A small part of American history
Dear Neighbor,
In my newsletter last Monday, I mentioned that we'd discuss SB 867 in a little more detail. That bill, which I passed on the House floor the first week of January, will transfer Shabbona Lake State Park from the state to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
This transfer will finally right a 175-year-old injustice woven into the fabric of the American story. It's one of the most important bills I've ever worked on, and it's a way in which I feel like my work as a legislator has made a small but meaningful impact on the history of our nation.
Here's the background: in 1829, the US government signed the Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien with a number of indigenous groups in this area. That treaty set aside 1280 acres in DeKalb County, Illinois for Chief Shab-eh-nay and his family. And while subsequent treaties changed almost every provision of that document, displacing tribes west of the Mississippi, Shab-eh-nay's reservation land was never altered.
He and his family lived there for decades. In the 1840s, they went to visit relatives who'd been displaced to a reservation in Kansas. When they came home, his cabin had been physically removed from the land, and it'd all been illegally sold to white settlers. His descendants, now known as the Prairie Band, have been fighting that illegal sale ever since.
In the 1960s, Illinois used federal conservation dollars to start buying up land in the area, dammed up Indian Creek to create Shabbona Lake (named after Shab-eh-nay), and made the surrounding area a state park. This is the park our bill will convey to the tribe.
If you're really bored, you can watch a video of the entire hour-long floor debate here. But for the highlights, here’s a clip of my closing remarks:
It was the honor of a lifetime to carry this bill over the finish line. I had the tremendous privilege to get to know and work with the leadership of the Nation, including Chairman Zeke Rupnick and Councilman Raphael Wahwassuck. They've been incredible partners to the community, and they'll be amazing stewards of this land. And I'm very grateful to State Senator Mark Walker, who initiated this legislation while he was in the House and handed it to me once he left for the Senate.
The bill now awaits the Governor's signature, and then there'll be some further negotiation between the Department of Natural Resources and the Nation over how to keep the park open and running. Once that's done, the park will remain open to the public, but it'll finally be back in the hands of the people whose land it's been all along.
Leaders of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
Starting next week, I'll shift focus and talk about some of the legislative initiatives I'm working on for 2025!
Until then, all my best—
Will
Office Closure for MLK Jr. Day
Our office will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
We will be working remotely on Tuesday, January 21 due to the extreme cold and available via phone and email. The district office will re-open on Wednesday, January 22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Thank you!
Please find information on warming centers throughout the city of Chicago here
Career Opportunities with IDHS
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is always seeking passionate and driven individuals ready to make a meaningful impact in their communities. IDHS offers a wide range of fulfilling career opportunities with clear pathways for growth across various fields and is committed to creating positive change and improving the lives of those served.
Immigration Know Your Rights Workshop
Are you or someone you know undocumented? Licensed immigration attorneys will be present to answer your questions at this Know Your Rights Workshop.
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
In Person: Grace and Peace Church, 1856 N. Leclaire
Virtual: A link will be emailed after registration.
Register here: tinyurl.com/preparate2025
Palenque LSNA Youth Council
Interested in expanding your community and organizing knowledge? Ready to collaborate and grow ideas with other young people? Join the Palenque LSNA Youth Council today! Get involved, make an impact, and earn a $900 stipend. Find more information and sign up to join the council on the flyer.