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State Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez sits behind a stack of reports and findings related to the House Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Task Force.
Rachel Otwell/NPR Illinois

News Local/State

IL + #MeToo: “You Can’t Legislate That”

This month marks a year since the Me Too movement went viral as a hashtag on social media (after having first been started in 2006 by Tarana Burke.) This week, we hear from several women in Illinois whose work in government has been affected. Today we hear from State Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez of Springfield who is the Republican spokesperson for the House Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Task Force.

#MeToo and Academia
Women and Gender In Global Perspectives website

News Local/State

U Of I Law Professor: Power Dynamics Make Academia ‘Ripe For Abuse’

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, more victims are coming forward to report sexual harassment and assault. But when the victim is a student and the abuser is a professor, the power differential can be a barrier to students speaking out, according to the organizers of an upcoming “#MeToo and Academia” panel discussion at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza addresses a women's march earlier this year in Springfield.
Brian Mackey/NPR Illinois

News Local/State

IL + #MeToo: The Push For More Women In Politics

This month marks a year since the Me Too movement went viral as a hashtag on social media (after having first been started in 2006 by Tarana Burke.) This week, we hear from several women in Illinois whose work in government has been affected. The first woman we spoke to is Susana Mendoza, state Comptroller and member of the Illinois Anti-harassment Equality and Access Panel.

A sign directs people to the Champaign County Clerk's office for early voting.
Jim Meadows/Illinois Public Media

News Local/State

County Clerk Candidates Outline Priorities For Election Operations

County clerks maintain records on local taxes and Vital Records including marriage licenses and birth and death certificates. But the job of running local elections is what’s getting the most attention in the Champaign County Clerk election. Republican Matt Grandone is promoting his experience, while Democrat Aaron Ammons says he’ll work for voter rights and access.