Pierre,

On April 2, 2019, we made history in Chicago. I was proud and humbled to win the runoff election and later to be inaugurated as our city’s first Black woman and LGBTQ mayor.

I feel the weight of that history every day in City Hall, and I hope that thousands of young people in Chicago, from all walks of life, can see a new path forming ahead of them that once was unimaginable.

We’ll have much more to discuss next month as we reach the official midpoint of my first term, but for now I’d like to highlight some of the biggest achievements that our movement helped make possible:

*Strengthening our Welcoming City Ordinance to eliminate loopholes that put undocumented Chicagoans at risk

*Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by this July

*Passing the nation’s most expansive fair scheduling law for hourly workers

*Battling COVID and rolling out vaccines in a data-driven and equitable manner

*Taking on aldermanic prerogative and strengthening the Inspector General’s office

*Reforming fines and fees, ending water shut offs and ending the cycle of debt

*Creating INVEST South/West, a collaboration between government, businesses, philanthropies, and community leaders that will align more than $750 million in public funding toward 10 neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides

None of us expected to have a pandemic to contend with for such a long stretch of my first term, but there is still great work that my administration and our City Council is doing that will change our city for generations. As we emerge from COVID, I’m optimistic that Chicago will reopen stronger and more equitable.

Pierre, there’s more work to do. We’re going to finish this term strong, and your support will help us keep fighting for Chicago.

Thank you,

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot