Federal authorities are not only targeting international students for their activism but are now increasingly going after U.S. citizens as well—especially those engaged in political and social justice work. The recent revocation of student visas for speaking out is a direct attack on free speech and the rights of all Americans to organize and protest. This is a dangerous precedent that threatens the very core of our democracy, where every person must be free to express their views without fear of retaliation. Come join us to learn from experts on how we can protect ourselves.
The program begins at 11:00 am. Join us at the LWV Chicago office beginning at 10:30 am for social time. This program is hosted by the LWV Chicago Emerging Threats to Democracy Working Group, Chicago Salon Club, and Chicago Women Take Action.
Featured Speaker
Wesam Shahed is a first-generation Palestinian-American from Chicago, Illinois. He serves as the Senior Legislative Counsel at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office (he will not be speaking in his official capacity or on behalf of the AG Office for this event). Previously, he was a prosecutor and Policy Advisor with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO), the second-largest in the U.S. Named among the Arab American Foundation’s “30 Under 30,” Wesam recently gave a TEDx Talk on criminal justice reform, “Does Justice Always Require a Conviction?”
He also served as Finance Director for the first Muslim and Palestinian American elected to the Illinois House Legislature in 2023 and has held executive roles with the ACLU of Illinois, the Arab American Bar Association, the Muslim Bar Association, the Arab Business Professional Association, and the AB Korkor Mental Health Foundation.
Emerging Threats to Democracy Working Group
This group works to capitalize on LWV Chicago’s robust network of policy experts to keep tabs on what the current presidential administration is working on and ensure we have actionable ways to protect our democracy here in Chicago
Chicago Women Take Action
Chicago Women Take Action (CWTA), formed in 2013, is a diverse group of women united in the commitment to achieve women’s leadership and economic and social equity. We are activists of all ages (many of us belong to several organizations) working on the local and national level to promote women leaders and secure the health and well being of women, their families, and their communities.
Chicago Salon Club
We need more opportunities to gather together, share thoughts and ideas, and build community. The Chicago Salon Club was started by Nick Uniejewski in 2024, and we’ve grown by collaborating with each other and partner organizations that share our values.
“Salons” are old-school types of parties centered on listening to each other and sharing thoughts or ideas. Since our first event in 2024, we've covered Hot Topics like equity in housing, modernizing transit, the role of nonprofits, some fun ones like queer literature and gay icons, and so much more. And while we can talk about the issues for hours, we always tie our events to an action we can take, whether it’s at the federal state, or local levels.