CTJC October Newsletter

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2021

Reparations: Answers to Your Questions and How We Move Forward

Chicago's 2015 reparations ordinance that passed in City Council was an important first step for survivors of police torture under Burge. Community protest and actions made that a reality and led to the creation of the Chicago Torture Justice Center.

We reached out to attorney and author of the ordinance Joey Mogul for answers to a few questions we've received on the 2015 legislation and the possibility of future relief.

1. Who was considered eligible and how could they apply?

Anyone who had a credible claim of torture or physical abuse by Jon Burge or one of the officers under his command at Area 2 or Area 3 Police Headquarters between May 1, 1972 and November 30, 1991 was eligible for financial reparations.

The deadline to apply was August 4, 2015. To enter a claim, your name was submitted by Chicago Torture Justice Memorials (which is separate from the Center), or you filed with an independent 3rd party.

You did not have to be tortured by Jon Burge to be eligible. Individuals who were tortured by officials under his command or supervision from 1972-1991 could also apply prior to the 2015 deadline.

2. How can someone seek legal advice and assistance if you did not meet the requirements?

The deadline to apply for reparations under the 2015 ordinance has passed. Speaking with an attorney is the best way to explore your options when it comes to filing for postconviction review and relief. We do not have legal professionals on staff at CTJC but will do whatever we can to connect you with our partners who could potentially assist you. Please note that a statute of limitations on when you can file a claim may apply.

Above: Light Brigade action demanding reparations 3. What is currently being done to assist people who are not Jon Burge torture survivors and who were not a part of the first round of reparations?

The Chicago Torture Justice Center was created to provide support, assistance, and other services to anyone impacted by police violence, regardless of whether or not you were eligible under the ordinance.

In addition to clinical services, we are here to stand with you and your loved ones as you navigate these systems, at hearings, and at court dates.

While historic, we know the City of Chicago's reparations ordinance—or any legislation—could never go far enough to repair the harm of police torture. CTJC is now in the early phases of bringing forward a statewide campaign to expand reparations beyond this important first step.

This work will take all of us! Please stay connected and stay tuned for more as this statewide expansion campaign develops.

If you have questions about the ordinance that were not answered here, please let us know and we will pass them along as well.

P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG

Welcome to the team, Art Therapist Shalom Parker!

A note from our new Art Therapist, Shalom Parker, who joined CTJC in September!: I am so excited to be joining the CTJC team as an art therapist. I am looking forward to continually meeting and getting to know all of the members of the community. Even before I started at CTJC I have been processing the concept of grief, and as a result am working on creating a series of ceramic pieces that explore the topic. I have the amazing opportunity to do a month long program in Mexico in November where I will be working on this project and I arrive on Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). In Mexican culture this day is a celebration but also an opportunity to to collectively mourn the people in your family who are no longer here. It is a remembrance, an opportunity to honor them, and a chance to acknowledge that although they are no longer on this earth, they are still apart of your life and their impact lives on. It is a beautiful and moving celebration, and one that we don't have anything similar to here in the U.S. As a society, we don't often create space for ourselves to mourn and grieve the loss that we experience throughout our lives, but that unspoken grief impacts us deeply everyday.

As you go through the politicized grief zine I encourage you to think about what it might look like to make space for yourself and your family to grieve. What are practices, rituals, remembrances and you can begin to incorporate into your life to create that space. I would also encourage you to push yourself to tap into your own creative abilities and expression and find a way to create something to remember the people you have lost whether it be a collage of pictures, a painting, a poem, or any other medium that calls to you. Expressing grief through artistic expression has been an important part of my journey, and I hope that this encourages you to find new ways to explore this concept as well!

We are enclosing a copy of our new politicized grief zine with this month's newsletter. It is also available to download for free at chicagotorturejustice.org/zines-graphics. If you have questions or want to learn more, please write us at our PO Box below, or send us an email at info@chicagotorturejustice.org.

Coming Soon: Our New Future Home!

We are thrilled to share that after more than 18 months of working remotely, we finally have the keys to our new CTJC offices! Words can't express how much we are looking forward to having a physical space again. We are honored to have the support of the continuing mental health movement as we move in to the space formerly occupied by the Woodlawn Mental Health Center, which closed under Rahm Emanuel in 2015.

It will take some time and loving care before we can move in, and we'll focus this year's Love-a-thon for Justice on growing support to make our new space our home. We are so excited for the possibilities and can't wait to build out the space in community with you. Please stay tuned for much more to come!

P.O. BOX 647 EVANSTON, IL 60204 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG