Muslim coalition urges changes to ‘inequitable’ Legislative maps

(THE TELEGRAPH) The 2021 legislative maps, despite community participation throughout the process, result in an inequitable redistricting plan for our state.

The Illinois Legislature met the basic requirement to draw and pass maps by June 30, 2021. However, the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition and its partners and allies urge the governor and the legislature to reconsider the maps as they continue to work on Congressional districts and as Census data is released.

All legislative successes are a result of collaboration between community residents and elected officials. Redistricting plans should be based on multiple data sources and in strong partnership with communities. It is a flaw in the process that no Census information was used in redistricting, and that little actual community input from hearings was accepted.

Illinois is one of the most diverse states in the nation. It has some of the largest communities of Americans who identify as Latino, African American, Asian, South Asian, Polish, German, Irish, Rohingya, Nigerian, Arab, African Immigrant, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and many others.

This rich diversity is not equitably represented in the newly adopted legislative maps.