01/28/2023
Update: THE CITY HAS POSTPONED TODAY'S MEETING on migrants at Wadsworth.
We build the power of low-income and working Black people in Woodlawn and surrounding neighborhoods We are — and we organize —
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Our mission: To advance economic and social human rights by organizing and developing leadership among people most affected by economic and racial oppression. We have saved over 600 of units of affordable housing, won a trauma center, and much more. tenants, for instance, for a Community Benefits Agreement around the Obama Center
Sign up for our occasional emails at the bottom of STOPchicago.org
Our mission: To advance economic and social human rights by organizing and developing leadership among people most affected by economic and racial oppression. We have saved over 600 of units of affordable housing, won a trauma center, and much more. tenants, for instance, for a Community Benefits Agreement around the Obama Center
Operating as usual
Update: THE CITY HAS POSTPONED TODAY'S MEETING on migrants at Wadsworth.
Our friend and STOP member Benji Hart wrote a fantastic opinion piece on the Mayor’s decision to house migrants in Woodlawn’s Wadsworth Elementary School. Read about it below.
"What would it look like if we recognized the parallels across our shared battles, and offered compassion and support to our displaced comrades instead of hostility?"
Lightfoot’s decision to house migrants in shuttered Woodlawn school without community input should unite us in demanding real investments—not keep us apart
[Update: THE CITY HAS POSTPONED THIS MEETING.]
The City is holding another meeting on their effort to shelter migrants in Woodlawn. It's this Saturday, 1/28, 2:30pm at Hyde Park Academy High School (you can register at chi.gov/WadsworthMeeting) or virtually via chi.gov/WadsworthZoom.
Let's speak up in solidarity with both long-time Woodlawn residents and the potential new residents - migrants! You can read our full perspective on this at stopchicago.org/news/wadsworth
Wadsworth Community Meeting: Sheltering Asylum Seekers
The city government continues to push a false narrative that residents don’t want mental-health clinics reopened. But a referendum to reopen those clinics and to send police-free mental-health emergency response with 93% of the vote! This is a harsh reminder that some elected officials will use the Southside to win votes and then discard us as soon as it's politically convenient.
A majority of candidates hoping to oust Mayor Lori Lightfoot from City Hall’s fifth floor office have pledged to reopen public mental health clinics. Lightfoot said her network of nonprofit Trauma-Informed Centers of Care provide better and more accessible service.
RIGHT NOW: Our leader Ms Diane Adams asks Chicago's mayoral candidates at the People's Unity Platform forum if they'll re-open our City's PUBLIC mental-health centers!
A bus-load of STOP members are thrilled to join the packed house at the Mayoral candidates' forum on the People's Unity Platform! Chicago demands , , and so much more.
Photos from Not Me We's post
A MAJORITY of candidates for 5th Ward alderperson SUPPORT the ordinance to re-open the City's mental-health clinics and have police-free mental-health emergency response.
ALL BUT ONE of the nine candidates at our 5th Ward aldermanic forum - happening now - support the proposed ordinance to help end homelessness.
A MAJORITY of candidates for 5th Ward alderperson OPPOSE AN ELITE NEW GOLF COURSE replacing the current golf courses in Jackson Park - which would also result in the loss of hundreds or thousands of trees.
A MAJORITY of candidates for 5th Ward alderman say the City should set aside its vacant lot at 6rd St and Blackstone Ave for building affordable housing.
A majority of residents in every neighborhood in the 5th Ward are renters. What will our next alderperson do to address the many, many challenges renters face, like rising rents leading to mass displacement of Chicago's working-class Black renters? A packed house is currently hearing candidates answer!
Right now: We and partners are starting our 5th Ward Housing and Development Candidates Forum, Hosted by Not Me We and the CBA Coalition!
We'll be asking candidates questions until 5pm. Come on by South Shore United Methodist and join us : )
Be there or be square.
You may have heard that we lost member Evie Woodson late last year. Read a beautiful reflection by her friend Duff Morton: STOPchicago.org/news/evie
"Evelyn was an activist and she identified as one. She fought for her own freedom by successfully getting herself out of nursing homes – over and over again, for more than ten years. Evelyn didn’t disrespect the doctors and nurses who were worried about her many medical conditions. She also didn’t run away. Instead, she advocated thoughtfully and forcefully for herself, believing in her independence, striving to live as free as she could."
