HANA Advocacy Days in Springfield
The Illinois state legislative session is in full swing. This spring, HANA Center staff and youth have already traveled to Springfield twice alongside other advocates, meeting with legislators and making clear that immigrant communities will not be sidelined.
On March 25th, HANA's Suburban Youth Organizer Andrew de las Alas joined ICIRR’s Springfield Advocacy Day alongside four Suburban Youth Council (SYC) members: Marla Tuvshinjargal, Yuna Jeong, Evan Fang, and Lydia An. Together with 175 advocates from across the state, they showed up as part of a multiracial, multifaith, working-class movement.
Suburban Youth Council (SYC) members waiting to speak with IL State Senator Laura Fine's staffer.
Illinois may have stronger protections than many neighboring states, but with authoritarian attacks leaving communities increasingly vulnerable, it was more important than ever to put human faces to policy. This meant walking into elected officials’ offices and reminding them who these laws are really about.
Our HANA youth were especially inspiring. They drew sharp connections between Senator Villivalam’s inclusive curricula appropriations and healthcare and data protections for immigrants, demonstrating why history education matters for movements like ours. Knowing our histories is empowering, because we know a better world is possible and that hard-earned rights must be defended.
“Participating in Lobby Day meant standing up for real people, real issues, and being a part of something bigger than myself—especially advocating for data protection against ICE and preserving Medicaid access for immigrant communities,” said Marla Tuvshinjargal, Stevenson High School ‘28. “It showed me how powerful student voices can be in pushing for justice and protecting vulnerable populations.”
After a full 16-hour day, the message they carried home was this: federal attacks on our dignity can be demoralizing, but through local advocacy, we can directly push back against harmful agendas that hurt our community. The work in Springfield is proof that our voices reach the halls of power, and HANA youth are already looking forward to AAA Day.
HANA returned to Springfield on April 15 for ICIRR’s Advocacy and Tax Day Rally. Civic Engagement Coordinator Hannah Jon and New Americans Initiative (NAI) Team Lead Sohee Kim represented HANA, meeting directly with Representative Yang Rohr, Representative Syed, and Leader Mah to present HANA’s policy priorities—including increasing Access to Justice (A2J) and Immigrant Services Line Items (ISLI) funding, progressive revenue solutions, passing SNAP protections for Illinoisans, and defending other programs that directly serve our community.
“In light of recent federal cuts to social services and attacks on our immigrant communities, we are asking our Illinois legislators to increase state funding for these crucial programs,” said Hannah Jon, HANA’s Civic Engagement Coordinator. “The budget is a moral document, and we will hold our state government accountable to protect our futures.”
The day reinforced something we believe deeply at HANA: advocacy isn’t only about big legislative victories. It’s also about the small, direct conversations that build relationships with decision makers to remind them that real people are counting on the policies they vote on. Even a five-minute meeting with a legislator can plant a seed that shapes systemic change.
From our youth to staff, HANA shows up in our communities, in Springfield, and where our community’s voices need to be heard.
Stay tuned for updates from Asian American Action (AAA) Day when HANA returns to Springfield on May 6, 2026 along with our Pan Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition partners.