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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora community gathers for annual Pride Parade on Sunday: ‘It's what this country needs right now'
For Mandy Lohrman, 42, of Oswego, attending a Pride parade is about demonstrating to members of the LGBTQ+ community that they're safe. This was her first parade, and she came with her husband and her daughter, Nola, 11. 'Even just wearing the rainbow and everything, I mean, it sounds like such a simple thing,' she said as this year's Aurora Pride Parade was wrapping up on Sunday. 'But to show people that they're safe with you. … Everybody should be allowed to feel comfortable.' On Sunday afternoon, members of the LGBTQ+ community, their families and allies gathered in downtown Aurora for the city's sixth annual Pride Parade. The Aurora Pride Parade has taken place yearly since 2018, aside from two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is put on by the Aurora Pride organization, according to past reporting. This year's parade was set to feature between 60 and 70 marching groups, and the organization's president, Gwyn Ciesla, previously said the event typically draws between 5,000 and 6,000 spectators. The parade used to be organized by Indivisible Aurora, which Ciesla was a part of, but Aurora Pride split off as its own entity in 2019 and continued to host the parade, per its website. A big focus of the parade is for the annual event to be family-friendly, Ciesla said. 'Nothing you wouldn't want your 4-year-old niece to see,' Ciesla said. 'People have been really respectful of that, and it's been great.' This year's grand marshals for the parade, according to Aurora Pride's Facebook page, were: Corvin Ezri, founder of The Prideful Path Project; Aleyna Couture, a local drag queen known for her role in west suburban nightlife and mentorship within the local drag community; and Paulene Spika, a 71-year-old transgender woman who serves on the Aurora LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. On Sunday, a variety of groups came out to march in the parade: local LGBTQ+ school groups, area churches, elected officials and political advocacy groups. The Chicago Pride Guard performed, and several of the parade's sponsors — such as Pace Suburban Bus, ComEd and VCA Animal Hospitals — also showed up in support. Ciesla said the biggest difference this year was that some businesses pulled out their marching units or declined to sponsor the parade as they had in previous years, which Ciesla attributes to an 'increasingly hostile political climate.' The parade still had more interested marching groups than they could accept, though Ciesla said they were also down some volunteers this year. 'In years' past, Pride was a big thing, and you could go to any store and see how much … the (LGBTQ+) community was supported,' said League of Women Voters Aurora Area Chapter President Tania Traverso, who was gathered before the parade stepped off with some members of the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County. 'And it just seems like people are so fearful. … We need to speak with one voice.' Parade onlookers echoed similar sentiments about the importance of Pride parades amid threats to LGBTQ+ individuals under President Donald Trump's administration. 'I feel like people who are against Pride and against (the LGBTQ+ community) are much louder nowadays than they used to be,' said Kristin Millard, 29, of Plano, who works with the LGBTQ+ support club at Waubonsee Community College. 'So it's important for us to be even louder, too.' Sunday's parade was not the only Pride-related event going on in the area. The day before, the city's LGBTQ Advisory Board planned Pride at the Plaza, which was set to feature live music, a drag show, food trucks and booths from community organizations. And, following the parade, Aurora Pride also planned an after-party at the Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, per a post from the group's Facebook page. However, this year, Aurora Mutual Aid did not host its annual CommUNITY Market, which is typically held in concurrence with the parade. The organization's executive director Luma Webster told The Beacon-News that they did not have sufficient volunteer capacity to plan and manage the event. In a statement on the organization's Facebook page, Aurora Mutual Aid said it was 'not off the table to bring the market back in 2026.' But, as for Sunday, parade-goers spoke favorably of this year's event. 'It was the best parade I've ever been to,' said Sharon Janus, 67, of St. Charles, who attended with her husband, Bruce, 75. 'I got goosebumps and I wanted to cry, because I felt so joyful for everybody that was here. I feel like they probably felt really safe here, you know, because look at all the people that came to stand by them.' The couple said they attend rallies, but this was their first Pride parade. They said they have a niece who's a member of the LGBTQ+ community. 'There was nothing but love in the air. … Seeing all the faces of little kids, and just everybody showing love,' Bruce Janus said. 'It's what this country needs right now.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says current executive overreach is new in country's history
