My name is Maria, and I am the organizer of the Archer Guardians of Brighton Park (AGBP) Facebook page, a grassroots group of residents in Brighton Park. Our community has come together to stand up against recent infrastructure changes, such as bump outs, islands and concrete barriers bike lanes on Archer Avenue and Kedzie Avenue. While these changes were intended to make our streets safer, they have unfortunately led to reduced parking, impacted local businesses, and created traffic and chaos throughout our neighborhood. As a result, many residents and business owners are struggling, and our voices need to be heard. We have been protesting since December 1st and are now going into our 12th week, gathering consecutively every Monday from 4:00 to 6:00 at the 12th Ward Julia Ramirez office.

Currently, I am managing all of our outreach and communication from my phone, which I have maxed out storage and a small screen. This makes it difficult to save important documents and photos, type research notes, and respond to emails and Facebook comments efficiently. Despite these challenges, our Facebook group has grown to over 550 (and counting) members, and I am committed to keeping everyone informed and engaged. However, the limitations of my phone are making it increasingly hard to keep up with the demands of organizing and advocating for our community.

If you’d like to learn more, ask questions, or connect with neighbors, I warmly welcome you to join the Archer Guardians of Brighton Park Facebook page. It’s a space where residents can share concerns, get updates, and support one another as we work for positive change.

With your support, I hope to purchase a laptop that will be a game changer for our efforts. Any money left after purchasing a laptop will be used for printing flyers, making signs for protesting, and other community organizing needs. A laptop will allow me to research relevant topics, draft and send emails to officials and community leaders, create posts, upload photos, and engage with neighbors on social media much more efficiently. It will also help me coordinate protest events and community outreach, ensuring that our group can continue to advocate for inclusion, transparency, and hold accountable officials. Please consider supporting our cause—together, we can make a real difference for Brighton Park.

Every donation counts big or small. Fueling our fight for Brighton Park Streets. Share the link is also appreciated.

2lanes_not1

Thank You ❤️