Thousands to March to Take Back Jobs, Homes, and Schools

Take Back Chicago — a mobilization of 7,500 working Chicagoans, with five separate feeder marches converging into one massive rally.

Monday, October 10 (Columbus Day), 4:00 p.m.

Feeder marches at five location:

Daley Plaza (Washington & Dearborn) SEIU members are coming together to demand meaningful job creation. Chicago working families have lost jobs to corporate greed and the irresponsible actions of big banks. So, we’re coming together to Take Back Our Jobs. Visuals: Marching band and three 12-foot tall corporate welfare king puppets.

Federal Plaza (Adams & Dearborn) An alliance of labor unions and immigrant groups are rallying to demand real solutions to the unemployment crisis. With stagnant unemployment, and no help in sight from the so-called “job creators,” we’re coming together to take matters into our own hands .Visuals: Marching band and stiltwalkers.

Hyatt Regency (Wacker & Stetson) National Peoples Action—Pay Us Back-Outside of the Mortgage Banker’s Association 98th Annual Convention and Expo. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky will be speaking to the group about the foreclosure crisis in Chicago.  Also, testimonies from people who are unemployed and have lost their homes. Visuals: A fleet of 40 activists dressed as Robin Hoods will kayak the Chicago River and convene on Stetson and Wacker to unfurl a banner over the DuSable bridge demanding big banks pay their fair share.

Chicago Board of Trade (Jackson & LaSalle) The Chicago Teachers Union is Taking Back Our Schools from politically connected developers, pseudo school reformers and people who want to destroy public education in Chicago.  Our students deserve a world class education—one that includes a rich, broad coherent curriculum, adequate facilities, appropriate funding, ample resources and qualified professionals in the classrooms.  Join our members as we march against corporate greed, political indifference and misplaced public policy. Visuals: Marching band, signs and banners.

Hilton Chicago (Balbo & Michigan) College students and MoveOn activists are converging outside the Futures & Options expo to demand that corporate welfare be reinvested in our schools and communities. Visuals: Marching band and puppets.

7,500 working Chicagoans impacted by the recession, representing dozens of community and labor organizations. Marchers will begin in separate issue-focused feeder marches concerned with high unemployment, unfair foreclosures, and bankrupt schools, then join together with a unified voice and a common purpose—to take back our city.

To begin taking back the jobs, homes, and schools stolen from us by the greed of big banks and big business.  Marchers will put the bad actors of the financial industry, in town for the Futures Industry Association and Mortgage Bankers Association expos, on notice that Chicago families are holding them accountable for the damage they’ve done—and we expect them to pay us back in the form of meaningful job creation and community investment.