During JBANC’s Baltic Advocacy week (May 2-9), long time Estonian American National Council member Gilda Karu took the opportunity to speak with her Congressional representative Jan Schakowsky’s senior advisor Andrew Goczkowski.
Andrew Goczkowski was at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Illinois on May 4 representing Jan Schakowsky. Gilda discussed the situation in Ukraine and Baltic support for Ukraine and gave him a copy of a list of Baltic concerns that had been prepared by JBANC. She also asked that Jan Schakowsky consider joining the Congressional Baltic Caucus. The next day (May 5) there was a Zoom meeting that included Chicago’s Honorary Estonian Consul Siim Sööt, JBANC and EANC representative Karin Shuey, Latvian Dace Kezbers, and Gilda Karu. Jan Schakowsky herself participated in almost half the meeting and her legislative aide Kate Durkin was present for the entire meeting. It was a very good meeting.
Representative Jan Schakowsky in the very beginning said she would join the Baltic Caucus, which she did right after the meeting. Jan Schakowsky has been very positive in her support for Ukraine throughout the war.
Gilda Karu