We want to kick off 2023 and follow up on our year-end fundraising message by expressing our gratitude! Last year, so many people made STOP possible: our members, staff, board, partners, allies, heck, even our targets! We get to celebrate so many of you at events like our gala, holiday party, summer barbecue, and hope to see you all back at those this year!
Since we just asked you to give not only your time but your money, we want to dedicate a message to saying thank you to everyone who made STOP possible through their donations last year.
So THANK YOU to the 234 people who made a total of 972 donations to us in 2022. Thanks especially to the 85 of you who donated to us monthly! Because we could count on you every month, we could plan the sustained work we needed to build up to big victories.
We also want to especially thank everyone who gave when it wasn’t so easy to give. Of course big gifts help too, but we are strongest when we all pitch in what we have. Your contributions because you believed – even if you did not have plenty to give – mean the world to us.
Finally, we are deeply appreciative of the groups who gave to us this year. Your backing year after year is fundamental to our movement. Thanks to:
Albert Pick, Jr. Fund
Alternatives, Inc.
Ben & Jerry's Foundation
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago Racial Justice Pooled Fund
Cricket Island Foundation
Crossroads Fund
The Field Foundation of Illinois
RRF Foundation for Aging
Wieboldt Foundation
Woods Fund Chicago
STOP’s tenants, mental-health members, and youth are glad to be going into 2023 with you!
CBS2 Breaking News shows photos of terrible conditions at Wadsworth and shares Southside Together Organizing for Power - STOP statement on conversion of Wadsworth to shelter for asylum seekers.
PLEASE READ OUR FULL STATEMENT AT THE LINK, AND SHARE. Here are excerpts:
Recent weeks have been full of confusion for Woodlawn neighbors as Mayor Lightfoot announced, with little notice and no community input, that Wadsworth Elementary—a school closed under Rahm Emanuel—would be converted into a refuge for asylum seekers.
STOP supports asylum seekers, and all those in need of shelter to our neighborhood.
We are concerned about the safety and long term liveability of our neighborhood, but we know the problem is not new residents arriving.
As the Mayor invests $1.5 million into the rehab of Wadsworth Elementary, we demand that this investment be the start of turning the space into a community resource that can be used after the asylum seekers leave.
Statement by STOP, approved by our board: Recent weeks have been full of confusion for Woodlawn neighbors as Mayor Lightfoot announced, with little notice and no community input, that Wadsworth Elementary—a school closed under Rahm Emanuel—would be converted into a refuge for asylum seekers. The...
Last call for donations for 2022! Give by midnight at STOPchicago.org/donate, or mail us a check via directions at that donate link. Don’t let our fundraiser's cat slip into 2023 without your contribution : )
Make a year-end contribution today! At STOPchicago.org/donate
Tomorrow is the last day for tax-deductible 2022 donations. Our fundraiser and his cats are looking out for your contribution, and grateful if you already made one!
What your support means: STOPchicago.org/news/appeal22
As we close out this year and look to next, will you contribute to our steady growth this year with a donation? Read our 2022 highlights:
As we close out this year and look to next, will you contribute to this growth with a donation? Read our 2022 highlights.
"In the midterm, communities voiced overwhelming support for public mental health centers and crisis responses that don’t involve police."
Read the South Side Weekly's Op-ed about the community's response to the Treatment not Trauma Referendum.
https://southsideweekly.com/op-ed-referendum-results-show-chicago-wants-treatment-not-trauma/
As we look back on this year, we want to recognize the passing of Mattie Butler, who was so important to STOP and Woodlawn.
She supported the residents and students who founded STOP, she served on STOP’s board, and she fought alongside STOP and so many others for the housing that our Black, working-class neighbors need.
Read about her legacy at https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/mattie-butler-woodlawn-housing-advocate-dies-at-79/article_b22f7834-69d7-11ed-aecb-33be2826b8ac.html
✨☃️ REMINDER☃️✨
Our annual Christmas party is this Friday, December 16th at Experimental Station, 6100 S Blackstone, 7-10pm.
