Leaders of the Puerto Rican Agenda met with Governor JB Priztker on May 17th, 2022 to discuss the future of Puerto Rico Town. Three years before this meeting, leaders of the Puerto Rican Agenda met with the Governor to discuss a vision of community sustainability and growth. The Governor had given leaders valuable insight and his commitment to support this vision. Shortly after that, a partnership of local elected leaders, including Representative Delia RamÃrez, Senator Omar Aquino and Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, introduced and passed a State Designated Cultural District bill that will make this vision a reality for the Puerto Rican community.
The Puerto Rican community has endured gentrification and debilitating disinvestment for decades. Puerto Rico Town is a vision that will reverse the process of gentrification and ensure equitable state and city resources return to the Puerto Rican community within its four pillars: Education, Health, Housing, and Economic Development. On May 17th, 2022, while he was on the campaign trail, the Governor met with the Puerto Rican Community once again to discuss all of the wins our community and the state have gained in the last four year. And with great passion and tenacity, we discussed the much needed work to be done in the next four years. Senators Aquino and Pacione-Zayas sat alongside community leaders to discuss the work we must all put in around early childhood, housing, health, and education in Humboldt Park.
The Puerto Rican Agenda’s leadership alongside our local elected officials will work diligently with the Governor’s Office to ensure Puerto Rico Town and other disinvested communities across the state receive the resources that they rightfully deserve.
