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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION HONORING COMMUNITY-FOCUSED NEWS PUBLICATIONS BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO, ONE ILLINOIS AND THE TRIIBE
WHEREAS, Local news coverage is a vital tool for civic engagement; and,
WHEREAS, The civically engaged - people who vote, volunteer and connect with those around them - play a key role in building stronger communities; and,
WHEREAS, On November 2, 2017, local news publication DNA Info Chicago abruptly shut down, leaving a void in the important coverage of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods; and,
WHEREAS, Three editors from the former publication reunited to start up a new neighborhood news website to be funded by reader subscriptions; and,
WHEREAS, Block Club Chicago was founded as a nonprofit, neighborhood news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan and essential coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods; and,
WHEREAS, Block Club Chicago recently made history as the largest Kickstarter fundraising amount for a local community journalism publication; and,
WHEREAS, One Illinois is a new statewide, nonprofit news outlet intended to bring Illinoisans together and unite neighbors around our shared interests and aspirations; and,
WHEREAS, One Illinois will spotlight the common struggles of working people across the state and showcase their resilience in a way that helps bridge the divides across race, class, and geography by pushing back against the divide-and-rule strategy; and,
WHEREAS, Over the coming years, One Illinois will build a broad-based audience across party lines, across race and class, and across Illinois to help shape a more positive and unified narrative; and,
WHEREAS, The Triibe is a digital media platform showcasing innovative content to reshape the narrative of Black millennials in Chicago; and,
WHEREAS, The Triibe’s original works in journalism and documentary, alongside creative writing and video, captures the multifaceted essence of Black Chicago from their point of view, with a goal of unifying Black Chicago millennials in the common purpose to create a safer, more vibrant Chicago.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners commends the important work of the above publications, and that a suitable copy of this resolution be distributed to Block Club Chicago, One Illinois and The Triibe.
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