I Will Help

4 Chicago Police Officers Fired In Alleged Cover-up For Jason Van D**e

Nearly five years after Chicago Police Officer Jason Van D**e shot 16 rounds into teenager Laquan McDonald, a city panel voted nearly unanimously Thursday night to fire a sergeant and three other veteran officers, accusing them of betraying their duty by “outright lying or shading the truth.”

wbez.org Years after the imprisoned Chicago cop shot Laquan McDonald, the city dismisses four veteran officers for false reports about the shooting.

Chicago's Pride Parade is today! 🏳️‍🌈🎈🏳️‍🌈🎈

Gathering together shows our physical support of love and inclusion. Consider also financially supporting the LGBTQ community by donating to an LGBTQ support agency.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜
The HRC seeks to improve the lives of LGBTQ Americans by advocating for equal rights and benefits at home, at work and in every community Human Rights Campaign

Ida B. Wells, born a slave in Mississippi, was a civil rights activist in the mid-1880s. An investigative journalist she uncovered and documented in meticulous detail the violence of lynching. She founded the first African-American women’s group that advocated for their right to vote. She lived and advocated for nearly 40 years in Chicago, where tonight, an African-American woman was elected Mayor.

Maps and voting results.
Geek-out 😎🤓😎🤓

See where your candidate under-performed and consider volunteering there to help them spread their message.

Election map time! City Bureau developer/wizard Pat Sier created interactive maps that go down to precinct level, display density of votes and filter by candidate—for mayoral AND ward races. See them all here: https://www.citybureau.org/2019-election

How Often Did Your Alderman Show Up To Work At City Hall?

Who's really showing up???

wbez.org If City Council gave out attendance grades, most of its members would get a D. Before you vote Tuesday, see how your alderman stacks up.

Illinois House passes $15 minimum wage bill

"The $15 Minimum Wage bill just passed in the house and is going to Pritzker’s desk for signing. The bill will raise the minimum wage incrementally from the current $8.25 an hour to $9.25 an hour on Jan. 1, 2020. The wage would be raised to $10 an hour that July, then $1 a year every year until 2025. This is a big victory for working families in Illinois and all of the organizations who fought for it." Reclaim Chicago

week.com SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WEEK) -- A proposal to raise the Illinois minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 is headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk. The Illinois

Ohio city to stop observing Columbus Day, make Election Day holiday instead

Ohio, for the win 👏👏

thehill.com Officials in the city of Sandusky, Ohio, have decided that the city will no longer observe Columbus Day as a holiday, switching it for Election Day.

"This is how we heal the root causes of violence and trauma."

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION: Meco, one of the young men we work with, was recently released from prison without any form of identification. Lack of identification is one of the biggest barriers our community faces, holding people back from getting jobs or government benefits. We estimate that on average, it takes 6 months and $300 for someone to get an ID when they've started from scratch. This Saturday, with the help of our rockstar volunteer Alexandra, Meco finally got his ID! Not only did Meco get an ID, but he will start his new job on Sunday. We are so excited and proud of all his hard work to move his life forward! This is how we heal the root causes of violence and trauma.

Everything you need to know to vote in Chicago on Feb. 26th

🚨🚨CHICAGO ELECTIONS, Feb. 26 🚨🚨

How will your city taxes be spent?
How is police misconduct treated?
How can we lift up our communities?

Learn your candidates--> Cast an informed vote
Mayor - Aldermen - City Clerk - City Treasurer

At Chi.Vote go ward-by-ward, candidate-by-candidate, and issue-by-issue through the municipal election guide.

The Chi.vote Collective is a new group of nonpartisan media and civic organizations creating content and tools of accessibility around city elections - to foster a safer, more prosperous, more equitable and more connected Chicago.
Founding Collective partners Better Government Association, Block Club Chicago, The Chicago Reporter,
The Daily Line and The TRiiBE South Side Weekly

https://chi.vote

chi.vote No matter if you’re a rookie voter or a veteran, we have everything you need.

Elephant Seals Took Over a Beach During the Shutdown and They’re Not Giving it Back

The government shutdown actually accomplished something 😏🌍🌊

motherboard.vice.com Just keep it.

Indigenous Women Are Using Facebook to Make Sure Their Disappearance Will Be Investigated

We need a criminal justice system that values the lives of indigenous women.

psmag.com It is a travesty that we're not fully investigating the disappearance of indigenous women—whether or not they lived model lives.

