Newsletter OCTOBER 2023
Remembering Ronald “RonnieMan” Johnson, Laquan McDonald and Ollie Hammonds Part of healing is tending to the layers of loss we have experienced individually and collectively. We experience loss not only from covid-19 and at the hands of police, but also have endured incredible harm and loss in courts, in the jails and carceral facilites, in our communities, and in centuries of dispossession. We seek to name and honor who and what we have lost and all that we are losing--to recognize as grief--and to create and hold space for moving through grief as we nurture resilience and liberation. Grieving is part of healing.
an excerpt from our Grieving is Healing zine
Ollie Hammonds (April 22, 1949 – September 13, 2023): Ollie Hammonds was a husband, father and grandfather. From the beginning, Ollie was involved in the fight for reparations for survivors of police torture, and played a pivotal role in the opening of the Chicago Torture Justice Center in 2017. He is remembered by our community as someone who stood for and fought for survivors. Ollie leaves behind a legacy of strength and resilience, and his contributions to the movement to end all forms of police violence will be remembered for generations to come.
Ronald “RonnieMan” Johnson (December 14, 1988-October 12, 2014): On October 12, 2014, Ronald “RonnieMan” Johnson was killed by Chicago police officer George Hernandez 8 days before Laquan McDonald was murdered. He was 25 at the time and a father of five. Since then, his mother Dorothy Holmes has been active in the fight not only for justice for her son, but for all mothers and families that have experienced the same pain she has gone through. She established the Ronald Johnson III Memorial Foundation in honor of her son. The foundation hosts annual school supply and Christmas toy drives. Ronald “RonnieMan” Johnson III was killed on 53rd and King Drive, in front of a playground in Washington Park. Today, Dorothy is fighting for this park to be named in Ronald’s honor.
Laquan McDonald (September 25, 1997 – October 20, 2014): On October 20, 2014, 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke. Laquan’s murder sparked public outrage across the city and the nation. “16 shots and a coverup” became a rallying cry in the streets as thousands of people marched to demand accountability and transparency from the city. Laquan should have celebrated his 26th birthday this year. Instead, he is remembered as a catalyst of a movement for justice from police and state violence, and someone who our systems failed at every turn. We celebrate Laquan’s life that was taken far too soon, and we mourn for the life that he should have had. 6337 S. WOODLAWN AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60637 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
"I feel that it holds me back from truly being free”: How the IL Murder Registry impacts our community In September, our team published the IL Murder Registry Impact Report. The Murder Registry deeply impacts our community, and it is used as a tool of surveillance that keeps our community stuck in a cycle of perpetual punishment. In last month’s issue, we included a summary of the report. Our organizers have spent many months compiling research and speaking with survivors and community directly impacted by the registry. Here’s what some of them had to say.
"The police came to my house and arrested me in front of my wife and child in the middle of the night once. I have been out of prison for over 7 years and it was because of an administrative error. It is like they don't want you to have a life, to have any dignity. That day still traumatizes me. I will never forget having to watch my daughter see me get handcuffed, and all for nothing." Anonymous The registry does nothing to keep the public safe, it just keeps people reporting to a facility that continues to dehumanize them. When you go, the line is often too long, and they tell you to come back another day. This messes up some people's employment. It also puts pressure on everyone in the household because their address is listed publicly. It is dehumanizing and it needs to be repealed! Joseph Mapp, Director of Reentry at Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation "It is a lifelong punishment for people who have already paid their debt to society. It is wrong on all levels. How can a country like America, with a history of slavery and Jim Crow, claim to be free now and then make laws like this that continue to punish people and say they are incapable of change?” Nakia Herron
"I feel that it holds me back from truly being free. I get up and go to work every day, I pay my taxes and bills on time, but yet I have to continue to register for a crime that I already did the time for." Anonymous "I have friends who have been killed because of this registry... men who have really worked to change their lives when they come home from prison and who are no longer involved in street life. They have old enemies who can now look up where they live. It is wrong man. We have no shot to start a new life with this registry. Once, I was in a car accident, and when the police came, they asked for my registry information before they even asked if I was okay. I was literally bleeding, and they were more concerned with me being compliant" Naji Ublies, Case Manager at CTJC
"The registry is run so poorly. They are constantly mixing up people's information and registering them wrong as lifelong registrants or as non- compliant. Some people become re- incarcerated because of all of these clerical errors when they are trying to live good lives out here." Carl Williams, Learning Fellow at CTJC “I just feel like it’s another reminder that I am never free. The barriers created make it so difficult to live a successful life.” Dyanna Winchester "As someone that served his parole before being informed that I would have to now register on the Illinois State murder registry for a total of 10 years, it was traumatizing and a total smack in the face to all people that had to endure police torture at the hands of members of the Chicago Police Department. Not only was I innocent of the offense, but I found myself being penalized additionally by the criminal justice system. I was tortured at Area 3 in 1981 and had to register there in 2021. It was incredibly re-traumatizing. How am I supposed to heal from torture and decades of incarceration when I have to go back to the same place I was tortured or risk being sent back to prison?" Mark Clements, Torture Survivor and Community Organizer at CTJC
