Our Mission

Indivisible Chicago, inspired by the Indivisible Guide, engages with public servants to create a just society by promoting progressive values and grassroots engagement.

Our Values and Guiding Principles

• Resist regressive policies and promote progressive politics

• Define and achieve long-term goals and strategies in support of Indivisible Chicago’s mission

• Engage in evidence-based research and education

• Support the development of experts on specific strategies and goals in order to maximize our success

• Partner and support other groups who have goals that are aligned with ours

• Provide rapid response to time sensitive issues

• Serve as respectful leaders and be responsive to our individual membership groups

• Seek out and include diverse voices in our strategies and goals

• Look at issues and strategies through a racially and economically just and equitable lens

• Hold public servants accountable when we interact with them

• Look for ways to amplify marginalized voices

• Act locally, regionally, and nationally

• Employ democratic principles in everything we do

Our Progressive Principles

Indivisible Chicago’s Progressive Principles

Indivisible Chicago seeks to create a just society and sustainable city. We’ll do this by promoting progressive values and grassroots engagement and by advancing the priorities of all communities across our city. We invite voters to use this list as a standard for evaluating the platforms of all candidates for public office, both citywide and at the ward level.

1. Chicago must be a welcoming city for everyone who lives here. No one should be forced to leave our city in search of safety, economic opportunity, affordable housing, or good schools

2. The city must invest in all neighborhoods and residents by providing and supporting quality neighborhood public schools, public health services (including mental health), accessible public transportation, and economic opportunity.

3. City government at all levels must act with transparency, honesty, accountability, and openness; placing a priority on upfront and ongoing dialogue with community residents.

Applying these principles, these are the issues that we believe all candidates for office in the City of Chicago should support to build a progressive and just Chicago for everyone who lives here.

Be a welcoming city

• Adopt a comprehensive plan to reduce violence focused on communities where violence is greatest with input from residents of those communities. Innovative and comprehensive solutions must include economic and social investment, sensible gun control measures, civilian oversight of police, and police accountability to all communities.

• Support immigrants and valued residents by strengthening Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance and eliminating exceptions that allow police to work with ICE to deport city residents. This includes eliminating the CPD gang database and prioritizing fair and equitable policies and services that protect everyone who makes Chicago their home.

• Increase the minimum wage to $15 and improve enforcement of policies that boost wages and improve working conditions.

Invest in all neighborhoods

• Make inclusion Chicago’s guiding investment strategy through creative and equitable programs, projects, and services. Use Community Benefit Agreements and other tools as part of a commitment to early and continued input and participation by residents of impacted communities.

• Guarantee access to high-quality public education for every student. Invest in all our public schools and develop a comprehensive strategic plan for all levels of education, including City Colleges. With transparency and public input, create an elected school board. Move towards ending the privatization of public education through charters by increasingly limiting their access to public funds.

• Expand affordable and accessible housing throughout the city. Prioritize housing projects and policies that foster economic, racial, and ethnic integration. Commit to expanded choice, managed growth, and safeguards to ensure residents are not displaced.

• Make Chicago a climate change leader by adopting innovative energy, transportation, sustainability, and recycling practices. Ensure every resident has access to safe water and a healthy environment.

• Reform the City’s revenue structure with the goal of reducing reliance on regressive tax structures and policies.

Act with transparency

• Establish and enforce policies to improve transparency, honesty, and accountability in all aspects of city government and from all public officials. Stop elected officials from profiting from public service and promote an open dialogue around term limits and other reforms. Make it a priority to seek input before plans, policies, and budgets are developed and increase opportunities for ongoing public input and participation in all phases of government.

• Reform the TIF program to return it to its purpose of supporting economic development in communities where it is needed most. Ensure transparency, equity and accountability in how funds are managed.