Iowa 'fetal heartbeat' abortion restriction declared unconstitutional, struck down by Polk County judge

Respecting the constitution and the rights of women. 👏👏
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2019/01/22/iowa-fetal-heartbeat-abortion-law-struck-down-injunction-planned-parenthood-supreme-court-fetus/2650491002/

desmoinesregister.com Court rules Iowa's fetal heartbeat law, the strictest abortion limit in the country, is unconstitutional and 'permanently enjoined' from implementation.

Cards Against Humanity Stops the Wall

Saving America with six days of incredible stunts and surprises.
🤚🤚
Day One, they used donated money to purchase a plot of vacant land on the US/Mexico border and retain a law firm specializing in eminent domain to make it as time-consuming and expensive as possible for Trump to build his preposterous wall

cardsagainsthumanitystopsthewall.com Last month, 150,000 people paid us $15 to save America. Today, we used that money to purchase a plot of vacant land on the US/Mexico border.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson’s Long Record of Justifying Police Misconduct and Shootings

If we're not talking about it, we're not working towards a solution.

According to the Intercept's investigation, CPD Supt Eddie Johnson has shown a pattern and history of covering up and justifying police misconduct, including Dante Servin's killing of 22-year old Rekia Boyd.

Least we forget that just last year the DOJ declared that “the (CPD's) failure to review and investigate officer use of force has helped create a culture in which officers expect to use force and not be questioned about the need for or propriety of that use.”

theintercept.com Superintendent Eddie Johnson’s career in the Chicago Police Department raises troubling questions about the future of police reform in the city.

Ilhan Omar: Why Advocating for Palestine is Not Anti-Semitic | Muslim Girl

muslimgirl.com This past week, the U.S. midterms made history, electing an unprecedented wave of women leaders tasked with taking back our democracy.  Amongst them is 36-year-old Ilhan Omar, elected to Minnesota’s 5th congressional district. Omar, a Black Muslim woman and a Somali-American refugee, has made hi...

By definition, there will be more people who lose elections, than will win. There will be hundreds of thousands of volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, distributed literature, etc, for their preferred candidates, who will be on the losing side. ➖Participation in our democratic process makes our democracy stronger. ➖ Thank you to everyone who ran or worked behind the scenes.

The role of Judge carries immense responsibility. ⚖

There will be at least 60 judges on your Cook County ballot today. See a quick Bar Associations' recommendation guide at 1st link, with more extensive descriptions at 2nd link.
http://voteforjudges.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Summary-of-evaluation-results-11.5-version-2.pdf

https://www.injusticewatch.org/interactives/judicial-guide/printversion.html

Chicago Appleseed Injustice Watch

voteforjudges.org

Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago (ECAC)

Please help familes in need this winter by donating new or used winter clothing. Help us share the warmth!!

Naperville District 203 will oppose a push by rural schools to arm teachers

Democracy doesn't hear just the voice of voters.🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️
"Impassioned words from . . . eighth-graders likely will be incorporated into Naperville School District 203’s statement to the Illinois Association of School Boards as to why arming teachers or staff is a bad idea."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-203-say-no-to-guns-st-1017-story.html

chicagotribune.com A standing-room only crowd packed the Naperville District 203 school board meeting Monday to urge members to oppose an Illinois Association of School Boards proposal for legislation allowing schools to arm staff to protect students.

Yesterday's was an important reenergizing. 🔥🔥 We are still here. We are still watching.

There's still plenty of time to volunteer for the midterm candidates you care about. And plenty of time to study your ballot and be an .

Donte Palmer advocates for changing tables in men's rooms.
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Gender equality does not mean that women and men have to become the same, but that their opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.

Justice Ginsburg "[We need to] tear down those barriers so a woman or a man could pursue whatever path in life they had the God given talent to pursue." Credited for making significant legal advances for women's rights, also litigated for men's rights, e.g., Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld, Califano v.Goldfarb, noting that gender discrimination is bad for everyone.
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Today is the voter registration deadline for many states. Check https://vote.gov/ for how to register TODAY!

Windy City Friends of Refugees

Winter Warmth Drive: October 18-20, 2018! Winter is approaching quickly and refugees need your help staying warm. That’s why RefugeeOne is having a Winter Warmth drive, where they’re collecting new and gently-used boots, coats, and more for men, women, and children, as well as new winter-weight socks.

Here are 2 ways you can help:
1. DONATE WINTER CLOTHES
Gather your friends, family, coworkers, or faith group to collect donations for the drive. Please wash gently used items.

2. VOLUNTEER
Sign-up to help receive, unpack, and organize donations, or help refugees find coats and boots in their size. Volunteer opportunities are available October 17-26. Click here to sign up for one of these shifts:
https://m.signupgenius.com/ #!/showSignUp/508094ba4af22a7f94-back1

Treasure Island is closing. I blame myself.

