Live Free Illinois

🚨 Saturday's Public Safety Convening was a success! 🚨

Live Free Illinois members & supporters came together with one powerful message: Law enforcement must be held accountable and transparency is the key to healing for victims of gun violence.

We're not stopping here! Join us and our partners, stakeholders, faith leaders, and church coalitions as we push for legislation to reshape policing. 📢

🔜 Mark your calendars for October’s Clearance Rate Listening Session—it’s going to be impactful, insightful, and powerful. Stay tuned! 💡

🚨 Chicago's faith leaders speak out on gun violence prevention! 🚨

In yesterday’s , Rabbi Seth Limmer, Rev. Otis Moss III, Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, and Rev. Michael Pfleger call for transparency in Chicago's violence reduction efforts.

Key points:
• Where is the $100 million for anti-violence programs going?
• Need for a permanent Office of Gun Violence Reduction
• Demand for clear allocation of funds and regular reporting

Read their full analysis on this critical issue facing our city. Let's work together to hold our leaders accountable and make Chicago safer.

To read the op-ed visit:https://bit.ly/ChicagoTribuneOpEdLFIAugust2024

Faith leaders: A gun violence prevention office could make a difference in Chicago There is reason for hope that this fall in Chicago, a public health approach to reducing gun violence will finally receive serious attention.

🎉 Exciting news! Join us for the Live Free Illinois Statewide Convening 2024: "Building the Revolutionary Church"!

📅 October 25 & 26
📍 APC Morgan Park, 1400 S Vincennes Ave, Chicago, IL

Join 250+ faith leaders and change-makers, featuring special guests:

Rev. Dr. Obery Hendricks - A renowned biblical scholar and author of The Politics of Jesus, Dr. Hendricks explores the revolutionary nature of faith in social justice.

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson - President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund, Dr. Wilson focuses on empowering communities and advocating for marginalized children.

Highlights include:
• Inspiring keynotes
• Engaging workshops
• Networking opportunities

Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and inspire change! Register now at www.livefreeillinois.org

Together, let's build the revolutionary church!

Don’t Forget! 🚨

On August 24th, at the Catalyst Ranch (656 W Randolf) freedom fighters, survivors, and community leaders will gather to uplift and advance Live Free Illinois' work on clearance rates and police accountability. Our policy and organizing team has been working tirelessly alongside victims, survivors, and the Illinois state legislature to address the trauma of unsolved homicides, where clearance rates remain inconsistent.

Together, we’re transforming hurting communities into oases of healing and holding law enforcement accountable. If you’re committed to this critical work, RSVP now and join us from 11:00am to 1:00pm on the 24th!

🔗 Sign up at bit.ly/clearancerates24 to let us know you’re coming. See you soon! ✊🏾

🎉 Congratulations, Rev. Stephen Thurston! 🎉

We are excited to congratulate our board member, Rev. Stephen Thurston, II on being named the 4th Pastor of New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church!

Your leadership continues a remarkable legacy, and we look forward to the great things God will accomplish through you.

"We keep seeing new strategies and new ideas to violence prevention in Chicago, but none that are long-lasting or that are sticking—none that can actually be a successful long-term solution.” - Artinese Myrick, Live Free Illinois Policy and Organizing Director

To read the full article, visit bit.ly/3M89zdB to learn more.. 📖

This week, Live Free Illinois, together with faith leaders and community organizers, gathered at the DuSable Museum for a press conference ahead of the CCPSA Special Hearing on the Office of Gun Violence Reduction. Mayor Brandon Johnson has committed to meeting with us next month!

Together, we are dedicated to addressing gun violence and advocating for community safety. Join us in making a difference!

The CCPSA Special Hearing on the Office of Gun Violence Reduction is happening today! We’ve worked hard to get here—now it’s time to make our voices count.

Let’s stand together and demand Chicago's mayoral administration to and create safer communities. Be a part of the movement today—your support is crucial! ✊

🚨 Heads up! 🚨

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for tomorrow! We’re making history together at the CCPSA Special Hearing on the Office of Gun Violence Reduction. Let’s continue our push to and ensure our communities can thrive.

Stay tuned—this is a moment you won’t want to miss! ✊

[Repost]: Our Executive Director Ciera Bates-Chamberlain and Live Free Illinois attended an event with Illinois Governor JB Pritzer a few days ago,

"I’m glad that we were a part of celebrating the removal of another reentry barrier. Let’s pass clean slate legislation next."

🎉 We’ve made history! 🎉 Not only have we secured a date for the CCPSA Public Hearing, but we’re also the FIRST organization to have 2,000 petitions approved and set a Public Hearing on the city’s calendar.

Today, we celebrate this milestone and your unwavering support. But the journey isn’t over—we’re determined to see this through to the finish line. The road ahead won’t be easy, but our purpose is clear: to ensure our communities can thrive without the crippling conditions of violence.

