Estimado amigo,

Mientras lloramos la muerte de Adam Toledo, me uní a los legisladores de los grupos parlamentarios latino y afroamericano para dar a conocer una declaración conjunta la semana pasada. Me sumo a ellos en el luto que nos embarga por Adam y envío mi afecto a su familia.

Ningún padre trae a un hijo al mundo esperando el resultado que vimos en el video difundido en todas las plataformas mediáticas. 

La vida de un niño de La Villita fue abrupta y violentamente arrebatada por el mismo sistema del orden que protegió y justificó las acciones mortales en el caso de Kyle Rittenhouse, otro menor que mató a personas que protestaban por otro tiroteo de la policía. 

Las oportunidades provistas en cada caso son muy diferentes y son determinadas por las condiciones en que cada uno de estos individuos nació, la identidad racial con las que se les identifica, y las opciones ofrecidas como resultado de sus condiciones e identidad.

Me sumo a la familia de Adam y a todo Chicago en un llamado de justicia para él. 

¡Usted puede ser voluntario y ayudar a que 1,000 personas se vacunen!

Tenemos la oportunidad de llevar 1,000 vacunas a nuestros vecinos que más las necesitan. Pero necesitamos su ayuda para registrar personas y solo tenemos un periodo de tiempo muy corto; tendremos solo una semana para inscribir a todas las personas. Por favor únase a nosotros para los turnos de banca telefónica, oprima aquí para diferentes horarios.

Sólo tenemos una semana para registrar. Por favor ayúdenos participando como operador telefónico durante la semana previa a nuestro evento del 30 de abril para registrar a los interesados. Habrá un entrenamiento breve al inicio de cada evento telefónico para familiarizarse con el proceso. 

Lo que necesita saber sobre el plan de reapertura de las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago 

Hoy comienza el nuevo modelo de asistencia remota y en persona de CPS. Mientras seguimos practicando las medidas de cuidados ante la pandemia, es importante saber lo que implica la jornada escolar, en el caso de un estudiante que asiste a clases en persona o cuyo aprendizaje es desde casa. Usted puede acceder a una guía completa en este sitio de internet aquí.

Comience su solicitud para aprendizaje temprano este miércoles 21 de abril 

Ha llegado el momento de pensar en las opciones disponibles de aprendizaje temprano. Las solicitudes comienzan a ser aceptadas este miércoles, pero usted puede comenzar a buscar proveedores en su área en este momento escribiendo su dirección aquí y ver qué opciones están disponibles. También puede llamar al 312-229-1690 para compartir sus preguntas sobre programas de educación preescolar para niños de 3 o 4 años.

Acompáñeme el 28 de abril a mi reunión comunitaria mensual

Este mes estaré hablando del proceso legislativo en curso e invitaré a Ralph Martire, Director Ejecutivo del Centro de Fiscalización de Impuestos y Presupuestos, para conversar acerca del proceso para alcanzar un presupuesto estatal. Nos puede seguir en Facebook Live, en mi página de Facebook, y si necesita traducción simultánea en español asegúrese de registrarse en el enlace provisto aquí en Zoom, espero verlo ahí.  

Sea parte de la Cumbre de Salud Puertorriqueña 

Aún hay tiempo para registrarse para la Cumbre de Salud Puertorriqueña. Las juntas serán mañana y el jueves, abril 21 y 22. Este simposio virtual es una oportunidad para hablar sobre las inequidades sociales y de salud entre los puertorriqueños, así como su resiliencia durante la pandemia del COVID-19. Para más información oprima aquí y regístrese en: https://puertoricanhealthsummit.com/

Con solidaridad,

Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Ph.D.
Senadora Estatal, Distrito 20 del Senado de Illinois

Para leer en español, haz click aquí.

Dear friend,

As we mourn the death of Adam Toledo, I joined with members of the Latino and Black Caucuses to issue a statement last week. I stand with them in mourning Adam and sending love to his family.

No parent ever brings a child into the world expecting the outcome we witnessed in a video broadcasted on all media platforms.

A child’s life in Little Village was violently and abruptly taken by the same law enforcement system that protected and justified the deadly actions of Kyle Rittenhouse, another child who openly killed protestors in the wake of another police shooting.

