South Cook News

Cambodian Association of Illinois assistant director Chenda Taing reasons Asian Americans across the state deserve better than what she fears proposed subcircuit maps will achieve.

“On behalf of the Cambodia community in the metropolitan Chicago area, specifically those who live in Skokie, Martingrove, Golf, Glenview and Nile, I’d like to express our concerns with the proposed Cook County boundaries,” Taing said during a recent House and Senate Joint Redistricting Committee hearing focused on the subcircuit maps for Cook County. The subcircuits were established to ensure representation for smaller communities such as the Cambodian community. They have helped to diversify the bench. The proposed subcircuit maps split important municipal, ethnic and religious communities.”

The Senate and House Redistricting Committees recently released a proposed map of new Cook County Judicial Subcircuit boundaries with the proposal raising the number of subcircuits from 15 to 20 on the strength of population growth across the Chicagoland area. The change is designed to illustrate shifts in populations that have come since the turn of the century.

Taing is among those arguing that as currently outlined the mission is poised to miss its mark.  

“The proposed subcircuit maps split important municipal, ethnic and religious communities,” she added. “Nile Township is an important cohesive community. The villages of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Martingrove, Golf, Glenview and Niles work together to support the residents of Niles Township. We share a high school district and we share a unique diversity that is best served by staying in a single subcircuit. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing population in Illinois.”

Tiang said area residents remain united in their vision for the community.

“We oppose the current map boundaries,” she said. “While we are made up of dozens of ethnicities and speak many more languages, we are a cohesive community that has fought for representation and voting rights. The village of Skokie is 30% Asian American. We believe that respecting Asian Americans as a community of interest requires keeping those communities together as a single subcircuit.”