Jun. 6---- Although state attorneys general and other agencies are currently prevailing in court rulings against what they argue is executive overreach by the administration, there is still a concern the targeted agencies and departments — created by — may be forever damaged by the administration's attempts to dismantle them. Minnesota Attorney General says he hopes that is not the case, but he does not know. "I don't think anybody really knows," Ellison told the West Central Tribune in an interview Thursday after a presentation he gave in Willmar. "Our country's never been through this. I mean, from (President George) Washington until now, we've never had a president who's decided, 'I'm going to wreck the administrative state. I'm going to persecute the press by suing them. I'm going to persecute law firms. I'm going to ignore the courts.' This is new." Since taking office on Jan. 20 through May 23, Trump signed 157 executive orders, compared to the 220 executive orders he signed during his entire first term in office, according to For further comparison, signed 162 executive orders during his four-year term, signed 277 executive orders in his eight years in office and signed 291 executive orders during his eight years in office. During Ellison's presentation Thursday at the League of Women Voter of the Willmar Area monthly "Hot Topics" event, he explained the constitutional way to accomplish what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish — by going through Congress. "It's true that you can change birthright citizenship if you change the 14th Amendment," Ellison said. Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20, his first day in office, to end birthright citizenship for certain people born in the U.S., which is currently being challenged in the courts. "You can even abolish the Department of Education if you introduce a bill in the House and in the Senate, you go through the committee process and then the president signs that bill into law," Ellison continued. "But what you cannot do, and which it is absolutely not conservative to do, is to just get rid of the Department of Education through an edict or proclamation, also known as the executive orders. ... You've got to operate constitutionally." He said he is not aware of another time in American history when the head of state used unconstitutional action to dismantle every American institution, which he and 23 other attorneys general are working hard to prevent through lawsuits. Ellison gave numerous examples of the issues that have been caused by the Trump administration's executive orders, including chaos and confusion. One of the lawsuits brought forth by the attorneys general is against the Trump administration's tariffs. Ellison served in the U.S. House from 2007 to 2019, including 12 years on the Financial Services Committee. "I'm not 100% against tariffs," he said. "I think there are times to use tariffs, but you don't have them on again, off again, 50% today, 100% tomorrow, back down to zero, back up to 50%," Ellison said. "... That is the surest way to ruin the economy." The Trump administration has also been sued over placing conditions on federal funding if local law enforcement agencies do not enforce immigration laws. Ellison explained that local law enforcement has its own jobs to do and the federal government is responsible for enforcing immigration laws. "I will not interfere with (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) if you have a judicial warrant to arrest somebody and put them in removal proceedings," Ellison said. "I demand, as an American, that they have due process rights, but I'm not going to get in the way of it if that's the legal process." Another lawsuit making its way through the courts is regarding the impoundment of federal education funding for K-12 schools that are teaching diversity, equity and inclusion. He pointed out that Secretary of Education Linda E. McMahon was asked if teaching African American history would be a violation and she said that she did not know. "Well, of course, she doesn't know, because it's not defined in law anywhere," he said. "There is no working definition (of diversity, equity and inclusion) that you can apply across the board as to what they say you can't do." The Trump administration attempt to force voters to prove their citizenship before being allowed to cast a ballot will affect millions of eligible voters who may find it difficult to produce their birth certificate or or other needed documentation if they have changed their name. Ellison said he used to be an advocate for a nationwide voting system to ensure uniform voting throughout the country. "I now no longer think that's a good idea, because the saving grace of this moment is to have 50 different voting systems," he said. " ... In a way, this ended up being a strength, because he cannot just go to some federal voting agency and say, 'Do it my way.' It's state by state." The Trump administration is also being sued in relation to transgender rights, with which not everyone in the audience would agree, Ellison noted during his presentation Thursday. When U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened to sue Minnesota over its law allowing transgender youth to play for the sports team with which they identify, Ellison sued first. He said he believes that youth sports is about hanging out with friends, learning sportsmanship and learning not to quit. "I believe sports are good for kids, and kids should get to play. That's where I'm coming from," he said. He is also suing the Trump administration over its threat to pull congressionally-approved federal funding for medical institutions that provide gender-affirming care.