Join us at our next stop—the CCPSA Special Hearing on the Office of Gun Violence Reduction. Together, we’ll amplify the call for THIS mayoral administration to like never before.

Here’s to peacemaking and movement-building! ✊

On August 24th, freedom fighters, survivors, and community leaders are coming together to highlight and advance LFI’s work on clearance rates and police accountability. LFI’s policy and organizing team has been diligently working with victims, survivors, and the Illinois state legislature to address the unresolved trauma of unsolved homicide cases, as clearance rates reporting remains inconsistent.
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Through this work, we aim to transform hurting communities into oasis of healing and harmony, with law enforcement held accountable. If you are committed to this transformative work, register now and join us on the 24th!
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Please use the link in our bio or sign up at bit.ly/clearancerates24 to RSVP and let us know your coming. See you soon!

Join LFI and women's clergy leaders for a prayer vigil for this Wednesday, July 31. Let us lift up her name with grace and come together to support one another in this time of reflection and healing.

Whew! For the last two weeks, Live Free Illinois, along with several congregations throughout Chicago, have been on a journey to the Promised Land where Peace reigns in the streets. 🌟 In just one week, we gathered 2,737 petitions demanding a Public Hearing so the CCPSA can hear from the people of Chicago about the need for a Mayor’s Office of Gun Violence Reduction.

We are proud to announce that our Public Hearing is set for August 14th! 🗓️ This means our marathon continues, and we must pick up the pace to win! 🏃🏽‍♂️🏃🏿‍♀️

To win and finally Fund Peace, we need:
a. Every victim and survivor of gun violence to speak out!
b. Every pastor in high crime neighborhoods to attend the hearing and bring their congregations.
c. To pray both on our knees and on our feet! 🙏🏾

We can do this… if we do this together! ✊🏾 More info on the hearing is forthcoming!

Join us in wishing Titus Bryant, our South Side Congregational Organizer, a Happy Birthday! We hope you have an amazing day and thank you for all you do! 💛🎊🎉

We NEED an Office of Gun Violence Reduction NOW!

https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1487467

Calls grow for Johnson to address gun violence with new office Chicago faith leaders are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson to create an office of gun violence reduction.

Join us in wishing our amazing Director of Operations, Lori Radder Spicer, a Happy Birthday! We hope you have an awesome day, and thank you so much for all you do! 💛🎊🎉

📢 Exciting news! Today, we release our comprehensive report, “What’s the Plan? Analyzing Chicago’s Gun Violence Reduction Strategy.” 📑 Live Free leaders gathered at City Hall this morning for a press conference to highlight the findings and discuss our ongoing efforts to establish a permanent Office of Gun Violence Reduction by ordinance.

Check out the report at www.livefreeillinois.org/ogvr-analysis (or visit the link in our bio), and join us as we continue to fight for a safer Chicago for all!

Join us in wishing a Happy *belated Birthday to Live Free Illinois board member, Rev. Stephen J. Thurston! We hope you had/have a wonderful day, and thank you for all you do! 💛🎊🎉

🌟 During this month of gun violence prevention, let's remember that prevention starts long before a tragic incident occurs. For many of us raised in communities affected by gun violence, our survival is thanks to the love, guidance, and mentorship we've received.

Survivors, whether directly or indirectly impacted, it's crucial we show gratitude to those who revealed our potential for good. We honor those who saved us by investing in the youth of our communities.

As we focus on the best strategies for prevention, we celebrate and show gratitude for those organizations, elders, mentors, and community members who loved us enough to expose our capacity for good. 💪❤️

Happy Juneteenth Live Free Family! Let us continue to push towards freedom for all people. ✊🏾♥️

🚨 Just a few days left until our Q2 Statewide Meeting on Addressing Gun Violence!

This is a crucial gathering to discuss strategies, share insights, and strengthen our community efforts against gun violence. Your voices are vital for driving the change we need.

📅 Date: Thursday, June 20th, 2024
🕒 Time: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. CST
📍 Location: [Virtual Event] - The Zoom meeting link will be sent upon registering!

🔗 Please visit bit.ly/Q2Statewide2024 to RSVP.

Don't forget to RSVP and let us know you're coming! Together, we can make a difference.

Let's unite for a safer, stronger community. See you there! 🙌🏽

continues to grapple with gun violence, with each new administration unveiling plans to tackle the issue. On Dec 14, 2023, the Johnson Administration introduced “The People’s Plan for Public Safety” – the third major initiative in four years. Despite these efforts, the city's struggle persists due to inconsistent implementation and oversight.

Since 2016, the Faith Coalition, led by our Executive Director, Rev. Ciera Bates-Chamberlain and Live Free Illinois, has tirelessly advocated for lasting change. The Solution? Establishing an Office of Gun Violence Prevention by city ordinance. This office would ensure continuous, accountable, and well-funded efforts to reduce violence in our communities.

It's time for a structured and enduring approach. Let's support initiatives that promise real and lasting impact! 🙌🏽