In an April 25 forum co-sponsored by the Puerto Rican Agenda, the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, the Puerto Rican Bar Association and the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, Rolando Emmanuelli Jiménez and Jessica Méndez Colberg presented to a receptive group of community leaders, lawyers and judges their “David” battle against the “Goliath” Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (“la junta”).

From their mighty two-lawyer office in Ponce, they recently succeeded in the First Circuit Court of Appeals, Aurelius Inv., LLC v. Puerto Rico, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 4645, which found unconstitutional the appointments of the seven board members. At the same time, they are opposing the junta’s application for a stay and its petition for a reversal at the U.S. Supreme Court level, Rolando and Jessica are litigating four other cases also challenging the constitutionality of PROMESA.

While they work in the courts, their main preoccupation is with the colonial nature of PROMESA and its devastating economic consequences for the people of Puerto Rico.

The legal community and others in the diaspora have much to offer our valiant colleagues, in the way of assisting with legal research and otherwise collaborating – and we have much to learn from them. Contact Rolando at rolando@emmanuelli.law, http://bufete-emmanuelli.com/.

On March 28th, the Mass Defense Committee hosted a CLE on restorative justice and abolition, to an overflowing room of more than 50 participants. Emmanuel Andre of Circles and Ciphers was in discussion with Page May of Assata’s Daughters, and Sharlyn Grace of the Chicago Community Bond Fund moderated.

Starting out with defining restorative justice and abolition, Andre said restorative justice requires “switching the lens,” because it should not be program-based but how we approach the world, with a focus on addressing harm and what’s needed for people to be whole again. May named that “abolition is a project of Black liberation specifically.” She said that to abolish the prison industrial complex (PIC) it is necessary to abolish anti-blackness; to critique the PIC one must critique capitalism and settler-colonialism.

The speakers touched on much of they day-to-day work of building an abolitionist world, including tasks that are less glamorous and visible. May said “abolition is not tomorrow” and both speakers advised the audience of action steps they can take now as part of an abolitionist vision. May emphasized the importance of creating counter-narratives on prisons and police, with actions such as disrupting racism at CAPS meetings or putting signs up saying “We DON’T call police.” Andre’s closing advice included, “Build relationships, not institutions. Don’t leave your imagination behind.”

NLG Chi Newsletter 2019 1Q

Photo: Artists for Action Chicago

Celebrate May Day in the city where it began — at our annual gathering where workers, organizers and friends unite and party!

Join two local organizations working toward justice and dignity for our annual celebration of International Workers’ Day. Latino Union of Chicago is joining with our local chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild to bring you a May Day event of unprecedented proportions: food! music! drinks! dancing! Abolish the Gang Database! Law for the People! The venue is ADA wheelchair accessible, and child care will be provided.