CHICAGO- Senator Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) released the following statement after Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison:

“No sentence would bring Mr. George Floyd back to his family, but today’s sentence does not go far enough toward holding Derek Chauvin responsible for the trust he’s broken. This tragedy has not only affected the Floyd family, but has affected all of us. And, that’s why we should not be distracted from the fact that there is still more work to do to ensure our system of justice is fair and equitable for everyone.

“In today’s closing statements, Mr. Floyd’s brother said ‘Our family has been given a life sentence. We will never get George back.’ I want to send my warmest regards to the Floyd family, as we know today’s sentence will never fill the void they all must be feeling.

“After a year of devastation and pain, we were brought to a guilty verdict. I think today’s sentence should have reflected that, but instead it fell short.

“Today’s sentencing does not reflect the severity of this issue that has effected many families in communities of color.

“We need systemic changes to our public safety systems, and we need our criminal justice system to say ’We hear you,’ but the only way we will get to true equity and justice is if we go there together.

“We must continue to say his name: George Floyd!”

 CHICAGO—Fitch Ratings released a revised outlook of Illinois’ General Obligation bonds from negative to positive. State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. released the following statement:

“Fitch Ratings Agency’s change of Illinois’ financial outlook from negative to positive reflects the state’s commitment to putting our fiscal house in order, which includes prioritizing paying the state’s backlog of bills - down from over $16 billion, at the height of the Rauner budget impasse, down to a normal payment cycle and nearly $3 billion today.

“As the Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman, I am committed to taking a fiscally responsible approach to our state’s finances and putting Illinois on a path toward a brighter future.

“The new outlook from Fitch highlights several key points where the General Assembly in partnership with the Governor have worked together to tackle the challenging finances of our state.

“While I am proud of the positive reports released by the bond rating agency, because they show Illinois is on the right path, I know more must be done to provide for our most vulnerable, educate our young people, keep our communities safe, create good jobs and grow our economy, this is how we will keep our fiscal house in order and I remain committed to doing the work necessary to ensure that Illinois continues to enact responsible budgets and remains on an improved path toward fiscal stability.”

For more information, Call my district office at (773) 933-7715 or visit SenatorElgieSims.com

Whether someone you know is graduating from high school or is looking to make a career change later in life, City Colleges of Chicago offers pathways that will help them to reach their goals.  

This summer and fall, City Colleges is offering a wide range of substantial scholarships and grants to make our quality education even more affordable. Please share the following list with your network:

• Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) Grants – Chicago residents looking to advance their job prospects may be eligible to earn an industry-recognized certificate for free, helping to propel them towards an in-demand career in under a year. Learn more here.
   
• Star Scholarship – Students who graduate from a CPS, charter, or Big Shoulders Fund-Supported partner schools and earn at least a 3.0 GPA can complete their certificate or degree at CCC for free, including tuition and books. Learn more here.
   
• Summer Start – Students who graduated from CPS in fall 2020 or will graduate in spring 2021 and plan to continue their education at CCC this fall may be eligible to earn free college English credits and up to $1,000 this summer. Learn more here.
   
• ACE Scholarship – Students who graduated from CPS in 2020 and have not yet started their college journeys may be eligible to earn up to $1,500 this summer and fall, as well as a free laptop to keep. Learn more here.
   
• SEED Scholarship – Recent CPS graduates looking to become CPS teachers through the Teach Chicago Tomorrow Pathways Partnership are eligible for an up to $3,000 renewable scholarship from CCC starting this fall. Learn more here.
   
• PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholarship – Students who identify as Black, African American, Hispanic, or Latinx and are pursuing a career in one of five identified fields may be eligible a scholarship award from the PepsiCo Foundation worth up to the total cost of tuition and books for the semester. Learn more here.

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