Issues being Advocated

Issues being advocated on Illinois Muslim Action Day (IMAD)April 22, 2010

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) is a federation of Muslim organizations, Mosques and Schools. CIOGC is a unifying force that brings together a diverse Muslim American Community in the State of Illinois. The following is the IMAD 2010 issue agenda:

Healthcare and Public Health:

• Equitable Access to Healthy Food (SJR 72): Lack of access to healthy food leads to a myriad of health problems in Illinois. SJR 72 recommends the creation of an Illinois Fresh Food Fund and supports multi sector partners to "come together to erase the disparity in nutrition between low income and high income neighborhoods".
• Education and Nutrition Activities (SB 3706): Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall develop and maintain a nutrition and physical activity best practices database.

Housing:

• Foreclosure Prevention and Counseling (SB 3738): In 2009, the 131,132 foreclosure filing in Illinois affected 2.5 percent of housing units in the State. SB 3738 Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act to Authorize the Illinois Housing Authority to establish and administer a foreclosure prevention counseling program using moneys in the Foreclosure Prevention counseling Fund.

Immigrant Human Services:

• Preserve the Immigrant Integration Services Line Item (located in the Illinois Department of Human Services Budget) which includes English, Citizenship and Vital Services for Immigrant and Refugee communities to integrate into society.
• We Want to Learn English Initiative (WWLE) is vital in identifying innovative models to teaching English to immigrants and refugees. The goal is to provide English classes where community members congregate, churches, mosques, community organizations, workplace. In 2010 WWLE is piloting the Neighbor to Neighbor program, which connects the native born English speakers and foreign born individuals to learn English.

Education:

• Introducing strategic languages to Public Schools (need bill number): This bill will allow for Arabic and other strategic languages to be offered as part of the foreign language options in public schools.
• Arabic is one of the languages designated as "Critical Need" by the 2008 National Security Language Initiative
• National Security Language Initiative provides for federal funding for language instruction under the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP)
• Illinois remains to be startlingly under-represented among foreign language Assistant Programs Grants recipients to date
• In 2008, Mayor Daley announced the Illinois Board of Education is initiating a $1 million dollar expansion of Critical Language Programs in Illinois - 5 CPS Schools currently offer Arabic as part of the foreign language options.
• Learning other languages bridges the gaps between communities, creates understanding and a sense of belonging.