Hundreds Urge President Obama to Keep His Promise at One-Year Anniversary Celebration

“Change” is the word that still lingers in the minds and hearts of over 400 Chicagoans who gathered on November 3 at the Spertus Institute and Grant Park to commemorate the election of President Barack Obama. And they wanted to make sure that the word remained important to Obama as well. Various activists, community leaders, supporters, and public officials expressed both their pride and their concerns about President Obama during the “Change Worth Fighting For” celebration. They listened to such speakers as Rev. Jesse Jackson and ICIRR Board President Juan Salgado as they addressed issues that Obama has not yet resolved—health care, immigration, unemployment, workers rights, etc. Afterwards, the group migrated across the street to the place where the President celebrated his victory, Grant Park, to add their signatures to a giant letter that implored him to keep his promises.

Among the attendees was CAIR-Chicago’s Government Affairs Coordinator Reema Ahmad, who shared the crowd’s hope that Obama will keep his promises. “History was made one year ago when President Obama made promises to pass universal health care, reform the unjust immigration system, and stand up for human rights by closing Guantanamo Bay.

“We have seen the beginning of some of these changes, but we urge President Obama to make a greater stand, to fulfill the promises he made to so many people as soon as possible. We have not lost hope but we are driven to urgency due to the pressing importance of these issues and many more,” said Ahmad.

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