Take Action

Become positively engaged with SPEAK Des Plaines

Distribute Voter Information

Help us circulate non-partisan voter information to people in Des Plaines that are unregistered to vote in the November 8th Election.

Use the form to sign up for one of our voter outreach dates – we will meet in a designated location and circulate voter information together.

https://forms.gle/WhADhTc3TrQ2eGiu5

If none of the dates on the form fit your schedule, we will give you a list of addresses in an area of Des Plaines of your choice provide you with flyers to distribute. Use the form sign up!

Support Asylum Seekers in DP

On Saturday, October 1st, about 80 asylum seekers arrived in the city of Des Plaines.

  • These asylum seekers entered the United States, and are here today legally as their asylum cases are processed. This link explains what they were facing in Venezuela. 
  • As part of this process, all of these asylum seekers have gone through background checks and have been processed with fingerprints and biometrics. 
  • The City was informed that these individuals would be housed here in Des Plaines last week, as was widely reported. 
  • The State of Illinois did not ask Des Plaines for any resources – no City funds or personnel are being utilized to house these people.
  • Additional information can be found on the City Website. 

Volunteer: If you want to volunteer, the State needs to make sure that the people working with these families are properly vetted to keep everybody safe.  Sign up here – fill out your information, including availability and related skills or experience that could be useful in this situation. 

Donate: You can donate food, clothing, or other items, but for a variety of reasons, donations cannot be accepted at sites where asylum seekers are being housed. IDHS has implemented a centralized system to ensure that everyone receives the supplies and meals that they need. Donation information

Join Forces: IDHS has put together a list of organizations that do critically important work for immigrants here in Illinois.  IDHS suggests donations – in particular, monetary donations – to these organizations directly. Donating funds to these organizations provides them with resources to purchase whatever may be necessary as the situation develops. 

Here are just a few of the organizations on the list that do great work in our own community:

The complete list of organizations can be found here. 

If you want to provide items directly, Cook County Health has put together an Amazon Wishlist with specific requests from asylum seekers in the area.  

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Celebrate Pride With Us

Last June we worked with Maine West High School to host a LGBTQIA+ Pride celebration for all ages. We had food, entertainment, crafts, queer history and fun for the entire family. We are helping Maine West host this event again on June 3rd, 2023. Please let us know if you are interested in helping to plan and/or want to stay informed about the details: https://forms.gle/4UG15oGdcL5pPmbt5

Attend a

City Meeting

Be an engaged resident by attending one of these important meetings. If you have something to say, all of these meetings have an opportunity for public comment.

  • 207 School Board
  • District 62 School Board

Do you want to help? Tell us here: Take Action Interest Form

Research

Choose one of the topics below to research and then choose one of the following formats to share your findings:

  • Create a Social Media Image or Video
  • Write a One Page Summary
  • Attend a Meeting to share a report

We can help find resources – and may share your findings via social media/website/email – with your permission.

  • Police Relations – Look into another city’s policing model and share your findings. If you are interested in this, we have a lot of articles for you to browse.
  • Native American History in Des Plaines – In order to fully understand our history, we need to learn about the people who lived on this land for centuries before us. Whose land are we living on today?
  • Research something else about Des Plaines that interests you, including upcoming laws or policies in Des Plaines and/or Illinois. Is there something you’ve always wanted to know? Chances are you aren’t alone. Send in your ideas to get approved before you complete this project

Do you want to help? Tell us here: Take Action Interest Form

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