(2007 - 2008) Skokie taxicab drivers celebrate outside the Village Hall after the Trustees unanimously voted to put on hold the implementation of a parking ban and work with drivers.
When the Village of Skokie instituted a street parking ban on taxicabs in late 2007, drivers, predominantly immigrants and Muslims, were concerned that their housing was at risk as well, because if they could not park in the community (and for many, the cab doubled as the family car and they had no covered garage), they could not live in the community.
A community organizer assisting them from the American Friends Service Committee and the Council of Islamic Organizations turned to Gail Schechter, a Skokie neighbor as well as director of Open Communities, for help. Bringing to bear fair housing rights eduation and open talks with the Village, Gail worked with the 50 drivers who organized along with these other groups to work cooperatively with Skokie to make sure that any parking ordinance would not have a disparate impact based on race, national origin, or religion.