New Year Greetings! We hope this finds you safe and well as we move into 2024. As we closed out the year, our teams took a look back at some of what was possible in 2023 with support from all those in our community, including you. Read on to reflect on some of what we were able to build together! As always, we welcome any thoughts you might like to share with us.
Peer Reentry Team Four years ago, a peer-led reentry program at CTJC was just a dream of mine. My dreams came true when I became the Center’s Director of the Holistic and Liberatory Peer Reentry Program in 2021. This program had never existed before, and I envisioned a reentry program that was by survivors for survivors. We don’t just provide services and resources to people coming home, we provide a sense of community and a place of belonging. We host monthly gatherings, like dinners, movie nights, and open mic nights, where we can talk, joke around, enjoy each other’s company and just be. For so many years, we did not have a space to be and just exist with each other. We are so proud to say that in our first few years, we have reached more than 1,700 people with reentry support. I am so thankful for the Reentry team, and the rest of the CTJC staff for making this dream of mine a reality. Most importantly, thank you for supporting the Center so that this work is possible.
La Tanya Jenifor-Sublett Director of Holistic and Liberatory Peer Reentry
Case Management Last winter, a mother whose son was killed by police came to us seeking assistance with finding housing. After losing her son, it became difficult to work, and eventually she was forced to sleep in her car. How shameful is it that we live in a system where a mother must choose between grief and survival? Make it make sense! Thankfully, after weeks of talking through options with her, I was able to help her secure stable housing where she felt safe. The Center was also able to assist her financially with funds from the Survivor Repair Fund. This is just one of the many stories I encounter as a case manager at the Chicago Torture Justice Center. I’m grateful that I get to help people in this way, because I remember how difficult it was to find housing and other resources when I came home from prison after 25 years.
Naji Ublies Case Manager