East St. Louis voters ask, ‘What about us?’ after politicians snub community forum
Voters in East St. Louis were left asking, “What about us?” on Sunday after politicians — including presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders — did not show up to a forum intended to educate the community about political issues.
Biden was in the St. Louis area on Saturday and Sanders has an event planned for Monday. No presidential candidate has visited East St. Louis in recent history, according to the interfaith group United Congregations of Metro East, which hosted the forum.
Though four local political candidates and a representative for U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin attended the “We The People” forum at Macedonia Baptist Church to meet with and answer questions from the community, the second half of the program was dedicated to questioning Biden, Sanders, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Representative LaToya Greenwood for their failure to show or send representatives.
“(Biden) said yesterday he would gladly send Illinois Representative LaToya Greenwood (in his place),” moderator Rev. Starsky Wilson said while children from the East St. Louis chapter of Jack and Jill, an organization that aims to inspire future African American leaders, held up a photo of the former vice president.
“Because they’re not here to (be) with us and answer our questions we’re simply going to tell them what they must do if they are elected or re-elected,” Wilson said as the more than 100 people in the church pews clapped and shouted emphatically in support.
Spokespeople for Biden and Pritzker did not respond to requests for comment Sunday. Freeland Ellis, a spokesperson for Sanders’ campaign said the senator did not appear due to a scheduling conflict. Greenwood said she was traveling back from a college visit with her son.
United Congregations of Metro East hosted the event in partnership with the Gamaliel of Illinois and Iowa affiliates, Faith Coalition for the Common Good in Springfield, Gamaliel of Metro Chicago and Quad Cities Interfaith.
The groups work to advance environmental, criminal justice, immigration and education issues in underserved communities. But with no campaign officials present, no one could answer voters’ questions on the presidential candidates’ policies.
Some candidates for local offices were able to answer a few questions.
Monica Davenport, who said she spent three weeks in St. Clair County Jail while six months pregnant, asked Madison County State’s Attorney candidates Crystal Uhe and Susan Jensen about ending cash bail — something that was a hindrance in her case. Both candidates said they would make efforts to not keep non-violent offenders in county jails after their initial appearance in front of a judge.
Joel Funk and Ray Lenzi, Democratic candidates vying for Republican Mike Bost’s congressional seat in the 12th District, were asked about economic equity by Hilary Scott-Ogunrinde, a lifelong East St. Louis resident who brought up issues of redlining, unemployment and infrastructure in the city.
Scott-Ogunrinde received a standing ovation when she asked the candidates, “I want to know what you will do to make sure the county and the state does not spend another dollar without making sure that that dollar is spent in East St. Louis?”
Funk said he would work with local and federal officials to secure investment for the community and speak with private and public lenders to make them aware of the issue. Lenzi mentioned his plans for a civilian conservation corps that would create jobs and support minimum wage. He also said he would create a bank specifically to address problems in Southern Illinois.
Durbin’s representative, Bill Houlihan, pledged to community members that the senator would write to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense to address the incineration of toxic chemicals in Sauget at Veolia.
Despite the no-shows, the dominant message of the forum was to get voters in East St. Louis to the polls on March 17.
“We don’t hear these issues spoken about on the national stage,” Starsky said. “But these are issues that affect us all every day. ... This is the people’s agenda.”
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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