We will serve dinner foods but bring drinks and dessert to share if you wish!
Hope to see you there! ☃️🎄🎁
Earlier this month, we gathered over 40 high-school students and many adults at Woodlawn's public Hyde Park Academy High School for a Peace Summit.
We processed two traumas from school year already: the murder of student Kanye Perkins, who had been enrolled at Hyde Park Academy before transferring to a neighboring school; and the shooting of a current Hyde Park Academy student. We also heard from inspiring speakers on restorative justice -- "justice that heals." And we connected with resources like programs for youth.
We must end cycles of harm in our community, and we must end the school-to-prison pipeline!
We're grateful for our restorative-justice coordinator, Anna Durr, for imagining and organizing this profound event.
Rally with us because Chicago elections are next February!
Join us, Grassroots Collaborative, and other groups from across the city to call for the progressive, bottom-up policies that we need our next mayor and alderpeople to support. Like re-opened clinics and police-free mental-health emergency response -- !
Rally with us this Saturday, December 17 at 11am at the Thompson Center in the loop (100 W Randolph). bit.ly/puplaunch
We're sad to share that long-time member Evelyn Woodson died on November 30. She fought for justice widely, for instance with not only us but Access Living.
She'd been sick for months, and almost made it to age 65. Her funeral will be this Sunday -- her birthday -- at 2pm at St. Thomas Lutheran Church.
Our tenant leaders in buildings run by the East Lake company, like seniors Ms Celestine and Ms Hightower, told the press that they and their fellow tenants must not still be shut out of their housing complexes' community rooms! We and the EastLake Tenants Union demand: tenants must be allowed to gather (and to organize!).
See us on the news! abc7chicago.com/east-lake-management-chicago-covid-senior-living-apartments/12541500
When we announced this press conference, East Lake announced in only one of their many buildings that they would finally re-open community rooms, only during business hours. So we know that our actions are having an effect, and we know that East Lake is still being as stingy and oppressive as it can get away with.
"They said they don't want people to congregate, but we don't have a place in the building to meet," said Renee Celestine. STOP leaders Ms Celestine and Ms Hightower REPRESENTED TODAY!!! East Lake Tenants are standing up demanding their community room be reopened and tenants' rights to organize be respected.
Residents of East Lake Management senior living buildings protested to demand the company re-open the community rooms in their buildings.
Today we are standing in solidarity w ABLA home residents and Lugenia Burns Hope Center who are protesting billionaire Joe Mansueto of Morningstar who is getting public housing land for the Chicago Fire. Lori Lightfoot apprived this and just got a $25k donation from Joe Mansueto. That ain’t right!
TONIGHT on WTTW: check out Southside Together Organizing for Power - STOP’s very own Savannah Brown on CBA, and the fight to stop displacement in Woodlawn and South Shore
This Saturday, join us to weigh in on some big questions about our next steps as an organization!
The 6th Ward showed up for at the polls, with 97.37% of the 13th Precinct, 98.63% of the 25th Precinct, and 100% of the 15th Precinct voting YES to reopen all of the closed mental health centers in support of a city-wide crisis response program that dispatches mental health professionals and an EMT to mental health emergency calls -- NOT cops.
It's the final hour to get a ticket for our gala!
Our event is almost full, so ticket sales close at midnight. stopchicago.org/news/gala
But you can always sponsor or make a donation : ) stopchicago.org/news/sponsor and stopchicago.org/donate
Dinner, bar, program, music. At Chicago Theological Seminary, 1407 E 60th. It’s the 2022 Masquerade Gala: Steppin’ Out with STOP . Come, or sponsor !
Photos from Pilsen Alliance's post
great work by Shanna Landheart and tenant leaders putting the 🔥🔥on East Lake Management
A group of residents who have formed the “East Lake Tenants Union” urged Chicago officials to rethink giving contracts to East Lake Management until improvements are made in their buildings.
There is so much to celebrate and support about STOP. Think about it... Low-income, Black residents of Woodlawn are leading the fight against the racism and dis-investment that devastates communities in America's third-largest city.
We've made our mayor prioritize affordable housing near the Obama Center, we've pioneered restorative justice in schools, and more.
