Slaughter Calls for Economic Recovery Plan for the Black Community

CHICAGO – To help Illinois’ Black communities recover from damages inflicted by looting and widespread violence in the wake of the death of George Floyd, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, is calling on both the Illinois General Assembly and U. S. Congress to create a plan that will invest in these communities.

“Our Black communities, which are already historically underserved, have been hit significantly hard this year by the COVID-19 pandemic and looting that occurred after the protests against the unjust death of George Floyd,” said Slaughter. “The pressures our communities face from these events have only been exacerbated by the inequality and discrimination that have been persistent forces in our nation.”

The Slaughter-supported House Resolution 861 urges both the U. S. Congress and Illinois General Assembly to create an economic investment plan for the Black community that would address issues such as unequal access to quality education, health care disparities and lack of substantial business investment. Much of the inspiration for this resolution comes from the Marshall Plan which successfully rebuilt Western Europe after the end of World War II.

“The Black community cannot breathe. We are being suffocated by systemic racism, police brutality, health care disparities, high unemployment rates and community disinvestment,” said Slaughter. “Now is the time to finally address these issues with a comprehensive plan that rebuilds and invests in our communities.”