For some, they are only fun and games. For others, they also hold purpose.
The word parade comes from a French term meaning “pompous show.”
Historically, the earliest form of a parade was the Roman triumph—a public spectacle celebrating military victories. Generals rode through the streets in horse-drawn chariots, accompanied by soldiers, captives, and displays off plundered treasures. The purpose was a ceremonial display of power and prestige.
In Laws, Plato states that nothing is of greater benefit to a state than the mutual acquaintance of its citizens. Nations, cities, ethnic and religious groups have all applied this principle. People are less likely to fear, distrust, or dehumanize one another when they know each other as neighbors, coworkers, and fellow members of the community.
Parades have shaped a sense of community and they can be playful. However they also teach lessons, assert diverse social identities and have always had a political edge brought by attendees in their communities. Politics shape our lives.
Pride parades do it ALL. Originating from the NYC Stonewall Riots of 1969, these parades bring a diverse community together, create a safe space, are fun and games, hold purpose, have a political edge, are family oriented. The Pride flag is a symbol of power and love.
I have never seen a Republican candidate or elected official at Woodstock Pride though I have sent invites to them directly.
A local advocate is being criticized for attending family friendly Harvard Milk Days Parade for wearing a t-shirt intended to bring a quiet yet powerful reminder to community and politicians:
As all at the parade have freedom to march along, there are human beings being unconstitutionally treated an hour away.
In contrast the advocate would not receive the same criticism at the Family Friendly Woodstock Pride Fest. Heck I wore a pointy hat and a priest offered me a bottle of water.
If you think there is not the exact same sentiment shared at Thanksgiving Day, St Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, sports organizations and other nation wide parades it may be because you are insulating your self against your own community.
EDIT: I have been told that Ruth’s comments were in an email that was sent to a group of Dems that included the executive board, parade committee, candidates and a few PCs. Someone in that group leaked it because they wanted other Democrats to know and it wasn’t Corinna who leaked it.
The Illinois Conservative FBposton June 10 @ 8:41 PM states that Scifo made the comments publicly.(see image at end of this article)
Harvard Milk Days Parade 2026
Harvard, Illinois is a diverse community with a young population (median age 28) and a significant Hispanic & Latino presence. Approximately 56.4% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, and nearly 18% of residents are foreign-born, with many tracing their roots to Mexico, India, and Poland. Voting base leans conservative.
Nationally we have seen ICE agents engage in unconstitutional actions against demographics like Harvard’s. In Chicago collar counties such ICE activities are reported. Conditions of ICE facilities one hour from McHenry County are inhumane including reports of worms in food.
AN ADVOCATE UNFAIRLY TARGETED
Corinna Sac is a young mother of Latino/ white children, a bisexual woman, community advocate, intersectional feminist, organizer of the Young Democrats of McHenry County, Democratic Party precinct committeeperson, and elected Grafton Township Trustee.
She is not a rule breaker. Instead she works within established processes to serve her constituents and advocate for positive change. Support from the community reflects the trust she has earned through her service and leadership.
She has devoted considerable time and effort to Democratic Party parade activities over the past 4 years. Currently the Parades Committee chair, she has grown a team of dedicated volunteers. She is the sole designer and creator of floats.
For the second year in a row she wore an anti-ICE shirt that reads:
Sugar Spice – Fuck ICE.
The shirt design also includes the Statute of Liberty and Rosie the Riveter in a powerful feminist position. The slogan is popular with activists who call for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Fuck is the most frequently used vulgar word in the English language. It is a verb, noun, adjective and intensifier depending on its use. In this case, the word “fuck“ expresses emotion and frustration. It is not profane. Like the word “explicit”, “fuck” has many meanings.
Vulgar: Vulgaris – meaning “of the people”. Common. Unrefined. Poor taste. Bodily functions, slag, not polite. It has undergone delexicalization.
Profanity: Profanus – meaning “outside the temple”. Holds contempt for religion. Using holy terms in a blasphemous way.
Explicit: Explicitus – meaning “unfolded” or “unobstructed”. Words or phrases that are directly and clearly stated, leaving no room for ambiguity. Commonly refers to content that is graphic, highly detailed, or contains profanity, sexual references, and violent descriptions
A 501 (3) (c) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
Harvard Milk Days has operated for over 85 years and is organized as a tax deductible, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The Board of Directors can create rules/guidelines for their event so long as they are not challenging anti-discrimination laws. Free speech is not an issue the board must consider as a private entity.
