. There’s even a citywide initiative through the Chicago Public Library encouraging residents to write and share their own reflections on what this moment means.
📊 New data shows gun violence continues to decline in Chicago
The city is seeing a significant drop in gun violence, with fewer victims compared to both last year and recent averages.
According to the latest data pulled from the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Medical Examiner, there were 1,825 gun violence victims reported in Chicago over the past 12 months. That’s a 36% decrease from the year before, and nearly 50% lower than the five-year average.
CBS is tracking local trends in gun violence, and the numbers are down in nearly every metric. Most of them are down significantly. Gun violence is a big, complex problem, but these trends show movement in the right direction.
🗓️ Eye On the Chi
Pullman State Park Garden Clean-Up
A community clean-up in Pullman turns a Saturday morning into something hands-on, social, and fun.
When: March 21, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Pullman State Historic Site
Block Talk on Tap: What is a Ward?
A casual crash course on how Chicago’s local government and how to navigate it. Chicago politics can feel like a maze. Learn how to navigate it here.
When: March 25, 5:30 p.m.
Where: The Bad Apple Lincoln Park
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Till next time,
Good News, Chicago
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