#Bitcoin history is being made in Illinois. The Altgeld Bitcoin Reserve just became the nation's first community-run Bitcoin treasury to gain formal state recognition. Here's the story of how a public housing community built in 1945 is becoming a model for financial sovereignty The Backdrop: Altgeld Gardens was built for African American WWII veterans. It became a stark example of environmental racism: • Surrounded by toxic waste • Highest cancer rates in Illinois • Poverty below $12k per capita • 90% African American population This is where the environmental justice movement was born in 1979. The Pivot: In March 2025, IBC member Tolbyus Shephard founded the Altgeld Bitcoin Reserve. The mission: transform 80 years of economic injustice into generational wealth through a community-controlled Bitcoin treasury. How it works: 1. Acquire and hold Bitcoin in transparent DAO treasury 2. Run revenue programs (financial literacy, trucking ownership) 3. Reinvest 50% of profits to grow the reserve 4. Distribute benefits to residents The Momentum August 2025: IL Rep John Cabello meets with Altgeld leaders October 2025: Illinois House Resolution 0446 recognizes ABR as the nation's first community Bitcoin reserve January 2026: Tolbyus meets with IL House Minority Leader Tony McCombie at the State Capitol February 2026: Senate Bill 3743 introduced — the Community Bitcoin Reserve Act Why This Matters: In communities like Altgeld, Bitcoin is a tool for: • Economic transformation • Financial sovereignty • Community-led development • Breaking cycles of exclusion The Lesson: When traditional institutions have failed a community for 80 years, Bitcoin offers an alternative. The Altgeld Bitcoin Reserve proves it. Credit to Tolbyus Shephard for the vision and relentless advocacy. Proud that the Illinois Bitcoin Council supports this work.