August Justice Journal!

With summer coming to a close, our Workers Center for Racial Justice team has savored recent opportunities to connect and celebrate with our community. As we return to the simultaneous comfort and chaos of routine, we are looking forward to upcoming opportunities to gather as a WCRJ family and dive into our fall advocacy work, as well as our planning and preparations for next year. 

On that note, before we get into the news from August, we want to make sure you have our upcoming Membership Assembly on your calendar! 

On Saturday September 20th, we're having our most important event of the year - our Membership Assembly!

We will spend the day together setting our policy priorities for the year ahead, through a series of small and large group discussions and activities.

Community involvement in our planning process is crucial, as it ensures that the policies we focus on truly reflect your needs, vision and aspirations.

We encourage all members to attend and share your insights and experiences. We hope to build a sense of member ownership through this approach, resulting in more meaningful and effective outcomes - because this is your organization! 

Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the key issues facing our communities, and help develop our plans to address them through organizing, advocacy and civic engagement. The connections formed and strengthened during the event will strengthen the foundation for our ongoing work together. 

Meals will be provided! Breakfast will be served at 10 AM, and the program will begin at 11 AM. We will take a break for a catered lunch, and the day’s programming will end at 4 PM. 

Workers' Survey & Raffle

We're still collecting submissions to our workers' survey, and ask you to take a moment to share your voice and experiences. The more we know about the issues that workers are facing, the better able we are to pursue policies and solutions that support economic security for our members and your families. 

Those who complete the survey will be entered into a raffle to win a prize at our Membership Assembly! You will get two tickets to the raffle if you attend the meeting AND take the survey. 

Getting your feedback beforehand will allow us to get straight to business at the Membership Assembly! A data-driven approach helps us track our progress and keeps us accountable, ensuring our efforts align with what matters most to you.

August News & Updates

The Illinois Future Fund: building a Guaranteed Income movement

Since launching our Guaranteed Income (GI) Campaign, the Illinois Future Fund has been working in coalition with our partners, Equity and Transformation and Community Change, to achieve a permanent statewide guaranteed income program. This model would provide monthly, direct, no-strings-attached cash payments for those who need it most.

Our Guaranteed Income campaign hosted a total of eight interns this summer, who received political education on guaranteed income and its history, and engaged people across Cook County and the City of Chicago around program design. Their community research helped us begin to structure the program we will advocate for: from how much payments would be, to which eligibility requirements should or should not exist, to ensure the program benefits our communities.

During this time, WCRJ had two of our very own member-leaders participate as GI interns for the campaign: Beverly Hill and Jamal Jackson.

From June 1st to August 31st, they canvassed neighborhoods throughout Chicago, conducted one-on-one conversations with residents, and brought passionate GI leaders into the fold. They reached out to over 150 people and hosted two events to discuss our pathway forward to a statewide program.

We appreciate their dedication and support this summer, and thank them for their tremendous help. Their work is helping to shape the future of economic justice and stability in our communities. We look forward to continuing to develop powerful leaders in the fight for guaranteed income.  

End of Summer Party & Civic Engagement Cohort

On August 30th we hosted our End of Summer Party & Civic Engagement Cohort Graduation! We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, honor our graduates, and recognize each other’s hard work and wins this summer. Over food and drinks, we played cards, laughed, and shared moments of joy.

This gathering highlighted the importance of coming together to celebrate our achievements and foster connections that inspire continued personal and organizational growth. Moments like these reinforce the importance of mutual support and camaraderie when it comes to realizing our vision for a just and equitable society.

A big part of what we celebrated was the commencement of WCRJ's first-ever Civic Engagement Cohort. Their graduation marks a significant milestone in their journeys into community leadership and active participation in civic life.

This program, which WCRJ piloted this year, aims to develop informed leaders who can advocate for change and build more inclusive democratic processes. By nurturing a sense of civic responsibility, the Cohort initiative encourages members to channel their own civic action into broader community engagement.

