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200 Youth Protest for Needed Summer Jobs

CHICAGO, Feb. 22 -- A lively mix of 200 mostly black and Latino teens filled the first floor of City Hall this afternoon, chanting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Daley sweatshops have got to go!"
CHICAGO, Feb. 22 -- A lively mix of 200 mostly black and Latino teens filled the first floor of City Hall this afternoon, chanting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Daley sweatshops have got to go!"

The protest followed on the heels of ongoing communication between Youth First Campaign and the city. Youth First, with a citywide coalition of over thirty community and political organizations, is working toward the goals of the Community Justice Initiative. They are calling for the city to establish better-funded alternatives to the mass incarceration of youth in Chicago, particularly youth of color.

The Community Justice Initiative sent a letter by certified mail and fax to the Mayor's Office. It stipulates a deadline of March 1 for a response from the Mayor. It calls for funding for 22,000 minimum-wage summer jobs for teens. Funding for youth currently accounts for 1% of the city's operating budget, a sum of $45 million.

"If there are no summer jobs, we go to jail," said Corie Cornwell, a student at Prologue Alternative High School. "We need more people out here [at the protest]. I have a job, but my little cousin doesn't. We need to be out here working, not hanging around on street corners." He was flanked by two Prologue classmates holding signs that read "We Are Worth a Decent Wage" and "Will Work for Minimum Wage".

At a certain point the first floor lobby emptied out as students boarded elevators to the Mayor's Office. The chants picked up again, with "Money for Education / Not Incarceration" and "What do we want? --Jobs! When Do We Want Them? --Now!"

The protestors' chanting "We want the mayor!" in front of the Mayor's Office gave way to a circle of space that opened up for a quick skit. Students took on roles of beat cops, who were portrayed as harassing students and invoking "anti-gang loitering" as a pretext for the harassment.

Two students from School Without Walls expressed parallel opinions. Henrine Edwards noted that she didn't really want to be here, but she felt like she had to because of present conditions. Kano stated, "We are committed to self-preservation and the fight for education."

Fareedah Hernandez, a former participant of the summer jobs program, felt that the city is being disgraceful to the youth. She mentioned that the city is paying less than minimum wage to first-timers who are generally 14- and 15-year-olds.

As the hour waned the chants of "Daley sweatshops have got to go!" dispersed along with the participants.
 
 

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