The 2026 Harvard Milk Days Parade Entry form Guidelines prohibit:
throwing candy from floats to protect children from injury
illegal drugs or alcohol on parade line up or route
squirt guns, super soakers etc…
On June 9, Harvard Milk Days Board of Directors released a letter onto social media addressing the t-shirt, not the person wearing it and here is the relevant part:
“Harvard Milk Days does not condone profanity or explicit language at any of our family friendly events. We never have and we never will. The Harvard Milk Days Board of Directors was not aware of the shirt in question prior to or during the parade. Had the issue been brought to our attention at the time, it would have been addressed.
While we believed it was generally understood that inappropriate language and imagery have no place in a family oriented community event, we recognize the importance of clearly stating expectations. As a result our parade application and participation guidelines will be updated moving forward to explicitly prohibit apparel, signage or displays containing profanity or other inappropriate content.”
The Board of Directors assumed responsibility for the lack of clarity. At no point did they publicly disparage Corinna.
A POLITICAL PARTY
The McHenry County Democrats is Chaired by Ruth Scifo. The Democratic Party’s Executive Board is a leadership team responsible for setting policy, strategy, and priorities, while overseeing community outreach, party-building efforts, and local political campaigns.
Rather than focusing on the underlying issue, that both Harvard Milk Days and the McHenry County Democratic Party are responsible for establishing parade participation standards, Ruth Scifo responded by disparaging Corinna in her opening thoughts:
“I am sorry that Corinna was attacked. She has been attacked before, though. The people who attack her are vile, but she invites these attacks by doing things that provoke people, and she does them on purpose.”
Scifo also acknowledged that the shirt was worn intentionally and stated that she had requested changes for future participation standards:
“I asked the parade team to no longer allow profanity or offensive shirts to be a part of our group.”
Leadership is not demonstrated by assigning blame after a controversy arises.
A leader would not have singled out of a member of their own team publicly as she did.
A leader would have privately addressed the team member.
A leader would have understood that democrats in Algonquin township (the largest township in McHenry County) chose Kat Abughazaleh for Congressional District 9 in the primary over all other candidates.
Kat, strongly anti-ICE and indicted as political prosecution by the Trump administration, lost to Biss by only 4,097 votes. We are now reading Scifo’s public words, against a member of our own team whose values align with the majority of us Algonquin township voters.
Scifo reduced Corinna’s advocacy to “doing things that provoke people”.
A clear demonstration of (some, not all) older democrats being out of touch.
Democratic Party of McHenry County Chair Ruth Scifo should make a public apology to Corinna Sac. Corinna is a dedicated young Democrat, public servant and has a value system shared by democrats across all of McHenry County.
The party must evolve.
WE DONT GIVE A FUCK WHAT MAGA/REPUBLICANS SAY ABOUT US.
They elected a pedo fascist into office.
Thank you Corinna for representing. I am sure there were attendees at Harvard Milk Days that were thankful for your advocacy. You did not dampen the day.
Meet Amin and other local candidates! Featuring Patrick Murfin, historian and longtime Democratic activist, speaking on the great historical events that made Chicago the center of the labor movement – don’t miss!
I have experienced 2 MAJOR congressional elections since 2017. One was as PC in Huntley in 2018 and that was District 14. Now in 2026 it is as PC in Cary for District 9.
Here is a story…
Lauren Underwood IL Congressional D14 – Elect Crystal Lake, Huntley, McHenry, Wauconda, Woodstock
On March 20, 2018, I stood in a room that was super charged with both history and hope. When Lauren Underwood announced that she had won the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District, the celebration cracked wide open. Screams of joy filled the room. People embraced. Tears fell freely. We witnessed history unfolding in real time.
Underwood a self-professed public servant and registered nurse with a pre-existing heart condition (supraventricular tachycardia), was directly affected by her Republican opponent, Representative Randy Hultgren, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and remove protections for pre-existing conditions despite previously promising not to. This motivated Underwood to shift from policy advisor to candidate.
She was the youngest Black woman ever to run in the district, and she had just prevailed in a crowded field she shared with six men. In a district that, since 1873, had overwhelmingly elected Republican leadership – 17 Republicans to just 5 Democrats – her victory carried profound weight. Democratic representation had been rare and distant history; brief windows in 1890, 1912 – 1914, and 1932 – 1936.
