While parts of the state clean up broken glass or ash from burned buildings after several nights of civil unrest, some lawmakers are looking for open ears as part of the cleanup process.
From Chicago to Decatur and from Rockford to Peoria, daytime peaceful protests in response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis last week gave way to several nights of vandalism and looting.
National Federation of Independent Business Illinois State Director Mark Grant said it is important small businesses bounce back from not just the COVID-19 pandemic, but from recent destruction.
“Small businesses are the heart and soul of their communities, main streets, you name it,” Grant said. “They’re the ones that employ their neighbors, they pay their taxes and more importantly they’re an integral part of the neighborhoods that they’re in, in the communities that they’re in.”
Several state agencies are working with the Small Business Administration to secure resources for businesses damaged by looters. The governor has declared disasters in nine counties, a designation that could help in that effort.
State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, said part of the cleanup process needs to be a recognition from those in power that they’re listening to the community.
“That needs to be done now,” West said. “That’s how you clean up because I don’t want it to be where we clean up these buildings and put these windows back up and then something happens again and now these very same buildings are hit hard.”
“The cleanup that we need to start working on is drying the tears of unheard cries,” West said.
West said he hopes other community leaders do what Rockford’s leaders pledged to do with listening sessions to hear the concerns from minority communities in an effort to bring about systemic change and to address racism and inequity.
West said part of rebounding should also include a partnership between the private sector and minority groups, but he’s still working on that. He also said businesses must address any internal problems they may have with systemic racism. He said Democratic leadership at the statehouse must listen as there are calls within the Legislative Black Caucus for a special session to address issues legislatively.
“A lot of us have legislative ideas that have come from our community that should not wait until veto session to get into the books,” West said.
West said lawmakers recently proved they could legislate, even with social distance guidelines in place, at an alternate location for the House.
The next time lawmakers are scheduled back in session is after the November election.