Attendees had the opportunity to hear about our Cohort graduates' thoughtful civic engagement capstone projects. Their presentations demonstrated how they are already putting their new skills into action, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow as grassroots leaders!

Building solidarity through honest conversations about immigration

On August 9th and 16th, we held space for the conversation around immigration in Chicago with ourLet's Talk Factsprogram, a partnership with the United African Organization and the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health. Our spirited conversation proved that we have more in common than we realize.

We appreciate everyone who came out for this important conversation!

As myths about immigration spread rapidly- not only in Chicago, but across the nation- it's important to examine the ways in which anti-Black and anti-immigrant rhetoric go hand and hand. At "Let's Talk Facts!", we shared accurate information about immigrant and refugee and organizing. We received positive feedback about the program, and many members felt it was an important topic that needs to be addressed.

We were so glad to see participants' enthusiasm and willingness to share what they had learned with others. It is a testament to the power of education and dialogue. We are hopeful that these conversations will lead to a more informed and united community!

Give 8/28: Thanks to YOU we exceeded our fundraising goal!

August 28 was the 8th Annual #Give828, a dedicated day of giving by and for Black communities. We set a goal to raise $2,500 - and once again, you showed us that our WCRJ family always answers the call to action!

Thanks to more than 40 generous members and supporters, we were able to meet and exceed our goal. In fact, after we announced our results on August 29, even more gifts came in, bringing our total raised up to $3350 - just $200 short of our 2024 #Give828 record. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed on Give828 and/or Juneteenth - thank you for making our summer grassroots fundraising a success! 

Sharing resources makes grassroots organizing work. It is up to us to show up today and contribute what we can to build a more just future. It is a sign of our strength when donors across our communities invest in Black-led organizing!

Member spotlight

We're excited to highlight the work of our comrade and long-time WCRJ leader, Christophe Ringer! Christophe contributed to From Rights to Lives: The Evolution of Black Freedom Struggle, edited by Françoise N. Hamlin and Charles W. McKinney Jr.

As an author, Christophe worked on the second section of this book, titled "Continuity and Change: The Spirituality of Liberation in the Black Lives Matter Movement." He examines the spiritual dimensions of the movement, highlighting how it draws on historical traditions of liberation and activism to address contemporary struggles for justice and equality.

This volume explores the intersection between the Black Lives Matter Movement and the mid-20th century Civil Rights Movement. We encourage you to engage in this critical topic and support the work of Christophe and his colleagues by purchasing the book!

Celebrating another victory for second chances!

We're thrilled to share that WCRJ member David Scott's petition for a Certificate of Good Conduct was granted. Despite previous orders sealing the cases, David's 25-year-old record was continuing to hold him back from achieving stable, sustainable employment.

Formerly incarcerated Illinoisans can obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC) from a judge, which affirms their rehabilitation from past mistakes. This recognition helps them overcome barriers to employment, housing, and more. 

We are grateful for our legal partners at Raise the Floor, who worked tirelessly to get David’s petition granted. Now, David hopes to give back to his community by becoming a school bus driver. 

WCRJ stands firm in our conviction that no one should be denied employment because of a 25-year-old case. Our efforts are still underway to pass the Clean Slate Act, to make second chances real for tens of thousands of people with old records. In the meantime, victories like this remind us that our efforts are worthwhile, and that this policy will change lives for the better.

Meet our new member intern!

We’re so excited to welcome member Beverly Hill as our newest Intern! Beverly will support our research and advocacy for the Clean Slate Campaign.

In this role, she will help to engage the community and system-impacted individuals through political education and policy advocacy. Beverly will also help build out our expungement workshops, intake operations, and other re-entry support by developing a program that connects policy, organizing, and practice.

Having worked with Beverly on our GI campaign, we're glad to have her back on the team to support the fight for true second chances in Illinois.

Thank you for reading this month's Justice Journal!