State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr.

09/05/2026

Today, I had the honor of joining 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico, CFL President Bob Reiter and many representatives from Illinois’ great labor unions for the 2026 Chicago Federation of Labor’s 𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗥 𝗗𝗔𝗬 Parade in my community on the Southeast Side of Chicago.

Celebrate the hardworking men and women who help keep our city, state, and nation running. The wonderful Grand Marshall for this year was SEIU President April Verrett.

Thank you to everyone who came out, marched, and continues to fight for working families across Illinois.

09/05/2026

What happened at South Chicago Chapel was unacceptable. Every family deserves to know that their loved one will be treated with dignity, respect, and care.

Our community spoke up, action was taken, and now we have a responsibility to make sure something like this never happens again.

State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. told WTTW, public trust has to be our priority. That means bringing families, funeral professionals, regulators, and lawmakers to the table, examining where our oversight failed, and making thoughtful changes that strengthen accountability and protect Illinois families.

We will do the work — and we will get it right.

Read more from WTTW: https://news.wttw.com/2026/09/02/discovery-decomposing-bodies-south-chicago-chapel-puts-scrutiny-state-oversight-funeral

09/04/2026

What happened at South Chicago Chapel was unacceptable. Every family deserves to know that their loved one will be treated with dignity, respect, and care.

Our community spoke up, action was taken, and now we have a responsibility to make sure something like this never happens again.

As I told WTTW - Chicago PBS, public trust has to be our priority. That means bringing families, funeral professionals, regulators, and lawmakers to the table, examining where our oversight failed, and making thoughtful changes that strengthen accountability and protect Illinois families.
We will do the work — and we will get it right.

Read more from WTTW:

Questions remain about possible gaps in state oversight nearly a month after an investigation turned up 56 decomposing bodies at the South Chicago Chapel funeral home.

09/01/2026

Walking through Dublin and Belfast earlier this month as President Emeritus of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) with my legislative colleagues from across the nation was an incredible experience. 🇮🇪🇺🇸

As government leaders, we have a responsibility to work together, build bridges, and find common ground—even when we come from different communities, backgrounds, or perspectives. This visit was a powerful reminder that meaningful progress is possible when leaders listen to one another, strengthen relationships, and remain committed to collaboration in service to the people we represent.

Some of the sites we visited included the Belfast Peace Walls and Clonard Monastery, and the City Life Center.

During our visit to the Irish Parliament in Dublin, we greatly appreciated Minister Helen McEntee taking time out of her schedule to meet with us. We also had the privilege of meeting members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and touring the historic Hillsborough Castle, where the royal family stays during visits to Northern Ireland.
A special thank you to former Stormont legislator Monica McWilliams for sharing her powerful reflections on signing the Good Friday Agreement.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Mark Daly, Irish Senate President, and Daryl Barron, Lord Mayor of Dublin, along with the Northern Ireland Assembly, for welcoming our NCSL delegation with such gracious hospitality!

08/30/2026

We hosted our 2nd Annual 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 event in the Avalon Park community at Justice of the Pies

Check out and support this amazing establishment that offers high quality and unique pastry items. It’s an experience!!!!

The owner Maya Camille Broussard is a phenomenal chef and woman to be celebrated 💎🌸🍰🥧

08/29/2026

Congrats Lansing School District 158 for your great work for our kids!!

Congratulations to our Board of Education for receiving School Board Governance Recognition this year from the Illinois Association of School Boards! Only 53 of the 864 school boards in Illinois received this designation in 2026, which is given for excellence in local school district governance to support quality public education. Have a great weekend community!

08/28/2026

Please view the latest edition of my newsletter:

-Pies with the Politician at Justice of the Pies this Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Feel free to share this with your neighbors and networks. Let my office know of any upcoming events that may be happening in the district.

https://conta.cc/3V0EPCY

Email from Marcus C. Evans, Jr. Upcoming Community Events   Information on The Event State Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr Presents Pies with the Politician at Justice of the Pies: 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, August 2

08/28/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐂. 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐉𝐫.’𝐬 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓲𝓼 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

As a cancer survivor and advocate for healthcare availability I had to learn about the healthcare delivery in Southern Illinois during my tour. I stopped by Deaconess Illinois Medical Center and Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute, where I had the opportunity to meet with local leaders, learn more about their work, and tour their facilities.

Thank you to Becki Arnold, Executive Assistant; Kristin Brooks-Shrum, Regional Director of Pharmacy, Cardiopulmonary & Oncology Services; Amanda Throgmorton, Regional Chief Operating Officer at Deaconess Medical Center; and John Antes, CEO of SIH Cancer Center, for taking the time to share their insights and discuss their important work and the unique challenges and opportunities in Southern Illinois.

I also wrapped up the morning with a productive lunch meeting with representatives from Southern Illinois port districts. We discussed the critical role our ports play in strengthening our regional economy, supporting local jobs, and creating new opportunities for Southern Illinois.

I’m grateful to all of the leaders who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with me. It’s always valuable to be on the ground, listening to local leaders and learning more about the people and institutions working every day to move 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓲𝓼 forward.

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗖. 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗝𝗿. 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲.

08/28/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐂. 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐉𝐫.’𝐬 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓲𝓼 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

Last week as part of my exploration and tour I stopped by the beautiful Southern Illinois University Carbondale + the SIU Paul Simon Public Policy Institute

I met with Chancellor Austin Lane and Linda Baker, Director of the Public Policy Institute, and connect with some bright students from my community in Chicago.

During my visit, I toured the campus, including a stop at the African American Heritage Center at Morris Library. I also had the unique opportunity to step onto Saluki Football Field and experience a special part of the university.

I want to thank Jodi Boese, Business/Administrative Associate to the Chancellor, for coordinating the meeting with Brandi Bradley, Director of Government Relations for Ullico Inc., and David Shirley, Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning & Research, for being a wonderful tour guide.

It was a great visit and an opportunity to learn more about the people, programs, and institutions that make Southern Illinois University such an important part of our region.

Thanks to SIU for educating kids from my community and building the next generation of leaders. Go Salukis!

08/28/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐂. 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐉𝐫.’𝐬 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓲𝓼 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

As Chairman of the Labor committee in the Illinois House, I reached out to Illinois State AFL-CIO President Drea and Secretary-Treasurer Devaney to help me learn and connect with my labor friends in 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓷 𝓘𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓲𝓼.

So last week I hit the road south to connect with Joanna Webb-Gauvin, Director of Political & Legislative Affairs for AFSCME Council 31 and southern Illinois AFSCME workers.

The discussion was both informative and insightful, providing me with a greater understanding of the important work being performed by the dedicated state employees. Their commitment to serving and supporting their patients was evident throughout our conversation and is a testament to the professionalism and compassion they bring to their work every day. “𝓡𝓾𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓮𝓹”

Next stop on the tour was International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 702 headquarters in West Frankfort, Illinois. I appreciated the opportunity to share a meal with members of the Local 702 Executive Board and learn more about their work and commitment to the labor movement.

I had the opportunity to tour the IBEW Training Center and gain a firsthand understanding of the comprehensive training and preparation provided to the next generation of skilled trades professionals. The dedication to workforce development and apprenticeship opportunities was truly impressive.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Steve Hughart, Business Manager of IBEW Local 702, for welcoming us and opening the Local’s doors to provide us with an informative look at their training center. I also want to thank Tate Wright, Business Representative, for serving as our guide and sharing his knowledge and insights throughout the tour.

𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘰𝘧 Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘱. 𝘌𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦.