Coalition Advancing Racial Equity
The Coalition Advancing Racial Equity is made up of Chicago-based faith, policy and community organizations including, the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Communities United, formerly known as Albany Park Neighborhood Council, United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), and Blocks Together, Inc. Our aim is to work with government to develop an intergovernmental initiative/department focused on combatting institutional and structural racism and promoting racially equitable outcomes across policies and practices.

Coalition to Rehabilitate and Reinvest in Youth Justice
A coalition dedicated to the “Decarceration” of youth.

Community Support Advisory Councils
The Illinois Department of Corrections has actively engaged the community in the reentry process by developing Community Support Advisory Councils (CSACs) in the high-impact areas of the state where most parolees return. CSACs are community-based partnerships designed to work collaboratively with parole and other existing community resources to develop wraparound services for parolees, while assisting other groups with building community capacity to develop their own resources. www.illinois.gov/idoc/communityresources/Pages/CSAC.aspx

Equal Voice Network – Chicago
The network members work on a range of issues, from education to criminal justice reform, all with the goal of making Chicago a more just and equitable place for all families. CEVN is part of a national movement led by families across the country and inspired by the convening’s of the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The Equal Voice Campaign serves as the Marguerite Casey Foundation’s framework for collaborative movement building to bring about change – in public policy, attitudes and practices – to ensure the well-being of America’s families. We believe:

No family should live in poverty. Prosperity and security begin with every person’s right to work in a well-paid job, to be healthy and educated and to live in a safe community. Equal opportunities should lead to equal outcomes. Public policies should promote everyone’s ability to reach their fullest potential and advance the common good. Families should have an equal voice in shaping policies and the future of their communities. Society should support family unity, encourage the healthy development of children and youth and foster respect for all people. Strong families make America stronger. www.facebook.com/ChiEqualVoice

Healthy Communities Cook County (HC3)
HC3 is convened by Communities United and ICIRR and is a coalition of more than 31 members county wide, including community organizations, providers, faith institutions, and labor groups, all with the goal of making a Cook County direct health access care program a reality by looking for a solution for the remaining uninsured. We have successfully worked with the county government to create a Task Force to forge a way forward with a Direct Access plan for Cook County, but we still need your help to: Educate the community about the need for an accessible health care plan for everyone, empower the community to share their story publicly and continue pressuring our local officials and health care institutions to champion this issue and make sure the solution works for all of us.

Just Democracy Coalition
Just Democracy is a broad-based and diverse coalition that works to protect and promote the value of a single vote, no matter the geographic, racial, ethnic or party affiliation of the voter. Our current priority is promoting Automatic Voter Registration. www.justdemocracryillinois.org

Re-Imagine Justice Illinois
In response to Illinois’ mass-incarceration crisis, Communities United, allies in the Right On Justice alliance, United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations, Target Area Development Corporation and others have launched “Re-Imagine Justice Illinois,” a transformative statewide campaign to reprioritizes use of tax dollars in smarter, more compassionate and more effective ways. With a few common sense reforms, Illinois can: (1) shift millions of dollars away from the incarceration of people with non-violent minor offenses, and (2) allocate millions of dollars towards programs that reduce and prevent crime by addressing its root causes and building healthier and safer communities. This model is known as “Community Justice Reinvestment,” and has been implemented in states throughout the country.

Right on Justice
Right on Justice (ROJ) is an initiative grown into an alliance comprised of over 20 community organizing, faith-based, policy and legal groups, universities, and Restorative Justice practitioners from across Chicago and its surrounding communities. The ROJ alliance envisions justice reinvestment through a racial equity approach in Chicago and beyond; with a mission to halt the school to prison pipeline and end mass incarceration of low-income communities of color through community organizing and restorative justice philosophy and practices. www.rightonjustice.org