Axios
6 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Effort to transform Colorado politics by 2030 takes shape
The question sounds innocuous: "When you think about having more courageous and representative politics in Colorado, what does that mean to you?" Yes, but: It's the precursor to much more. The organizers who asked the question just finished a statewide listening tour called Courageous Colorado, the start to an overhaul of the state's elections and campaigns to make them less partisan. The goal is to implement policy changes at the local or state level by 2030. The big picture: The effort is the outgrowth of Proposition 131, a failed 2024 campaign to institute all-candidate primaries and ranked choice voting. Unite for America, a national democracy reform group that pushed Prop. 131, paid in part for the tour, Axios Denver has learned. The League of Women Voters, CiviCO and Veterans for All Voters, all civic engagement groups, are co-hosts. Between the lines: A similar statewide listening tour ahead of the 2016 election led to a ballot initiative to roll back the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, known as TABOR. What they are saying: "We have to also transform the way campaigns are run," Landon Mascareñaz, the lead organizer of the tour told us, lamenting their "divisive nature." State of play: Courageous Colorado organized 20 town halls across the state through late May to spur the conversation and generate a 2030 agenda. At each stop, attendees — ranging from a handful to more than a dozen — discussed and ranked their support for 23 pre-generated ideas to boost "courage and representation." The list included overhauls of campaign finance, civic education, a citizens' assembly, minor party ballot access, term limits and new methods of voting. The top ideas from the tour, Mascareñaz says, were campaign finance reform, better civic education, open political primaries, ranked choice voting and term limits for local leaders. Inside the room: The stop in Boulder drew 10 people. Mascareñaz started the hourlong conversation by outlining how representation is short-cut in Colorado because of noncompetitive seats in the state Legislature and Congress — a parallel talking point from the Prop. 131 campaign. Attendees expressed cynicism about the ability to change the status quo, but Mascareñaz urged them to stay engaged. "We didn't get into this challenge overnight. We're not going to solve it in one listening session," he said. What's next: This week, organizers are hosting a retreat in Leadville for advocacy groups to evaluate the data from the listening tour and consider a path forward.
Axios
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Push to protect ballot initiatives advances in Arkansas
A proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution could have a sweeping impact on voters' control over how future laws are shaped. Why it matters: The measure, backed by Arkansas' League of Women Voters and Save AR Democracy, seeks to require a statewide vote before changing Arkansas' direct democracy process. It would also streamline legal reviews and prohibit the state Legislature from amending or repealing constitutional amendments. Driving the news: Attorney General Tim Griffin's office on Wednesday approved the popular name and ballot title for the citizen-led constitutional amendment. His office rejected three previous drafts. The most recent rejection cited a 2025 law, Act 602, which requires the language to be at or below eighth-grade reading level according to the Flesch-Kincaid scale. The big picture: Arkansas voters can change or reject laws enacted by the state Legislature through a citizen-initiated ballot process. Changes can be in the form of a proposed ballot initiative as a state statute (a change to a law) or a constitutional amendment (a more significant change to the state's constitution). They also may repeal legislation with a veto referendum. Yes, but: In recent years, lawmakers have made the process more difficult, passing laws that riddle it with technicalities and all but require a group to be well funded to gather petition signatures. Acts 240 and 241, signed this year, require canvassers to submit an affidavit proclaiming they will follow Arkansas law and to check photo ID before a voter can sign a petition. Act 274 requires canvassers to certify a voter has read the ballot title summarizing the measure, or to read it aloud to the voter before they sign the petition. Flashback: Last year, three citizen-led initiatives collected enough signatures for the November ballot. However, the abortion amendment and the recreational marijuana amendment were eventually disqualified over paperwork. Only a measure to revoke a casino license and require voters to approve future licenses was included. Voters approved it by a wide majority. State of play: Supporters of the proposed amendment can now begin gathering signatures from registered voters. Signature requirements vary for each type of citizen-initiated proposal, based on a percentage of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. Constitutional amendments require 10%, or 90,704 signatures. Due to a 2023 law, signatures must be gathered from 50 counties instead of the previously required 15. What they're saying:"This victory belongs to every Arkansan who believes in the power of the people to shape their own government," Bonnie Miller, president of the League, said in a statement following Griffin's decision. "Despite the challenges, we refused to give up because the right to direct democracy is worth fighting for." What we're watching: It will be telling to see how quickly or slowly Arkansas voters sign the petition.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas attorney general certifies League of Women Voters ballot title