For generations, change had seemed unlikely. That night, it wasn’t. Barriers were cracked. Expectations shifted. What filled the room wasn’t just celebration – it was pride, relief, and the unmistakable sense that something new was possible. This was 2 years before the BLM movement of 2020.
Her victory was part of a broader Democratic wave that year, but in D14 it was also deeply local — powered by grassroots energy in places like Huntley and across McHenry County. Redistricting may draw lines on a map, but community energy — door knocking, meet-and-greets, local organizing — is what turns those lines into representation. Lauren was absolutely adored.
Lauren Underwood’s national profile around health care and maternal health issues her communication style, empathy, calm presence and strong constituent outreach locally is why D14 has held her near and dear.
Meet Senator Mike Simmons Congressional D9 – Candidate Maybe you met him when he walked ALG35 with me! Algonquin, Barrington Hills, Fox River grove, Lakewood, LITH, Crystal Lake, Cary, Wauconda https://www.mikesimmons.org
In 2021 Mike Simmons was appointed to the Illinois Senate by elected PC’s of the Cook County Democratic Party. Not my senate district but he caught my interest! His hair style was fabulous and broadcasted confidence. An openly gay black man too; this in and of it itself is not a qualifier, it is a layer of lived experience. I watched his campaign that led to his election in 2022 and I cheered him on! His energy, empathy and measured presence was unmistakable and I was reminded of Lauren Underwood.
The Simmons’ family was one of the first Black families to integrate Lincoln Square after the U.S. Supreme Court mandated that public housing be built on Chicago’s Northside. The son of a single Black mother and an Ethiopian refugee father. His mother, Ramona, who opened her small business, Salon Pastiche, in Rogers Park at 31 years old and ran it for 25 years, raised him and his sister. His father, Mulugetta, was also a small business owner and ran a bar, the Wild Hare, in Lakeview for 25 years.
Growing up in a multi-racial, multi-generational household, shaped his lived experience with issues like housing access, economic insecurity, and belonging. Prior to the Senate, he worked in policy and civic engagement roles, including on Capitol Hill and with the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance building a track record of meaningful impact. He is also a former board member for the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Illinois.
A crowed race in a very historically unique district reshaped by census redistricting. D9, since 1853, has had more elected Democratic leadership – 14 Democrats to 11 Republicans that last in 1946. D9 held Jan Schakowsky near and dear for 28 years. The 2020 Census resulted in Algonquin Township, McHenry County becoming part of Congressional D9.
We now have the rare opportunity to welcome new leadership.
Like Underwood, Simmons combines empathy, energy, and a measured presence that resonates far beyond policy positions.
What truly sets Mike Simmons apart in the IL legislature is how quickly he turns vision into action.
Shortly after being sworn in on February 6, 2021, Mike encountered the story of Jett Hawkins, a young preschooler in Chicago who was forced to remove his braids at school due to discriminatory dress codes. Mike immediately understood the fear and frustration Jett and his mother were facing—because he had lived it himself.
Within 19 days, he introduced Senate Bill 817, and by August 13, 2021, the Jett Hawkins Act became law, protecting Black students from hair discrimination in K‑12 schools. This was not just legislation; it was life-changing policy.
Mike Simmons is exactly the kind of public servant this district—and this moment—needs: authentic, empathetic, and capable of transforming personal insight into concrete laws that protect and uplift communities.
Key Legislative Priorities & Accomplishments
Supporting Families & Economic Security
Child and Family Tax Credits: He led the fight to create a state child tax credit to give working families more financial breathing room.
Medical Debt Relief: He championed laws eliminating medical debt for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, easing financial pressure for many households.
Small Business Support: Simmons helped secure grants for small business restoration and economic development programs in his district.
Housing & Community Stability
Affordable Housing Initiatives: He’s passed legislation to protect tenants, fight displacement, and support cooperative and stable housing models — seeing housing as a fundamental right.
Fought against predatory rental fees and pushed for transparency in lease agreements.
Healthcare & Mental Health
Expanded Access to Care: Simmons has been pushing to expand Medicaid eligibility and support safe, affordable healthcare, including removing cost barriers for preventive screening.
Mental Health Focus: He has advanced laws to increase mental health resources in schools and communities, including creating advisory councils and increasing provider pay.
Transportation & Environment
Public Transit Funding & Reform: He helped pass major transit reform and securing sustainable funding for transit systems, reflecting his long‑term advocacy for accessible mobility.
Expanded definitions for bicycles in law, promoting safer cycling infrastructure.
