IMAN Organizers Join Citywide Call for Police Accountability
Throughout the fall, organizers and leaders have diligently mounted a campaign focused on securing new police protocols and oversight that will ultimately lead to greater accountability for officers and the Chicago Police Department itself. Led by Organizing Director Shamar Hemphill and Green ReEntry organizer Nasir Blackwell, IMAN’s police accountability work sits at the intersection of larger efforts focused on criminal justice reform and dignified community building.
The campaign aims to address law enforcement policies in all their breadth, focusing on issues from immigration status to stop-and-frisk encounters. IMAN has aligned with nearly a dozen other organizations across the city, representing a dynamic cross-section of active citizens and laying a firm foundation of unity. Partner organizations include: Communities United, Enlace, Target Area Development Corporation, UCCRO, SWOP, One Northside, Action Now and S.O.U.L.
In November, dozens of Marquette Park residents convened at IMAN’s Youth & Arts Wellness Center for a critical “Community Conversation.” During the gathering, attendees spoke candidly about their experiences with local police and voiced their hopes for future improvements, while learning about the citywide campaign and ways to get connected to it. IMAN will continue to help lead the push for substantial police accountability measures in the city of Chicago.
Interested in joining the campaign? Please contact Shamar Hemphill or Nasir Blackwell to learn more and to get involved.