Locally owned businesses are important for small and big reasons:

🔴They can be held accountable for what they do well and when they falter. 🔴They hire locally (often giving neighborhood kids their first jobs). 🔴They are important civic allies in neighborhood and city matters. 🔴They build community wealth by keeping assets and profits in our city.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-treasure-island-closing-grocery-store-1002-20181001-story.html

chicagotribune.com News that Chicago's Treasure Island grocery stores are closing is a big loss for loyal customers — and a reminder that supporting local retailers takes action, not words.

Pamela Capalad, Medium . . .
Privilege doesn’t mean you’ve never had to struggle. . . .
Privilege doesn’t mean you don’t work hard. . . .
Privilege doesn’t mean you’ve never had tragedy in your life. . . .
Privilege doesn’t mean you’ve never had to suffer. . . .
Privilege doesn’t mean you haven’t been discriminated against in other ways (including, yes, for being White). . . .
Privilege means there are a lot of things you’ve never had to think twice about that other people have to think about every day. . . .
Privilege means you’ve never had to wonder if you’ve been held back or passed over or treated differently because of your skin color, race, gender, or sexual orientation, or things fundamental to who you are as a person. . . .
Not having to question whether a bank denied you a loan because of your skin color, not having to wonder if your medical needs will be taken seriously as a new mother, not having to wonder whether your cellphone looks to an officer like a deadly weapon. . . .
When POC are sharing their memories of moments where they felt helpless, small, unworthy, and vulnerable, they are not trying to say that white people haven’t suffered. . . .
Systemic inequality and racism is something that CAN get better if POC stories are believed and respected and supported.

The Ride to Vote: Use Lyft to Exercise Your Rights

How can a ride share company support voter turnout???
🚗🚗💨💨
Through this program, Lyft will distribute promo codes for free and discounted rides on election day, to non profits that encourage voter turnout.
🗳🗳
You too can join the effort by helping those non profits distribute these codes to our neighbors who need help getting to polling locations.

blog.lyft.com At Lyft, we’re working to improve lives by connecting people and their communities through the world’s best transportation. This Election Day (Nov. 6), we want to help people across America exercise their right to vote.

Changemaker: Dr. Sylvia Earle – Public Good

"Some have artistic skills, others are good with numbers or have a way with words. Everyone has power to make a difference as an individual, or by joining the company of others who share a common goal. The key is in knowing that what you do matters, including doing nothing!” — Dr. Sylvia Earle

blog.publicgood.com Dr. Sylvia Earle inspires us to work for change. Hopefully she inspires you, too!

Sarah's Circle

https://www.facebook.com/43552967336/posts/10155616787147337/

Got toiletries? We are running very low on toiletries like conditioner, shampoo, and lotion - please share this post and consider donating items at 4838 N Sheridan Rd. Thank you!

Venturing beyond posterboard and reusable!🏳♻️🏳♻️🏳♻️

https://www.facebook.com/542329412627256/posts/807113229482205/

Learn how to make a protest banner in these 11 simple steps.

Images by Aram Han Sifuentes with the assistance of Sarah Whyte.

Another 💯 day, helping at Ginkgo Organic Gardens

Ginkgo Organic Gardens

Are you interested in making a positive impact in Chicago? Join us for one of our workdays (Wednesdays 6:30-dark and Saturdays 9:30-12:30) to in

Juneteenth: 150 Years Ago, Black America Got Its Own Independence Day

Juneteenth, June 19, 1865, is regarded as the day all enslaved people in the nation were finally free. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on Jan. 1, 1863, slavery continued for two more years, before news finally reached the last remaining slavery community in Galveston Island, Texas.

Juneteenth, America’s “Second Independence Day,” is now celebrated around the country. It is officially observed in 43 states and is a state holiday in Texas.

theroot.com In 1865, enslaved Africans on Galveston Island, Texas, had been declared free two years earlier but didn’t know it. With the United States still divided over the institution of slavery and recovering after the Civil War, members of the Confederacy weren’t eager to spread the word.

California judge will lose his job over 6-month sentence in Stanford sexual assault case

In a rare move, California voters did not let this one slide. It is the first successful recall of a California judge since 1932.✊

Citizens used their power to raise the recall issue, raised money to spread the word, got signatures to get his name on the ballot and got the votes to remove him. 📣📣🗳🗳

motherjones.com Voters recall the judge who imposed a short sentence on Brock Turner.

We managed to walk away with some complimentary goodies 🌿🌿 after gardening for 👩‍🌾 Our volunteer work today helps the effort to donate local, fresh produce to Chicagoans who struggle with poverty and illness. 👏👏