What will the ECPS Ordinance do? What is the community commission on public safety? What are district councils? How does the ordinance create an opportunity for additional democratic reform?

The United States Presidential Election is November 5, 2024. Want to learn more? Check out our resource page for voting in Chicago here.

The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and more than 400 signers, represented by the law firm Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. and the ACLU of Illinois, filed an amicus brief supporting the Pretrial Fairness Act.

On January 15, 2023, a diverse mix of congregations gathered at the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ in Evanston for an interfaith service to celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This MLK service was more than a celebration of a civil rights leader. It marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights and reparations.

Profiles of influential figures in Black history for Black History Month, including Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Bayard Rustin, among others.

For those of us who have been doing police accountability and police reform work for some time, the answer seems clear: policing in this country is a racist and white supremacist institution founded to perpetuate violence upon black bodies, and it continues to function that way today.

Community Renewal Society shares in the deep sorrow and loss of our beloved comrade and sojourner in faith, Rev. Jamie D. Hawley.

Today we mourn the passing of a leader and trailblazer in social justice movement, Charlene Mitchell.

Read this article to learn about a National Day of Racial Healing celebration and healing circles hosted by Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Greater Chicago. Be sure to register for these events!

The Pretrial Fairness Act, a provision of the SAFE-T Act that would eliminate the use of cash bail in Illinois, was halted by an Illinois Supreme Court decision on December 31, 2022.

To clarify the status of the SAFE-T Act, the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice drafted a letter explaining next steps in the legislation’s implementation. Read the letter here.

Here is a letter of support for the implementation of the SAFE-T Act on January 1, 2023 from the Cook County Public Defenders Office signed by Kim Foxx and Toni Preckwinckle.

As the nature of the Israeli apartheid regime becomes more and more apparent to the outside world and the rightward shift in Israel becomes harsher and more indefensible, false charges of antisemitism have increased. Learn more here.

We are pleased to share this summary of recently enacted amendments to Illinois’ Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act (SAFE-T Act) from the Safer Foundation.

Arguments against voting rights restoration have no merit. I hear all the time that incarcerated Americans don’t deserve to have a voice in their community. As a mother, you always deserve a voice to advocate for your children and the community they call home.

During the last day of the recent veto sessions, Springfield legislators finally approved changes to the Pretrial Fairness Act that were intensely debated by lawmakers in order relieve the public’s concerns of this controversial bill. Learn about the amendment and ways to advance the Pretrial Fairness Act here.

The Chicago Consent Decree Coalition released a statement on their decision to boycott the sham search warrant “Advisory Group.” Read the statement here.

More than 400 community advocates rallied at the State capitol in support of ending money bond in Illinois. Read a press release from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice that highlights the importance of the Pretrial Fairness Act and what this legislation means for communities.

CRS staff and more than 400 people from all across Illinois spoke to legislators and attended a rally where organizers and clergy spoke with passion about the moral mandate for people of faith to advocate for the most vulnerable in our community and to protect the Pretrial Fairness Act.

Community Renewal Society announced that a highly regarded Chicago area news leader has been named to the top spot at The Chicago Reporter. L. Nicole Trottie will take the helm as publisher. The announcement builds on a strategic plan to guide the future of Chicago’s top nonprofit investigative news organization.