by Molly Crabapple

 This summer has placed a brighter spotlight on police violence with the killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Ezell Ford and more. In addition, Marlene Pinnock was brutalized on the side of an LA Freeway while Denise Stewartwas violently dragged out of her apartment naked by a dozen cops. There have renewed efforts to make clear that #BlackLivesMatter.

These instances of state violence are mirrored in the unjust prosecution of Marissa Alexander, a Florida mother of three who fired a warning shot to save her life and is facing 60 years in prison if convicted.

 All of these incidents raise questions about the value of black life in the U.S., self-defense, state violence, the gendered & classed nature of our response, and more. On the occasion of Marissa Alexander's birthday, join the Chicago Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander (CAFMA), the Porch Project at the Hull House Museum, Project NIA, We Charge Genocide and the Chicago Taskforce on Violence against Girls and Young Women for a conversation about these issues.

Sunday, September 14
2 to 4 pm
Hull House Museum, 800 S. Halsted St.

Refreshments and cake will be provided
FREE to all participants

RSVP on Facebook and/or by emailing [email protected].

Policing, Violence, Resistance, and Alternatives:

Saturday September 27, 2014

1 to 4:30 p.m.

Roosevelt University, Spertus Lounge Room 244, 430 S. Michigan Ave

Pre-Registration is REQUIRED HERE. 

Suggested Donation sliding scale - $10 to $30 (Funds raised are donated to We Charge Genocide to support a trip to the United Nations Committee on Torture in November). No one is turned away for lack of ability to pay.

This workshop will introduce participants to the work of Chain Reaction, a participatory research and popular education project with the goal of supporting conversations about alternatives to calling police on young people. Driven by our political goal of ending youth incarceration, Chain Reaction volunteers held workshops and recorded audio and video at youth centers and other spaces around the city, including a center for LGBTQ youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Youth told stories about being targeted by police because of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and age. Their experiences with police often set off a chain reaction that funnels youth into the prison industrial complex, a system that targets people of color, transgender women, and other folks from marginalized groups.

 The workshop will provide an overview of a history of policing and police violence. Participants will then learn about the work of Chain Reaction and listen to some of the stories we collected. Through interactive activities and personal storytelling, we will explore what alternatives to calling police exist for those considering relying on police interventions within our communities, and imagine the ideal chain reaction we could set off in response to fear, violence, or harm in our communities. We will also ask what role adult allies can play in promoting alternatives to calling the police on young people and diverting young people from the prison industrial complex.

 Finally, Project NIA and the Chicago PIC Teaching Collective have developed several resources (including zines, curricula, and pamphlets) that can be used to foster conversations with youth about policing. We will share these resources with workshop participants.

 Pre-registration is REQUIRED. Please register HERE (only if you are certain to attend as space is limited).

 Suggested Donation sliding scale - $10 to $30 (Funds raised are donated to We Charge Genocide to support a trip to the United Nations Committee on Torture in November).

 Here is a link to this announcement with others.