On April 15, 2025, downtown Chicago pulsed with chants and the determined voices of communities refusing to be ignored. leaders from the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of advocates, families, and organizers as part of a rally organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Together, they raised their voices against proposed federal budget cuts threatening critical services like immigrant resources, affordable housing, mental health care, community violence intervention programs, and public transit.

The rally wasn’t just about protesting what could be taken away — it was about demanding what communities deserve. Organizers called for a bold, fair state revenue package that would require Illinois’ wealthiest individuals and largest corporations to contribute their fair share in taxes. This, they argued, was not just a financial necessity, but a moral one.

Among the passionate speakers that day was Imaltzin Astorga, SWOP’s Digital and New Americans Initiative Organizer. Stepping up to the mic, Imaltzin shared her personal story — one that reflected the lives of so many others in the crowd. As a daughter of migrants who grew up in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood, she spoke about the vital role community services have played in her life and the lives of those around her.

“These services are more than line items on a budget,” Imaltzin told the crowd. “They are the difference between surviving and thriving for so many families like mine. Cutting them means cutting off hope, safety, and opportunity in neighborhoods that have already given so much and received too little in return.”

SWOP leaders in attendance joined their partners at ICIRR and other community organizations in calling for a future where resources are distributed with equity and intention — ensuring that the neighborhoods hit hardest by systemic disinvestment are no longer asked to carry the heaviest burdens

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