We have had enough with violence against Black bodies – at the hands of police and law enforcement, in a criminal “justice” system that disproportionately kills and incarcerates Black bodies. We have had enough with the violence against Black bodies – at the hands of our neighbors and fellow citizens who use their alleged “fear” and suspicion of us to attack, violate, and kill us. We have had enough with the systemic disenfranchisement of and divestment from Black communities that perpetuate these cycles of poverty, oppression, and violence. On August 26th, join us in saying: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
In early March, at the Charlotte, NC store of Missha Beauty Supply, store manager Sung Ho Lim attacked and assaulted a Black woman whom he alleged was stealing from the store. We have all seen the horrifying video of Lim approaching the woman threateningly, shoving her, kicking her to the ground, and then taking her in a dangerous choke-hold. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP released the video, organized protests and immediately asked the community to boycott Missha.
What you may not know is that here in Chicago, over 160 days later, members of the Black community, led by Black Lives Matter Women Of Faith founders, Carolyn J. Ruff and Lashawn Yvonne Littrice, have been protesting and staging a boycott at the Bronzeville Missha Beauty Supply store, every single day. Every day, without fail. The boycott and protests at the Chicago store began almost simultaneously to the call for a boycott in Charlotte, in fierce solidarity with the community and in protest against the same company that owns and manages both stores.
The violence that Lim subjected this Black woman to is a symptom of the anti-Blackness we face every day of our lives. The systemic oppression and inequity that Black folks are subjected to is part of the injustice system that did not see any charges filed against Lim, even after he nearly choked a woman to death, on live camera! Irrespective of whether or not this woman stole anything (and there is evidence that points to her innocence), Lim should not have taken the law into his own hands! His actions are criminal, emboldened by a racist criminal justice system that repeatedly allows perpetrators of crimes against Black bodies to go free.
The continued drainage of wealth from our communities and the subsequent influx of violence, shuts down our schools, takes away our job prospects, puts guns in the hands of our youth that were not manufactured or sold in our neighborhoods. We have had enough with this cycle of disenfranchisement and violence that plagues our communities and on August 26th, we will make our voices loud and clear to say that!
As the Missha Boycott crosses 160 days, we want you to know that we have been here EVERY SINGLE DAY, in peace but in defiance of this establishment and its owners who have gone scott free. We have been educating the people of this neighborhood and have persevered in rain or 90 degree heat, amidst violent threats and intimidation from the owner and employees at Missha. We have been putting our bodies on the line because we believe that violence against our communities is inexcusable and we cannot be silent or inactive in the face of it.
WE NEED YOU to join us in this struggle, march with us on August 26th. We need you to SHOW UP IN SOLIDARITY with us and our community. We need you to send a loud and clear message: WE WILL NOT BE BYSTANDERS TO ANTI-BLACKNESS AND VIOLENCE TOWARDS BLACK BODIES!
Co-organized by:
Black Lives Matter Women Of Faith
Women’s March Illinois
Community Partners:
* ANSWER Chicago
* Black Lives Matter – Chicago
* Violence Interrupters, Inc.
* Tree of Life Justice League
* Hood Hope
* Ujamaa Community Land Trust
* TAKE ON HATE
* Rise and Organize
* Suburban Unity Alliance
* Nation of Islam
* The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
* Arab American Action Network
We will be adding other endorsing organizations and speakers as they are added. If you or your organization want to partner on this action, please reach out to us!