So support our gala and all our organizing! Donate, get tickets, get a table, or sponsor today: stopchicago.org/news/gala. The gala is Friday, October 28, 7-11pm, 1407 E 60th. And THANK YOU to so many for already contributing!
Dinner, bar, program, music. At Chicago Theological Seminary, 1407 E 60th. It’s the 2022 Masquerade Gala: Steppin’ Out with STOP . Come, or sponsor !
Calling all members: take the next step with STOP as an organization, by talking about our direction and learning about our leadership!
STOP'S ANNUAL PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY is Saturday, November 19, at 10:30am, at a Woodlawn space we'll announce. Mark your calendars. (This is rescheduled from earlier this year.)
Photos from Defund CPD Campaign's post
Thanks to our FLDA friends for this victory!
A People’s Victory! Activists and lawyers have forced the Chicago police to end a decades-old practice of denying people their right to a phone call and attorneys while in police custody. These rights are now guaranteed to all Chicago detainees.
The case arose out of widespread legal violations during the 2020 uprising following the murder of George Floyd.
Clients include Black Lives Matter Chicago Cook County Public Defender's Office GoodKids MadCity the CollectiveNational Lawyers Guild of Chicago Southside Together Organizing for Power - STOPUMedics and we worked with lawyers at The Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center and the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School on this case.
CPD is installing phones and private rooms in every police station for attorney consultations by phone and must also comply with IL law requiring that people in custody be able to communicate with family and lawyers in a timely manner and no longer than 3 hours after being placed in custody.
These are massive changes to the rights arrestees have on arrest.
602 E 61st Street
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Ran into Mayor Lightfoot today on our way to deliver her Valentines demanding she set aside lots near the Obama Center for affordable housing.
Tahiti, Trina and Dixon from Not Me We breaking down why we need a #CBAnow for South Shore, they’re giving a voice and a face to those who are are risk of being pushed out by the development around the Obama Center.
Today the CBA Coalition is following the lead of Not Me We as we announce demands for protections for South Shore Residents who are at risk of displacement by development coming around the Obama Center.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez a fierce leader in the fight for Public Mental Health Clinics on the historic expansion of public clinic staff and why its not enough!
Cheryl Miller, STOPs Public Health Organizer is breaking down the historic expansion of public mental Heath devices that was won in the City Budget today. And she makes clear that it’s not enough and that we have more work to do!
CPS students are taking over the street outside of BOE headquarters RIGHT NOW demanding that they vote #copsoutcps on Wednesday
In case you missed it, check out some highlights from last month's virtual town hall celebrating the CBA win! Hear details on the exact terms of the proposal, as well as community feedback on what comes next.
Today we celebrate a major victory. We have won an agreement on the CBA Housing Ordinance to stop displacement around the Obama Center. Read the CBA Coalition’s full statement below: After 5 years of hard fought struggle, the Obama CBA Coalition and allies have won an agreement on the CBA Housing Ordinance. This is one of the most significant and aggressive affordable housing policies won in Chicago’s recent memory. As it stands, this ordinance has the potential to stop the displacement of thousands of low income and working class Black residents who live near the future Obama Presidential Center. This comes at a time when we find ourselves facing crises on multiple fronts: the health and economic crisis of COVID-19 and the crisis of systemic racism. Systemic racism put nearly 10,000 black people at risk of being pushed out of Woodlawn, the neighborhood home to the imminent Obama Presidential Center. The same people who are essential to our city in the fight to survive COVID-19 are also many of the folks who make less than $50,000 a year. They are restaurant workers, homecare workers, grocery clerks and delivery drivers. As Woodlawn residents continue to fight for their lives in this pandemic, this ordinance comes as a welcome reprieve in the fight to keep a roof over their heads. The CBA Housing Ordinance will set aside 52 vacant lots for real affordable housing, it will create a rehab program to preserve real affordable housing, it will give tenants the first right to purchase their homes if the owner decides to sell, it will provide grant money to help working class homeowners make repairs, and provide grant money for working class people to access homeownership. Make no mistake, this ordinance is not perfect; it does not answer all of our demands. The city is aware that there are still amendments that we will continue to push such as a right to return. This amendment will allow recently displaced Woodlawn residents to be given preference for newly built
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