Dear Friend,

Earlier this month, I was honored to be sworn in as your state senator. I was humbled to take up the role as I am surrounded by so many intelligent, passionate community members who I hope to make proud in my service. However, it has been a difficult time to take office, given the recent attacks on our community from the newly inaugurated federal administration that has wasted no time enacting hateful initiatives targeting our immigrant and LGBTQIA+ neighbors. These attempts have only fueled my drive to advocate for my neighbors in the Illinois statehouse and fight for protections we should all be afforded as human beings. I plan to elevate our collective vision of economic justice for everyday people and self-determination for the working class with my position in the statehouse, as well as defend the protections for immigrants, LGBTQIA+ people, and reproductive health care.

In my new tenure as state senator, I also intend to address the root causes of homelessness and the housing crisis, inhumane immigration policies, unfair labor practices, and more. I am also eager to bring my experience advocating for affordable, comprehensive healthcare to create legislation establishing healthcare as a human right. This cause is also deeply personal to me, having lost my grandfather, Elias, at a young age due to an inability to pay. In my previous work, I advocated for protecting coverage from repeal to a groundbreaking program for immigrant adults to community outreach around the Affordable Care Act. I am confident that I can utilize what I learned in these negotiations to create progressive policy that prioritizes patients over profits.

I am also eager to hear what issues are most important to you and will start Policy Roundtables in the near future. Stay tuned for information on how to register by following my social media on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. I will also host a District Office Open House on Feb. 13th with more information below. I can’t wait to meet you and discuss our plans for change for our community and state!

In addition to invites to upcoming events, I’ve listed some helpful resources below, including utility bill assistance, housing grant and rental assistance, tips for cold weather safety, and more. There will also be links to my Know Your Rights newsletter and a helpful infographic to share with your neighbors to keep our immigrant friends and family safe in this stressful time.
Now, let’s get to work on making positive change for Illinois!

In solidarity,
 

Senator Graciela Guzmán

she/her/ella

20th District

Dear friend,

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Graciela Guzmán, and I am your new State Senator of the 20th District. I officially became your new Senator on Jan. 8. I apologize for not beginning my tenure with a formal introduction and a summary of my legislative agenda, but unfortunately, current events take precedence and demand my immediate action so we can keep our community safe.

Chicago is a sanctuary city–which means immigrants, documented and undocumented, are protected and welcomed here. I am proud of the commitment of the city and state to maintaining our status as a welcoming, safe space for our immigrant and undocumented neighbors, despite recent efforts to change this. However, it is still important to be aware of the rights you are afforded, and how you can protect yourself from detainment.

To be frank, it is an unbelievably scary time for our city. Now more than ever, we need to come together in solidarity with each other, because an attack on our immigrant neighbors is an attack on all of us. Know that I will do all I can to protect my immigrant neighbors, and take solace in the knowledge that the rest of your community is with you, too.

On that note, I would like to dedicate this special newsletter to sharing information from yesterday’s Know Your Rights and ICE Watch Training hosted by the Northwest Side Progressives where I joined Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, State Senators Karina Villa and Omar Aquino, State Representatives Will Guzzardi and Lilian Jímenez, Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada, and Alderpeople Carlos Rosa, Jessie Fuentes, Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, and Ruth Cruz.

At a Northwest Side Debrief event on November 16, 2024, over 400 neighbors committed to defending our communities from attacks on our neighbors, and we have since established a Deportation Defense Working Group that began meeting in December to organize and plan in preparation for the incoming administration’s plans to begin deportations in our communities possibly as soon as next week.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Graciela Guzmán led a measure through the Senate Education Committee to expand dual language programs in grade schools. 

“When young people receive dual language instruction from an early age, they have a much easier time maintaining their literacy of multiple languages throughout their lives, leading them to more economic opportunities or deeper connections to their culture,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “It is important for us to encourage schools to invest in dual language programs, and join many other countries internationally that acknowledge the importance of early learners becoming bilingual.” 

Recognizing the importance of dual language education for young people, the Illinois Advisory Council for Bilingual Education, formed in 2023, began to research how to incentivize, improve and expand dual language instruction in schools. After extensive stakeholder engagement, expert consultation, and data collection, the council released a report to the General Assembly in October of 2024 with their recommendations. Their proposals were divided into three buckets – those with high costs to implement, low costs, and those with no prospective cost.