WILLIAM DOCK WALLS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS PROPOSE A BLACK AGENDA
For Immediate Release Contact: Bruce Crosby
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 Bruceec1@yahoo.com
http://wallsforgov.com 773.639.5129
PRESS CONFERENCE
TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010
6:30 PM
3511 S. King Drive, Chicago
WILLIAM DOCK WALLS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS PROPOSE A BLACK AGENDA
In advance of Saturday’s Black Agenda forum hosted by Tavis Smiley, Candidate for Governor of the State of Illinois, William “Dock” Walls (I) and other well respected community leaders will unveil a Local Black Leadership Agenda.
According to William Walls, “We are in the troughs of a severe Economic downturn. Despite optimistic projections, Chicago’s Black Community has yet tot see any real improvement. Chicago area residents are still losing their homes to bank foreclosure. The unemployment rate amongst Blacks in Illinois is double that of Whites. The National Stimulus Packages have failed to bring relief to the people who need help the most.”
Tavis Smiley, Minister Farakhann and Reverend Jesse Jackson are preparing to discuss a National Black Agenda this Saturday on the campus of Chicago State University. National discussions are great, however, like Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, Chicago is a complex city with unique local issues. Our challenges are different from those faced by Blacks in cities within right to work states, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, and Jacksonville.
Local the jobs created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Illinois Capital Budget are controlled by unions. Historically, Blacks in Illinois have systematically been denied Union Membership. Recently, union apprenticeships programs have been curtailed due to the economic crisis. Therefore, Blacks will have little access to the construction and trade union jobs that will be offered during the upcoming construction season.
Walls said, “At this point in time, there is nothing more important than jobs creation. It is incumbent upon us to develop a plan to ensure the employment of ordinary people. To accomplish this, we must have an carefully designed Agenda.”
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