OUR VOICE. OUR VOTE. OUR FUTURE.

Action Now Institute's 2020 and beyond agenda is about building power, hope, joy and resources toward a restorative and transformative future.  Action Now Institute, a.k.a ANI, also believes that our present and future dreams for our communities must also be grounded in  securing “a seat” at new and old tables being built toward liberation...and not just a seat...but a space on the agenda,  a say in the solution and freedom to act. 

In short, if the movement toward liberation and organizations that work alongside of it aren’t speaking to, prioritizing, and envisioning liberation and tangible solutions without prioritizing the voice and vision of the most marginalized, then the work isn’t being done correctly or with intentionality.

Action Now Institute's agenda will focus on three major areas:

Our Voice.

The makeup of Cook County has changed drastically over the last 10 years and one of the most major changes has been the flight of Black people from the county.  The causes of flight is caused by:

• Violence 
• Gentrification
• Poor Education in our community
• Crumbling Neighborhoods
• Lack of Sustainable/Affordable Housing
• Lack of sustainable and living wage jobs

ANI works to create access points to bring Black communities to the table and equip them with the education and organizing tools to rebuild and fight for policies that will bring investment and equity to the community. ANI works to ensure Black voices are counted and matter when it comes to restoring dollars and dignity to the communities.

Our Vote.

ANI believes that the power of prosperity for Black communities on the South and West side of Chicago begins with harnessing our collective power and we do that by voting and making informed decisions while at the polls. When our collective power and vision for our future is strong, our voting power increases and we are able to hold the lines and fight against policies and legislation that keep our communities impoverished. Our programming focuses on civic education and policy creation that addresses social justice issues in the areas of :

* Education

* Housing

* Fair County and City Budgets

* Criminal Justice Systems

* Reinvestment in our neighborhoods

Our Future. 

The hope of a restorative and transformative future is possible for Black communities in Chicago. Through the collective power of our voice and our vote, we can work toward a collective vision of prosperity and accountability to one another and those that govern us. ANI seeks to do this by:

• Establishing more presence and civic engagement opportunities in our community
• Make sure we are tackling issues that our neighborhoods care about
• Build stronger coalitions and work with current ones to create strategy to galvanize new voters and educate/train new leaders from within the community 
• Build strong educational forums around levels and powers of government.
•  Partner with our national groups to tie local/state agenda’s to national narratives. 
• Train and launch community ambassadors for South and West Sides
• Create new social media and community campaigns around mass incarceration, voting rights, and community investment for local, state and national agendas
• Launch fellowship program for Our Voice. Our Vote. Our Future. 

Join us on this journey to educate, reform, and transform our community for a better tomorrow.