Human Rights & Inclusion
Hair Discrimination Ban: One early and widely recognized win was the Jett Hawkins Act, banning discrimination based on hair in schools — a culturally significant civil rights measure.
Gender‑Affirming Care & LGBTQ+ Rights: He has been a strong defender of gender‑affirming care and LGBTQ+ protections in state law.
Passed broader human rights protections and opposed book bans in libraries.
Voting Access & Worker Rights
Voting Reforms: He backed laws expanding voter access — including preregistration for teens and restoring voting rights to people previously incarcerated.
Paid Leave & Workers’ Rights: Simmons co‑led passage of paid family leave and championed measures improving conditions for working households.
Roles in the Senate
Chair of the Senate Public Health Committee
Vice‑Chair of the Behavioral and Mental Health Committee
Member of multiple others on transportation, labor, and health funding.
Mike Simmons blends personal experience with policy focus: Economic justice and stability.
Mike Simmons’ energy and vision translates: Concrete law and policy.
Q:Why not elect IL Senator Laura Fine for Congressional D9? (FYI – Fine is also running for State Central Committee person which is leadership position within the Illinois Democratic Party)
A: Moral Compass Sold Separately.
Legislative output: The number of bills a lawmaker “develops” can vary widely depending on seniority, committee assignments, leadership roles, and whether they serve in the majority/minority party. Bill counts alone don’t always reflect influence or effectiveness. Her output is on par with Mike Simmons and they are on some of the same committees.
AIPAC: Fine has taken thousands of dollars from Israel special interest organizations such as AIPAC’s Pac. For months she has denied this. Only recently admitting it. The truth is she is for sale and has no problem aligning with an organization that is not shy about its efforts to undermine our elections for the benefit of the government of Israel (Netanyahu’s Likud party is strong opposed to two state solution) How can she rally against ICE but take money from an organization that supports a leader who unleashed a genocide?
Mike Simmons refuses special interest money and understands AIPAC’s intentions. He is not a traitor to We the People or Jews or Palestine’s who are seeking to end the conflict, unite for HUMANITARIAN ACTION, and a two state solution.
Q: Why not elect Evanston Mayor and previous IL Senator Daniel Biss for Congressional D9? (FYI – Biss is also running for State Central Committee person which is leadership position within the Illinois Democratic Party)
A: Moral Compass Lacking Required Direction
October 4, 2017: I attended the Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at NIU. Daniel Biss was serving as and IL State Senator and running for governor of Illinois. Illinois had recently enacted the Illinois Trust Act, which Biss had co-sponsored. The Trust Act was intended to limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On September 8, 2017 The McHenry County sheriff was sued for refusal to release an inmate who, his lawyers at KRV said , should have been freed on bail under the Trust Act.
Lawyers representing the Crystal Lake man, Niceforo Macedo-Hernandez, say McHenry County authorities are not complying with the Trust Act, which Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law last week and which says that, without a judge’s warrant, state and local authorities can’t arrest or detain people based on their immigration status alone.
After the forum I approached then IL Senator Daniel Biss and I explained to him the complete predicament Niceforo Macedo-Hernandez was facing and how KRV Law and activists in our community were trying to stop the abuse of the system that Sheriff Prim was inflicting . I asked for his help. I said we needed his voice. I wrote down the sheriff’s name the state’s attorney’s name also the phone number for KRV law and handed them to Biss. He asked me for my contact information and I gave it to him.
In October 2025 I went to the Congressional D9 candidate forum at Oakton Community College. I handed Biss a printed PDF that recapped our meeting at NIU in 2017 when he was a senator seeking a role as governor. I watched him read it. Then he looked at me. I asked him why never followed through. He said that the only thing he could think of was that his campaign got really busy and he could not be everywhere at once. He apologized. I made sure he knew that Niceforo Macedo-Hernandez had disappeared.
Mike Simmons, currently a senator seeking a congressional seat, would never have turned away. He would have reached out to KRV Law immediately. He would have engaged and brought his voice to our community. His moral compass has never needed adjustment.
Mike recently joined me as I went to doors in ALG35. I never in a billion years thought that the IL Senator I had admired for SO LONG would be walking my precinct with me! I could not stop smiling as I introduced him to voters.
Elect Mike Simmons to Congress for IL D9 and hold him near and dear! Trust me you will be very happy that you did!Mike plans to have a constituent office in Algonquin Township. He wants to connect!