Voters sign a petition to place a measure on the Nov. 5 ballot at a signing event April 8, 2024, outside Little Rock's Whitewater Tavern. (Paige Eichkorn / Arkansas Advocate) Attorney General Tim Griffin on Wednesday substituted and certified the popular name and ballot title of a constitutional amendment proposed by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas aimed at preserving the state's direct democracy process. Griffin had rejected the proposal three times prior to Wednesday's certification. In his most recent rejection, Griffin cited a new state law that prohibits ballot titles from being written above an eighth-grade reading level as his reason for denying certification. In Wednesday's opinion, Griffin said he previously did not approve the League of Women Voters' proposal because it ranked at grade level 12.2 on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula. The test uses word complexity and sentence lengths to calculate what grade of education is needed to comprehend written material. Arkansas attorney general rejects first ballot measure under new law Additionally, the attorney general identified two other 'minor issues' — a grammatical error in the text and the proposal's 'failure to mention any standards upon which a popular name could be challenged.' Griffin noted in Wednesday's opinion, which Assistant Attorney General Kelly Summerside prepared, that the League of Women Voters had corrected both issues and rewrote the ballot title so it ranks at an 8.5 grade level on the Flesch-Kincaid test. 'With regard to your proposed ballot title, I have made several minor changes to ensure that the ballot title clearly and accurately sets forth the purpose of your proposed initiated amendment to the Arkansas Constitution, while remaining at an eighth-grade reading level,' Griffin said. The League of Women Voters of Arkansas and its ballot question committee, Save AR Democracy, said they were pleased with 'this long-awaited approval,' in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. 'This victory belongs to every Arkansan who believes in the power of the people to shape their own government,' said Bonnie Miller, president of the League. 'Despite the challenges, we refused to give up because the right to direct democracy is worth fighting for.' The League of Women Voters of Arkansas submitted its first proposal in March. The amendment's goal is to 'restore Arkansans' constitutional right to direct democracy by preventing legislative interference, streamlining legal reviews, and simplifying the citizen-led petition process while ensuring that the fundamental rights of the amendment are subject to strict scrutiny by the courts in order to be valid,' according to a Wednesday press release. Direct democracy is the process by which Arkansans can propose new laws or constitutional amendments and place them on the ballot for a statewide vote. Arkansas is one of 24 states that allow citizen-led initiatives, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The nonpartisan LWVA, which submitted its most recent proposal on May 7, is proposing a constitutional amendment to prohibit state lawmakers from changing the Arkansas Constitution themselves and require that any new law affecting the initiative and referendum process must be approved by voters at the next general election. Additionally, the ballot measure would only permit voters, not state lawmakers, to propose changes to Article 5, Section 1 of the state Constitution, the section that outlines the initiative and referendum process. Under the proposed constitutional amendment, the General Assembly would determine the name and title of referendums, and votes on a bill with an emergency clause (a provision that allows laws to become effective immediately) would have to occur at least 24 hours after the bill passes. Additional provisions of the proposal address the signature-gathering process, as well as the process for certifying and challenging ballot titles. These reforms are essential to ensuring Arkansans can continue bringing issues 'directly to the ballot without unnecessary obstacles,' according to the release. 'This is about protecting the voice of the people,' Miller said. 'It should be the voters, not politicians, who have the final say in how Arkansas is governed.' Preserving Arkansans' right to propose state laws and constitutional amendments became a priority for several groups after lawmakers approved about a dozen bills related to direct democracy during the recently concluded legislative session. The bills' sponsors said they will ensure integrity with the process, while opponents have argued the new laws make it nearly impossible for Arkansans' proposed measures to qualify for the ballot. Arkansas coalition submits proposal to protect 'fundamental right' to direct democracy The League of Women Voters of Arkansas filed a federal lawsuit in April alleging that eight of those laws are unconstitutional. Two ballot question committees, Protect AR Rights and For AR Kids, filed a motion to intervene in the case last week because they want to challenge additional laws not included in the original suit, including Act 602 of 2025, the law that prohibits initiative petitions from being written above an eighth-grade reading level. Protect AR Rights also submitted its own proposed constitutional amendment Monday that would protect Arkansans' 'fundamental right' to direct democracy. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is a member of the Protect AR Rights coalition, and Executive Director Keesa Smith-Brantley said Monday that the group's goal is for its proposal and the League of Women Voters' to work together. 'There were things that we felt like we needed to equally add to make sure that we enshrine the rights of Arkansans in the Constitution, but we are hopeful to be able to work together in this process and talk about ways that we can make sure that both of the measures that we're working on get passed,' she said. Under state law, the attorney general's office has 10 business days to approve or reject a proposed ballot measure. The deadline for a response on Protect AR Rights' proposal is June 3. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
