August 3 – Peace in the Preserves
- WHAT: Please join the Northwest Side Coalition Against Racism & Hate, for this free, family-friendly event – Peace In The Preserves: A Community Call to Reject Racism and Celebrate Diversity – in response to the hate crime that occurred at Caldwell Woods on Chicago’s Far Northwest Side last month. SURJ Chicago will have a table; come meet a few members along with other organizations working for equity and justice in Chicago.
- WHEN: Friday, August 3 from 5:00-8:00 PM
- WHERE: Caldwell Woods, 6200 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60646
August 7 – Safety Is? The People’s Consent Decree vs. Rahm’s
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WHAT: The City has released their version of the Consent Decree, which Rahm Emanuel is touting as his answer to police violence. The City’s version is absent of the demands put forward by the people, including the call for the abolition of police in all Chicago schools; the prohibition of arrests for “Quality of Life” offenses that target the most marginalized, poor and homeless; full implementation of #CPACNow – among much much more.
As part of the Ella Baker National Night Out for Safety and Liberation, Black Lives Matter Chicago warmly invites you to an evening of food, music and discussion about this document and to hear your suggestions for what should and shouldn’t be included.
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WHEN: Tuesday, August 7 at 6:30 – 8:30PM
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WHERE: Mindful Healing Village at 63rd & University
August 18 – Know Your Rights! Know Your Resources!
- WHAT: Join us at Healing Village for a Know Your Rights Resource Fair with First Defense Legal Aid! We will have police misconduct attorneys available to provide free consultations on a first come first served basis. Come and learn how you can “Cop Watch” to help keep your community safe. Come and learn about how First Defense Legal Aid provides free, 24-hour, legal representation to people in Chicago Police Department custody. Come and learn about how to protect your constitutional rights.
- WHEN: Saturday, August 18 at 12:00 – 4:00pm
- WHERE: #HealingVillage, 6300 S Greenwood, Chicago, IL, 60637
August 24 – Civilian Policy Accountability Council Info Session
- WHAT: Join us for an evening of learning about the ways in which police accountability is broken in Chicago, and the violence this causes. Find out how the CPAC ordinance–which would create a democratically elected Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC)–may be on the brink of forcing major systemic change to policing in Chicago. You’ll leave knowing how you can be part of the historic push for real community control of the police in our city.
- WHEN: Friday, August 24 at 7:00–8:30 PM
- WHERE: Women & Children First Bookstore, 5233 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640
August 26 – Justice for RonnieMan School Supply Drive & Back to School Bash!
- WHAT: Join us with RonnieMan’s mother and dear fighter, Dorothy Holmes, for the First Annual RonnieMan Back to School Supply Drive! This drive will culminate in a Back-to-School party in RonnieMan Park on August 26th, where we will give away all of the supplies collected.
- SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE: You can contribute by purchasing items from the Amazon wish-list: http://bit.ly/RonnieMan
- SCHOOL SUPPLY DROP-OFFS: We are also collecting school supplies at locations throughout the city. The drop off locations include:
- Southside Together Organizing for Power – STOP
602 E 61st St, Chicago, IL 60637
Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM - American Friends Service Committee–Chicago
637 S. Dearborn 3rd Floor
Monday through Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM - Women & Children First Bookstore (You can drop off supplies here beginning August 6th!)
5233 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640
Saturday 10AM–7PM; Sunday 11AM–6PM; Mon-Tues 11AM–7PM; Wed-Fri 11AM–9PM - Healing Village: Healing as a Radical Act of Resistance
63rd & Woodlawn
- Southside Together Organizing for Power – STOP
- SCHOOL SUPPLY DROP-OFFS: We are also collecting school supplies at locations throughout the city. The drop off locations include:
- WHEN: Sunday, August 26 at 11 AM – 4 PM
- WHERE: 53rd and King Drive
#FamiliesBelongTogether
- As the Trump Administration drags its heels on reuniting thousands of separated children with their parents, take action and demand a solution to this crisis and dignity for all immigrants. We DEMAND that Congress establish a task force dedicated to family reunification. Sign and share this petition.
Support Bond Reform in Cook County
- We are less than 500 signatures away from having 1,600 in support of the fight to #EndMoneyBail in Cook County!
- Sign and share to help us free the more than 2,500 people currently incarcerated at Cook County Jail simply because they can’t afford to pay bail.
- Sign this petition to help #EndMoneyBail: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-bond-reform-in-cook-county
Assata’s Daughers
- A lifeguard called the cops on teens from Assata’s and other Black & Brown youth with #NoCopAcademy while they were swimming at a community pool in Knoxville, Tennessee. Once the police arrived and the teens attempted to leave, a cop told a young person in the group “keep walking n****r,” and threatened other young people in our group with arrest and physical harm.
- Please call the Carter Community Pool to demand this lifeguard be fired: (865) 307-0029. You can also leave reviews here.
Mindful Healing Village
- The Mindful Healing Village is a space in Woodlawn built by Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP), the Let Us Breathe Collective, and Black Lives Matter.
- In 2012, Chicago closed half its mental health clinics. This made police first responders in cases of crisis, directly leading to the police murders of Quintonio Legrier and Bettie Davis, while turning Cook County Jail into the city’s largest mental health provider.
- These organizers are imagining and creating what community-based, collective healing services could look like — while they develop a mental health ordinance that can address some of the most pressing needs in their communities.
- Help build a new and better vision of community safety by contributing to a supply run for the Mindful Healing Village by donating through SURJ Chicago member Val here: Venmo @vholdahl or Paypal paypal.me/vholdahl with the note “Mindful Healing”
#NoCopAcademy
- Assata’s Daughters, People’s Response Team, For the People’s Artist Collective, BTGNC Collective, and many community groups are in the fight against Rahm’s plan to build a $95 Million police academy in West Garfield Park. Find out more and follow #NoCopAcademy to learn about the campaign.
- WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW:
- CALL your alderperson and say you/we are watching this closely and we believe in #NoCopAcademy. Tell them this will definitely impact how you vote in elections.
- You can also send your alderperson a message using this form.
- Post on social media after you take action and/or get three friends to call their alderperson, too. It takes collective power, y’all!
Fight the Chicago Gang Database
- The Chicago Police Department uses, maintains, publishes, and shares a list of names designated as potential gang members. Individuals who are labeled gang members by CPD officers are not provided any due process protections, including notice or an opportunity to contest the gang designation. And once an individual is included in the Gang Database, he is in the database forever.
- CPD shares its Gang Database with numerous third party causing significant known and unknown harm to class members, including deprivations of employment, licensures, bond, immigration relief, deportation and detention, and more.
- Support Community Solutions Against the Chicago Gang Database by signing the petition here: https://action.mijente.net/petitions/eliminate-the-chicago-gang-database
SURJ Chicago 