Town hall on city AND STATE non-police response! This Tues., 5/25, 5-6pm.
Renee Watts speaks to state lawmakers about her brother: "He was shot twice by two officers - one in his side and the other in his back killing him… We trusted the system and that Calumet City officers trained to handle persons on the autism spectrum." Read more about the bill she advocates for here.
Let’s discuss organizing for police-free first response.
First we’ll update on #TreatmentNotTrauma campaign, pushing for mental health professionals and paramedics to respond to non-violent social needs and mental health-related calls — instead of armed police officers — in Chicago. Also, we will have a special break-out conversation with 6th-Ward residents on this.
We also hear from a campaign for the Community Emergency Services and Support Act and how it is doing in the Illinois General Assembly. CESSA was developed over the last several years by Access Living's racial justice organizing group, Advance Your Leadership Power (AYLP), in partnership with the family of Stephon Watts, a fifteen-year-old autistic teenager who was killed by police in his own home.
CESSA would address the mental- and behavioral-health needs of people throughout the state by supporting the state-wide creation of a 911 non-police response option, separate from law enforcement. It would send support instead of police for mental and behavioral health emergencies everywhere an ambulance service exists.
Join us on Zoom this Tuesday, May 25, from 5 to 6pm Central Time. Register via the form above.
We hope you can make it!
