A Message from the NLG Chicago Board
As 2023 comes to an end, we think of the lives lost in Palestine and the large numbers of people facing state repression for their support of the Stop Cop City movement. While our hearts are heavy, there is so much giving us hope as we move into 2024.
Across the world, we have borne witness to massive demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Throughout the U.S., environmentalists and abolitionists have joined together to resist the destruction of the Atlanta forest and construction of Cop City. And right here in Illinois, we have seen the number of people incarcerated pretrial drop dramatically with the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act.
We hope you enjoy our review of the work NLG Chicago engaged in this year and that you will consider making a donation as we build towards our efforts to provide legal support for those protesting the Democratic and Republican Presidential conventions next summer.
In solidarity,
The NLG Chicago Board
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Mass Defense Program
Chicago’s movements for social justice kept us busy this year! NLG Chicago’s legal observers covered more than 70 actions in 2023. More than a quarter of those actions were in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We also covered a large number of climate and reproductive protests as well as Stop Cop City events.
Our Mass Defense members provided action consults to numerous organizers and have assisted in coordinating legal support for more than 200 people arrested at protests this year. Over the summer, we published a Know Your Rights Guide for Chicago Activists and have provided trainings at the PO Box Collective and Community Books.
Advocacy & Solidarity Efforts
Throughout 2023, NLG Chicago stood in solidarity with justice movements by drafting and signing on to amicus briefs, campaigns, letters, as well as partnering in research. Here are just a few of those efforts.
Amicus for Mike Brown and Rekia Boyd IACHR Cases
On the ninth anniversary of Michael Brown’s murder, NLG Chicago filed an amicus brief in support of petitions filed by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law. The brief and petitions were filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in support of the families of Mike Brown and Rekia Boyd seeking justice for the police murders of their loved ones through international law.
NLG Chicago has supported actions demanding justice for the murder of Rekia Boyd for over a decade. We were honored to have the opportunity to file this brief in support of that fight as we continue to stand in solidarity with Rekia’s family and all those demanding accountability from the Chicago Police.
Palestine Solidarity
In addition to providing legal support for protests, NLG Chicago has signed onto a number of letters in solidarity with the Palestinian people. NLG Chicago signed onto letters to Sen. Durber and Sen. Duckworth demanding a ceasefire, a letter from more than 600 legal advocates demanding action to stop the unlawful and racist targeting of Palestine advocates, as well as a letter to the ABA urging them to combat the censorship and discrimination against those voicing solidarity with Palestine.
On Saturday, November 18th, thousands of people gathered in Grant Park for a rally organized by Coalition for Justice in Palestine. After a group of demonstrators shut down DuSable Lake Shore Drive in an act of civil disobedience, Chicago Police brutally attacked attendees. NLG Chicago issued a statement condemning the excessive use of force.
Since October, we have dispatched legal observers to more than 20 Palestine solidarity actions across Cook County and coordinated legal support for more than 200 people facing charges stemming from these demonstrations.
Partnership with the International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
NLG Chicago is working with the International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) at the University to write a report documenting the human rights violations caused by the implementation and use of the CBP One Mobile Application. We are currently collecting information about issues and concerns of legal advocates and social service workers with this survey which we are asking for NLG members to help circulate.
Public Education
In 2023, NLG Chicago helped organize five public education events and spoke to more than 100 people. We hosted CLEs on the book ban at Cook County Jail, the Pretrial Fairness Act and how attorneys can advocate with their incarcerated clients. We hosted two know your rights trainings and participated in a teach-in on the Stop Cop City prosecutions organized by the NLG chapter at Loyola University.
2023 Annual Celebration Honorees
More than 100 NLG Chicago supporters came together at Haymarket House for our annual celebration.
We marked the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act by honoring Cook County Public Defender Sharone R. Mitchell, Jr., Sharlyn Grace, and Sarah Staudt with the Arthur Kinoy People’s Law Award. Working alongside dozens of community organizations in the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, these three movement lawyers led the policy team made Illinois the first state in the country to end the use of money bond!
Jennifer Soble of Illinois Prison Project was honored with the Trailblazer award for her amazing work as the founder and Executive Director of the Illinois Prison Project! Since starting the organization in 2019, Jennifer has led IPP’s work in freeing more than 100 people from the Illinois Department of Corrections, saving these individuals from more than 1,000 years of incarceration.
Our annual event is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Thanks to your support, we were able to raise more than $11,000! We’ll be back at Haymarket for our 2024 annual event on September 28th. Save the date!
Looking Ahead
As 2023 comes to a close, we are resting up and getting ready for what is sure to be an action packed 2024. Next year, Chicago will host the Democratic National Convention and Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention. Our members are currently working to create the infrastructure needed to provide legal support to protesters in Chicago and working with NLG members in Wisconsin to do the same. We’re also gearing up to host our first midwest NLG convention since the pandemic.
To make all this possible, we need your support. Your donations will help pay for our part-time staff, office space, more green hats for our legal observers as well as covering the cost of the travel and infrastructure needed to support demonstrators at the 2024 conventions.
Please consider becoming a sustaining donor or making a one time donation to help ensure we can continue our work throughout 2024.
