Fight Racism with Solidarity in this Moment of Unprecedented Division

The most important developments in the progressive movement in the US happened in Chicago this spring: the first in the country Chicago elections for civilian police oversight, and the defeat of the neoliberals with the election of Mayor Brandon Johnson are unprecedented advances for our movement. However, like all democratic advances in our country we must anticipate vicious attacks spearheaded by our die-hard enemies and capitulated to by our wavering allies and out and out political cowards.

These advances could not have happened without the movement built here over the past decade, and at the center of the victories is Black/Latino unity.

The Black/Latino coalition in Chicago was first established in Harold Washington’s historic victory in 1983. That unity was consciously forged by two great movement leaders: Harold Washington and Rudy Lozano.

Over the decades since Rudy’s and Harold’s tragically early deaths, that coalition has existed more in the breach than in the observance. 

Beginning with the Black Lives Matter mass protests in 2014, forces within the Black liberation movement, including the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, SOUL and others began to seek unity with immigrant rights, Puerto Rican, Chicano, and other Latino movements. This unity was absolutely necessary in the fight for justice for Laquan McDonald, Adam Toledo, and the passage of the Empowering Communities for Public Safety Ordinance.

Black/Latino unity was clearly at work in the elections for police district council seats on the South, West, Lower West, and Near Northwest parts of the city. Candidates committed to holding CPD accountable took almost all the seats in those areas that suffer the most under police terror.

And then, those same areas of the city were the source of the votes that put Brandon Johnson over the top. Brandon's increase from February to April was 197,388 votes. The increased vote in the Black wards was 90,101 – 46% of the total; together with the Latino wards, the increase for Brandon was 58%.

Strains in the United Front

Chicago and other cities with Democratic Party administrations have been attacked by Republican governors in Florida and Texas, bussing north 100s of thousands of asylum seekers. The administration in Chicago has struggled to provide care and services for more than 17,000 people. 

Many of the refugees are being placed in low-income neighborhoods, where crisis conditions already exist: homelessness, unemployment, street crime, and more. Not surprisingly, there have been angry protests from residents, notably from Latino and Black communities. 

The Chicago Alliance believes in listening to the voices of the oppressed, especially those in the Black community where we are housed.

We also agree with Mayor Johnson’s bottom line for the asylum seekers: they are not illegal. They are protected by international law, and the federal, state, and local governments are obligated to make arrangements for them. A number of politicians have seized on this issue to attack the Johnson administration. Many of these officials who endorsed Paul Vallas were rejected by a majority of the Black voters in their own wards.

It is in this context that an incident in the fractious city council has forced a tribune of the people, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa to resign from the leadership posts he was given by the new mayor. Attempting to prevent a special meeting called by the reactionary Ald. Rey Lopez to attack the Sanctuary City program, Ald. Rosa blocked a door to the meeting, leading to an incident in which he put his hand on the elbow of Ald. Emma Mitts. Ald. Lopez, who also put his hand on her has accused Ald. Rosa of assault.

In recognition of his errors, Ald. Rosa has resigned from his leadership posts in the City Council.

There are calls from Ald. Rosa’s supporters for a restorative justice process, which we support.

We add that our movement needs the leadership Carlos has provided for all the demands of the movement: democratic power to determine who and how Black and Latino communities are policed; an end to the sub-minimum wage; affordable housing for Chicago’s unhoused population; protection for undocumented workers through the Welcoming City Ordinance; and the preservation of affordable housing. 

Greater Challenges for our Movement

Where does this leave our movement? As Fred Hampton always said, “We fight racism with solidarity.”

It is racist national oppression that is the source of the terrible conditions for Black, Latino, and immigrant communities. It is national oppression by our government at home and abroad that has caused the 100s of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers to risk their lives to reach the US in hopes of a better life for their families.

We totally understand and unite with the anger of our people over housing. But we will not unite with those who use the immigrants as a political football to attack the mayor.

Our movement must unite to demand money for jobs, housing, and schools. The politicians in Washington have magically pulled over $100 billion for war in Ukraine in the past year, and now want another $100+ billion for war in Ukraine and war on the Palestinians. If the political will existed, they could redirect that money to meet the needs of the people in this country!

To achieve money for housing, for schools, and for jobs or income now, there must be solidarity between the Black and Latino movements.

On election night, mayor elect Johnson said his victory was a result of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s idea that “…the civil rights movement and the labor movement would come together…”

For the Chicago Alliance, we add that Black and Latino unity is also required for achieving all of the demands which our communities so desperately need.