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Second Annual Justice Summit: A Big Success

On March 17th, IMAN's Project Restore mobilized a bus full of itsleaders and key allies from several organizations including theSouthwest Organizing Project, Southwest Youth Collaborative andMillati Islami to join an additional 100 leaders with keyorganizations belonging to the Developing Justice Coalition for theSecond Annual Justice Summit in Springfield, Illinois.

On March 17th, IMAN's Project Restore mobilized a bus full of itsleaders and key allies from several organizations including theSouthwest Organizing Project, Southwest Youth Collaborative andMillati Islami to join an additional 100 leaders with keyorganizations belonging to the Developing Justice Coalition for theSecond Annual Justice Summit in Springfield, Illinois.By the end of the day, over 200 people from across the state convergedon the state's capital for the summit and to lobby for the success ofa bill known as the SMART Act. IMAN leaders and staff members played aleading role in the summit and worked with other DJC leaders to makethe day a resounding success. Muslim leaders from across the city andstate joined IMAN to make certain that a strong presence from thelarger Muslim community was felt for this important piece oflegislation that seeks to address public and community safety throughexpanding a program known as the Drug School as an alternative toincarceration for non-violent low-level drug offenders.IMAN Project Restore leaders helped to MC the Summit, present theSMART Act and testify about the success of public hearings. Meanwhile, IMAN leaders, staff and board members led groups of Muslims around thecapital for three hours of heavy and successful lobbying around thebill.

Check out IMAN’s website to view photographs from the summit.This year, the SMART Act # HB2734 is being sponsored byRepresentative Molaro in the house and Senator Cullerton and Collinsin the senate.

IMAN will mobilize another bus of leaders toSpringfield on Tuesday May 8th. Please email restore@imancentral.orgif you are willing to be part of this historic effort.

**Why Get Involved: In keeping with the prophetic injunction to work for social justiceand as a community greatly impacted by this issue IMAN has long soughtto organize Muslims around this work. The following portray the grimreality of our current situation in Illinois and why you need to getinvolved:

***More Black males are confined in Illinois' correctional facilitieson drug charges alone than are enrolled in undergraduate degreeprograms in state universities

.***Blacks in Illinois charged with a drug related offense were 57times more likely to be more confined in a correctional facility thanwhites.

***In 2005, Illinois' adult prison population was 28.3 percent white, 60 percent African American, and 11.2 percent Latino.

Don't wait!
R.S.V.P. & Get On The Bus773-434-4626/NaadheraRestore@imancentral.org