All members of Kane County Democratic Women are also members of Illinois Democratic Women, which includes organizations in the following counties, Cook, Douglas, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Macon, McDonough, South Suburbs, Southland Region, Southwestern Illinois. Throughout the year, IDW holds events that provide members throughout the state an opportunity to network and learn from other members. And once a year, there is an annual meeting and dinner, which includes the election of officers. The 2024 meeting was held in the Old Main room at Illinois State University in Normal, IL, on November 9, 2024. And since this year’s annual meeting was also a few days after the presidential election, attendees had the opportunity to discuss what happened during the election, provide support for each other, and think about steps we need to take for the municipal elections that are coming up next year and the congressional elections that are only two years away.
The first two speakers were campaign managers who discussed practical topics such as knowing the exact amount of money that can be spent on media and campaign literature and having one person who is in charge of the budget and keeps an accurate record of expenditures. Since fundraising is an important part of a successful campaign, Diane McGuire and Barbara O’Meara from DuPage County Democratic Women were the second group of speakers. They titled their presentation “We Did a Thing” and explained how they have raised money since 2021 to support women running for DuPage County offices. They titled the 2021 campaign 21-4-21, and they initially decided to raise $10,000 to give to candidates that year. Similar plans were followed in the next few years. For the 2024 campaign, they wanted to raise $24,000 in the 24-4-24 campaign, but they raised more than that. Diane and Barb concluded their presentation by discussing what worked and what didn’t. Their successful ideas included writing letters, sending thank-you notes, and using QR codes.
A UCAN team from Chicago gave the final presentation. The UCAN program was started by President Lincoln during the Civil War to provide housing for war orphans. Team members gave us an update on the intervention and advocacy programs they provide for at-risk youth on the south side of Chicago. UCAN works continually to prevent gun violence and establish trust with youth in the community, and their team members understand the community since they grew up there. Both family and individual counseling and job programs are provided for families who need help. Team members are on call and are notified by the police whenever there is a problem. They meet with the family, go to the hospital, and serve as victim advocates when needed. UCAN is beginning the “She Ro” program for women who are involved in or at high risk of violence but want to change their lives. The team will provide coaching, advocacy, advisors, and job training to support the women. UCAN is dependent on grants and hopes that their funding will continue under the new administration. Even though their salaries are low, their reward is hearing from the youth in the program who have turned their lives around and found jobs that support their families.
The meeting concluded with a dinner and award presentations. Award winners were Donna Miller, Cook County Commissioner (6th District); Robin Kelly, U.S. Congresswoman (2nd District); Margaret Croke, State Representative (12th District); Pam Monetti, IL State Director for USDA Rural Development; Anna Valencia, Chicago City Clerk; and Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator. A posthumous award went to Heather McMeekan who worked relentlessly in McDonough County to support women. She was co-president of the National Organization of Women, founder and president of the Democratic Women of McDonough County, and a founding member of Indivisible West Central Illinois and the Racial Justice Coalition of West Central Illinois.