The opportunities afforded to each of these children are vastly different and determined by the conditions they were born into, the racial identity ascribed to them, and the choices offered based on their conditions and identity.

I join Adam’s family and all of Chicago in calling for justice for him.

You can volunteer to help get 1,000 people vaccinated!

If you have the time to get on the phone and reach out to our neighbors who need the vaccine the most, I urge you to help out by registering for a vaccine volunteer shift here. We only have a week to sign folks up, so please join us for phone-banking shifts the week before our April 30 clinic to help register people for appointments. There will be a brief training at the beginning of each phone bank to familiarize you with the process.

What you need to know about Chicago Public Schools’ reopening plans

Today marks the beginning of CPS’ new remote and in-person learning models. As we continue to observe pandemic safety measures, it’s important to know what the school day will entail, whether your student is attending school in person or learning from home. You can access comprehensive guides at their website here.

Start your application for early learning this Wednesday, April 21

The time has come to start thinking about your child's options for early learning. Applications will open this coming Wednesday, but you can start finding providers in your area right now by entering your address here and seeing what’s available. You can also call 312-229-1690 with questions about preschool programs for your 3- or 4-year-old.

Join me April 28 for my monthly virtual town hall

This month, we’ll be talking about the ongoing legislative process and inviting Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, to speak about the state budget process. You can follow on Facebook Live at my Facebook page or, if you need simultaneous Spanish translation, be sure to sign up to receive the Zoom link here. I hope to see you there!

Be a part of the Puerto Rican Health Summit

There’s still time to register for the Puerto Rican Health Summit. Meeting tomorrow and Thursday, April 21 and 22, this virtual symposium offers an opportunity to talk about the social and health inequities of Puerto Ricans and their resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Learn more here and register at https://puertoricanhealthsummit.com/.

In solidarity,

Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Ph.D.
State Senator, 20th Illinois Senate District

A plan by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas would allow for the designation of cultural districts in Illinois, which would help to affirm the unique identity of communities in Illinois and preserve their distinct legacies.

"Ultimately, we want this to lead to preserving the cultural identity of communities, and help us to pursue community-driven economic opportunity initiatives that will help members of cultural groups remain in their homes and make a legacy for generations to come," Pacione-Zayas said Thursday after the measure passed the Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee.

An initiative of the Puerto Rican Agenda, the legislation would allow the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to establish the necessary guidelines for designating such cultural districts.

The legislation is Senate Bill 1833. It awaits consideration before the full Senate.

SPRINGFIELD – Responding to a crucial need for hundreds more early childhood educators in the coming years, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) passed a plan out of the Senate Higher Education Committee Tuesday to provide new college degrees and an easier path to training for those already working in the field.

“This is not just about providing a brighter future for our kids, but also the people who are already working so hard to help them learn and grow,” Pacione-Zayas said. “We know that high quality early care and education is key to helping our children realize their full potential. We need to remove barriers by expanding access and affordability in this field to show support for the workforce that cares and educates our youngest while families work and pursue educational goals.”

Senate Bill 1832 will allow Illinois community colleges the option of applying to the Higher Learning Commission for the ability to confer a Bachelor's of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education. Colleges could also offer Professional Educator Licenses with early childhood and early childhood special education endorsements. Colleges would also be required to maintain associate-level early childhood education programs.

The legislation sets forth standards that would ensure such programs align with the requirements for four-year institutions. The goal, Pacione-Zayas said, is to expand enrollment statewide, diversify all levels of the early childhood education workforce, and respond to local workforce demands.

Speaking before the Senate Higher Education Committee Tuesday evening, April Janney, CEO of Illinois Action for Children, said early childhood education providers are experiencing recruitment challenges despite competitive salaries and benefits.

“Early childhood teachers are on the front lines of this pandemic,” Janney said. “This bill will make it easier for them to advance their careers, while it also elevates the quality of learning for children.”

Juan Salgado, chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago system, said the legislation responds to urgent, immediate workforce needs in a field where most employees are women of color.

“This is, at the end of the day, about getting the children in this state the qualified educator they need today, not tomorrow,” Salgado said. “This is what we were designed to do as community colleges. This is the value we bring to, in this case, overwhelmingly … women of color.”

After robust discussion, Senate Bill 1832 passed out of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Senator Pacione-Zayas said she will continue negotiations with stakeholders to ensure a systemic solution.