WHAT: Candidates Forum for all candidates running for the Democratic, Republican and Green Party nominations to become the next Cook County Board President. Candidates will each speak for 1 1/2 minutes and then take moderated questions from the audience.
WHO: All candidates for Cook County Board President have confirmed their participation: Toni Preckwinkle, Dorothy Brown, John Garrido, Tom Tresser, Terrence O'Brien, Roger Keats and Todd Stroger. The moderator is Kimbriell Kelly, Editor, The Chicago Reporter.
Organizers: Center on Halsted, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, Chicago Foundation for Women, Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network, Loyola University Chicago, Rape Victim Advocates
WHEN: Thursday January 21, 2010
Forum: 6 pm — 7:30 pm. Doors open at 5:30 pm, reception follows.
WHERE: Loyola University Chicago, Water Tower Campus
111 E. Pearson St., Beane Hall, 13th floor of Lewis Towers
WHY: With a population of over 5 million, for the first time Cook County in 2009 allocated $275,000 in one time funding for rape victim services and without any money appropriated to assist victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking. This level of funding provides insufficient services for victims and fails to ensure the prosecution of offenders of violence against women and girls.
National surveys indicate that one in three women have experienced domestic violence by a spouse or boyfriend. One out of every eight women in this country will be raped in her lifetime. Large numbers of women residing in Cook County thus experience domestic and sexual violence. Furthermore, in 2008, 125 incidents of hate violence or discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in metropolitan Chicago were reported to the Anti-Violence Project. Every day 16,000 women and girls are involved in prostitution and sex trafficking in Chicago, the vast majority of whom experience high levels of violence and exploitation.
The next president of the Cook County Board has an opportunity to address the pressing issue of violence against women, girls and LGBTQ individuals in our community to make Cook County safer for everyone. This forum is open to the public and will involve audience participation.
NOTE:
Loyola University Chicago policy prohibits the use of campaign materials on its premises. The NMPS, SSW, Loyola University Chicago and all other sponsors of the Candidates Forum do not support or oppose any of the candidates. All sponsoring organizations are nonprofit with 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) tax-exempt status. This is a nonpartisan event for public education purposes only.
