What's up at STOP? Our member groups update.
We usually post about activities coming up for you. But we want to try "pulling back the curtain," telling you what our three member groups have been up to we last wrote.
Chicago Tenants Council
Our backbone is tenants (renters) from subsidized complexes around Woodlawn, whose tenant associations we organize -- especially with our two newest organizers, who first joined STOP as tenant leaders!
For instance, our Porsché Patrice has been organizing Island Terrace across from the Obama Center, and its 240 apartments (on 21 stories!). She's helping it transition to new tenant-association officers. And our Ms Marilyn Harper has been organizing Woodlawn Park's Grover Parc Tenant Association and its several buildings on Cottage Grove Ave.
They've been educating tenants about their rights, association responsibilities, and how to build confidence and power to engage property management. Our tenant leaders gather monthly to support each other and campaigns like our Community Benefits Agreement. Check out the photo of them last month!
Mental Health Movement
Building on our decade-plus campaigning to re-open public clinics, we've been doubling down on our organizing with the Collaborative for Community Wellness coalition for the Treatment Not Trauma campaign -- to replace police with clinicians responding to mental-health emergencies, and to shift resources to re-open all the public clinics the City has closed!
This summer, we've focused on a getting a referendum on Treatment Not Trauma in key wards in November's election. To do this, we must get voters to sign a petition telling officials to put the referendum on the ballot. After dozens of shifts of volunteers in the heat knocking on doors seeking signatures, we'll turn in our petitions to the Chicago Board of Elections this Monday, 8/8!
Finally, we've been bringing people we meet into the campaign. If you live in the 6th ward, join our next community meeting on Saturday, August 20 at the Whitney Young library at 10:30am. Check out the photo of some 6th warders at our 7/30 meeting!
Social-Justice Club of Hyde Park Academy
Our annual summer youth program has been in full swing, with youth learning about what it means to be an organizer, how to fight ageism, and more. They'll culminate with a capstone presentation at their high school's Local School Council meeting, where the youth will explain why “SRO” police officers should not be in Hyde Park Academy or any school.
Show up for their presentation! It’s August 8 at 5:30pm. Join at 5710 S Woodlawn Ave or virtually - email ling@stopchicago.org and dia@stopchicago.org for the link or phone number. Check out the photo of the youth earlier this summer!