"I'm 23 years old. I caught my case when I was only 15 years old. I served my time, and here I am still dealing with this. It really affects my everyday life now. I'm worried about going back to prison. I do work in the community, I do work for young people inside prisons around the state, and still, here I am having to deal with a case about a charge I already served a sentence for." Denzel Burke, Co-Director of REAL Youth Initiative
6337 S. WOODLAWN AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60637 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
Voices from Inside The Dixon writing team wins first place in the Pen/America national prison writing competition for its play "The Story of Violence" by Brian Beals Part I The Pen/America writing competition is the place where the best prison writers in the country compete for the top prizes in every genre of writing. Winning the Pen/America prize in drama has been a top priority of the Dixon writing team since the team was founded in 2019. The Story of Violence was inspired by an op-ed in the Chicago Sun Times that called for new voices to join the conversation of stakeholders seeking to find solutions to the violence. DPA facilitator, project manager and lead writer Toussaint Daniels, pulled together a team of gifted writers from various parts of Chicago and different ages to answer the op-ed. Toussaint and the team decided to write the play by focusing on the history of violence in Chicago and comparing that to the drivers of violence today. What he and the team created was a textured story that took place in a Chicago hotel room. The play was modeled after the movie One Night in Miami. In this story a celebrity writer is asked by a high profile preacher to write a eulogy for a young girl killed while talking to her friends. He invites another celebrity to his room to try to find the essence of what he intends to write. They discuss the history and wrestle to understand the cause of the violence. It's only when a young man from Englewood stops by to deliver some food and is asked a question when the real conversation begins. The Dixon CC Performing Arts (DPA) wants to acknowledge the help and love we received from these outside organizations while developing "The Story of Violence." We thank Gina Tarullo and the staff at CTJC who published an article early in the development stage of the play that helped us inform the public what our goal was, and for the continued support the CTJC has shown the DPA. The people at Paramount Theatre and Theatre school in Aurora, Illinois for reading the essays from dozens of members of the Dixon writing community and sending them back with that excellent feedback. We thank Chima Ikoro community organizer at the South Side Weekly (SSW) for publishing our writing prompt "How has the violence in your community affected you personally, and what would you do to fix it?". Chima also published some of the essay entries from our Dixon writing exposition in the July 28, 2022 LIT issue of the SSW in a separate piece titled “The Empty Cage". That was a big boost to the morale of the program that came when we really needed it. We thank Carmen Romero and the people at Still Point Theatre Collective for hosting a public reading of "The Story of Violence" in their Playwrights from the Inside program. The group also held public readings for two other plays from our writing community. This was the first time our families and friends got to see our plays come to life. Last but not least, we thank Wendell Robinson and the team at Restore Justice for getting the IDOC to open the gates and let them and the people at Illinois Prison Project and Precious Blood Ministries come and watch our production of the play at Dixon early this year. We thank all the other reform groups and advocates for supporting the creation and development of our peer-led program in the IDOC. The team who wrote The Story of Violence is: Toussaint Daniels (Lead writer) Jomar Lopez, Timothy Jones, Andre Alexander, and contributors Justin Dismukes, Calvin Curtis, Tarius Washington, and Brian Beals.
We want to hear from you!
We always welcome contributions from our community to feature in the newsletter. Write to us about a project you’re working on, something you feel passionate about that you would like to share with others, any reflections that you may have. Additionally, if you have any feedback or suggestions for the newsletter, let us know! Chicago Torture Justice Center c/o Gilary Valenzuela 6337 S. Woodlawn Ave Chicago IL 60637 6337 S. WOODLAWN AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60637 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG
OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
What’s Happening at CTJC Do you need support for your next court date? The CTJC offers support and accompaniment to survivors' court dates. We know that navigating the legal system can be daunting, retraumatizing, and often lonely. Do you have an upcoming court date that you would like support with? Please reach out to organizer Mark Clements with the following information: Name:
Please mail court support requests to: Mark Clements Chicago Torture Justice Center 6337 S. Woodlawn Ave. Chicago IL 60637
Judge: Case Status: Turnout preference (minimal, as many as possible etc.): Attorney name, phone and email:
Computer and Technology Skills at CTJC
A joint fundraiser with the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials
Learn fundamental computer skills in our community computer lab every Monday. Participants will learn basic computer skills, Android & iPhone skills, Office Suit, and more. The class is facilitated by CTJC case manager Naji Ublies. Sessions are free and all are welcome to attend ! Contact Naji with any questions at naji@chicagotorturejustice.org.
On November 8th, we will doing a fundraiser with our partner organization, the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials! While major shifts in Chicago’s political landscape have created new possibilities for change, the demands on our movement have never been greater. We will be celebrating the past year’s wins and accomplishments with our community, while raising funds for all the work ahead of us.
Every Monday 1-2:30pm 6337 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Are you an artist? We need your help! The Love-a-thon, our annual fundraiser, is quickly approaching. We are seeking artists to help with a t-shirt design and to contribute artwork to our 2024 calendar. Proceeds from our shop go towards our transformative work. Are you an artist and want your art featured? Send us a sketch, poem, or any piece of work that you feel proud of! Write to Gilary Valenzuela at our mailing address.
Calendar and t-shirt design from our Love-a-thon 2023. Calendar artwork is by Chiara Francesca and Peregrine Bermas. The t-shirt design is by Aidan Frierson.
6337 S. WOODLAWN AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60637 CHICAGOTORTUREJUSTICE.ORG