Chicago
Nov 23rd, 2010 10:06 AM UTC
By Field
Last Sunday, I spoke with a high school youth group from the Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago about raising awareness about extreme poverty and preventable disease in Africa.
The students watched “The Lazarus Effect” and then engaged in a group discussion about ONE’s issues. They were particularly struck by the fact that relatively few Americans know about these concerns because they are not regularly included in our newspapers or shown on our nightly news as an emergency situation.
I have high hopes that the Fourth Presbyterian students will work to raise consciousness of the conditions in which many of our global neighbors live and spread a message of hope that we can work together to overcome these struggles.
-Anne-Tyler Morgan, ONE congressional district leader for Illinois’ 7th District
Oct 27th, 2010 3:48 PM UTC
By Field
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton came to Chicago for an event with U.S. senatorial candidate, Alexi Giannoulias and other local candidates. I went out with some ONE members extra early, decked out in our ONE shirts to make sure that they saw ONE and were reminded of our efforts to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease in Africa.
During his speech, President Clinton touched on many subjects and fired up the crowd with stories from his years in office, but he took time during his speech to praise former President Bush’s efforts to save lives from HIV/AIDS in Africa by creating the PEPFAR program. President Clinton went on to remind the crowd that America must continue to lead in the fight against AIDS, poverty and malaria!
(more…)
Oct 25th, 2010 4:01 PM UTC
By Field
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
Presidential Adviser David Axelrod with Christopher Shaffer
On Friday night, I had the chance to attend a reception for Presidential Adviser David Axelrod. About 100 people packed into O’Brien’s Restaurant in downtown Chicago to hear Mr. Axelrod speak about the upcoming midterm elections, as he promoted the candidacies of some statewide and local candidates.
After Mr. Axelrod’s speech, he stuck around and conversed with the crowd. I managed to get some one-on-one time with him and thanked him for the administration’s commitment to the Global Fund. He told me that the administration is committed to continuing the fight against global poverty and AIDS and happily took a photo with me in my ONE shirt!
I also spoke with a woman named Janet Fisher who happens to be the cousin of Senate candidate Lee Fisher in Ohio. I mentioned how great Lee, and the entire Fisher campaign, has been with ONE members across Ohio as we urge for continued leadership in the U.S. Senate to save lives in highly impoverished countries. She even told me how she had noticed ONE shirts all over “Hardball with Chris Matthews” the other day!
You never know where you will find ONE, or what you can accomplish by using your voice for the world’s poorest people!
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Illinois members on Facebook and Twitter.
-Christopher Shaffer, ONE Vote 2010 organizer, Illinois
Oct 21st, 2010 4:05 PM UTC
By Field
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
Tzviatko, Christopher, Hafsa, Amber and Chris Matthews
You have seen ONE rock the Today Show, but yesterday afternoon, ONE members crowded University of Illinois at Chicago’s campus for a live taping of MSNBC’s “Hardball” with Chris Matthews.
About 50 ONE members were in the crowd of 500 people, holding signs and representing for ONE and our efforts in the fight against extreme poverty and global disease. We were able to catch up with Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias, who took a ONE band right before his interview with Chris Matthews.
After the interview, Giannoulias took time to talk with ONE’s congressional district leader Tzviatko Chiderov and me and told us how happy he was to wear the ONE band on national TV!
Tzviatko, Alexi Giannoulias and Christopher
We then gave a ONE band to Chris Matthews who stuck around to talk to students. It was a great time, and great way to lift high ONE’s visibility and work to ensure that the no matter who wins in November, the next senator from Illinois knows that our country can continue to help save millions of lives in the developing world.
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Illinois members on Facebook and Twitter.
-Christopher Shaffer, ONE Vote 2010 organizer, Illinois
Sep 15th, 2010 12:46 PM UTC
By Field
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
ONE members with Rudy Giuliani
Last night in Chicago, I went with a group of ONE members and stood outside of a private event for Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk. Rep. Kirk appeared with Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City and 2008 presidential candidate.
After headlining the event and taking a timeout to strongly endorse Rep. Kirk in an interview, Giuliani got out of his car, saw us standing in our ONE shirts and came right over to talk to us about ONE and our international life-saving mission!
(more…)
Sep 9th, 2010 4:05 PM UTC
By Field
ONE Chicago at Sen. Durbin’s office
Several ONE members recently met with Ms. Clarisol Duque, the Chicago Director for Sen. Richard Durbin, (D-Ill.). She was excited to learn about ONE and commended us on our efforts around the Chicago area.
Sen. Durbin has been a great supporter of ONE for a number of years, a champion for the Global Fund, the Global Food Security Act and other pieces of legislation — making a significant difference through effective programs in Africa.
The senator has traveled to Africa several times within the past decade and has been inspired to act for the millions of people living in extreme poverty and suffering from preventable disease.
We asked for the senator’s support for a strong, three-year, $6 billion U.S. pledge to the Global Fund. In addition, we asked that he sign the Casey-Lugar letter to ensure the the Global Food Security Act gets on the agenda before Congress adjourns. Ms. Duque was happy to see that we cared about these issues and promised to pass the information to the senator.
It makes me proud to see that a senator from my home state is active in standing up for the world’s poor and vulnerable.
- Tzviatko Chiderov, ONE congressional district leader for Illinois’ 10th District
Aug 3rd, 2010 2:13 PM UTC
By Field
ONE is hitting the campaign trail to find out where candidates in New Hampshire, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Florida stand on extreme poverty. Stay tuned for more updates like these from our field team and organizers on the road.
This week, fellow ONE members and I visited Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to talk with him about our organization’s key issues and goals.
He is extremely committed to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease around the world and told us about his past efforts to aid people in Africa. Through the Sister Cities Commission, Chicago has sent goods to people most in need throughout the developing world, and Mayor Daley suggested expanding upon these efforts in the future.
He was especially supportive of enlarging the federal budget’s development allowance as a tool to bolster national security, and he discussed the potential for sending bicycles to parts of Africa where people have trouble accessing medical care and ARV services. Mayor Daley also signed a proclamation naming Chicago a City of ONE. ONE members throughout Chicago can be encouraged and motivated by the fact that our Mayor is with us in our fight against global poverty and disease.
Be sure to connect with other ONE Vote 2010 Illinois members on Facebook and Twitter.
- Anne-Tyler Morgan, ONE member and Illinois congressional district leader for the 7th district
