Call to Action

WHAT: Following the unsolved murders of two black transgender women in Chicago in 2018 and as the Trump Administration readies a new attack on transgender people across the country, transgender advocates will hold a press conference and rally to demand an update into the murders of Dejanay Stanton (she, her) and Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier (she, her) from the Chicago Police Department and request that elected officials and candidates for city offices provide a plan that will seek justice and curb violence towards transgender people specifically targeting transgender women of color.

When: Thursday, October 25, 2025 | Press Conference: 6:30pm and
Rally to follow

Where: Chicago Police Department Headquarters
3510 South Michigan | Chicago
(near 35th CTA green line and Sox/35th red CTA bus)

Speakers in order of the program (2 minutes per speaker)
• Reyna Ortiz, Board Vice Chair, Equality Illinois (she/her)
• Valerie Charm | Mother of Dejanay Stanton (she/her)
• Channyn Lynne Parker | Manager, Broadway Youth Center (she/her)
• LaSaia Wade | CEO, Brave Space Alliance (she/they)
• Beverly Ross | transgender community advocate (she/her)
• Lia Stokes aka Amailia Black | entertainer and community activist (she/her)
• Gearah Goldstein | transgender community advocate (she/her)
• Brian C. Johnson | CEO, Equality Illinois (he/him)
• Elise Malary | transgender community advocate (she/her)

LGBTQ clergy will lead a human chain around the perimeter of the police department hymning “We Shall Overcome.”

Following news of contributions of $1.5 million and $100,000 from megadonors Ken Griffin and Richard Uihlein to anti-LGBTQ attorney general candidate Erika Harold last week, Equality Illinois, the Human Rights Campaign, and LGBTQ advocates will call on major donors like Griffin and Uihlein to stop funding hate and to stop contributing to anti-LGBTQ candidates like Erika Harold.

It is our fundamental belief that when we fund campaigns that focus on divisive rhetoric, it trickles down to communities that have been historically marginalized. Over the last few years, we have seen murder rates among trans people rise and harmful policies adopted to target LGBTQ people.

Join us at our press event at 3:30pm at the Federal Plaza. After the press event, we will descend around the perimeter of the offices of Ken Griffin. We will stand on the sidewalk with signs and peacefully demonstrate that funding hate in Illinois is unacceptable.

If there is a Blue Wave, will you rest while hoping the Trump/Pence regime will be driven out by the Democrats and all will take care of itself? If there is no Blue Wave, will you be demoralized, run back home depressed, and literally let fascism consolidate? Blue Wave or not, Democratic leadership such as Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are already refusing to impeach the Trump/Pence regime. Blue Wave or not, We the People have nothing to lose. Voting is not alway the most powerful form of democratic expression or disapproval. The Civil Rights movement did not happen in a voting booth. The Vietnam war did not end in a voting booth. Spiro Agnew’s and Richard Nixon’s resignation did not happen in a voting booth.

The removal of the Trump/Pence regime will not happen in a voting booth either. South Korea, Armenia, and Slovakia are recent historical evidence of how successful a mass protest can be in driving out unpopular corrupt leadership as they drove out their own presidents from power. The people in those countries obviously studied a certain amount of American history in regards to what a mass protest can do.

Why have we forgotten our history? Join us the day after the elections on November 7th no matter what results are. History teaches us that fascists don’t play by the rule book. Our means cannot be traditional either. As South Korea, Armenia, and Slovakia learned from our history books, let’s now learn from their recent chapters in history and add some new pages to ours.

Read the Call to Action:
https://refusefascism.org/2018/10/07/wed-nov-7-sat-nov-10-be-in-the-streets-in-the-name-of-humanity-the-trump-pence-regime-must-go/

If you are interested in volunteering, join the following group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/632245246958493/

The Cube of Truth is a peaceful static demonstration akin to an art performance. This demonstration operates in a structured manner that triggers curiosity and interest from the public; we attempt to lead bystanders to a vegan conclusion through a combination of local standard-practice animal exploitation footage and conversations with a value-based sales approach.

Masks, signs, and outreach literature are provided. Black upper clothing appropriate for the weather is essential, and please bring a fully charged laptop or tablet if you have one. If you are bringing a laptop or a tablet, please download the following:

Media player:
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Footage:
https://goo.gl/so6qGp

Erika Harold is an anti-LGBTQ, anti-woman candidate for Illinois Attorney General - her views are out of touch with Illinois values.
As Erika and her supporters enter the City Club we want to welcome them with a 𝙍𝘼𝙄𝙉𝘽𝙊𝙒 of pro-women and pro-LGBTQ folks. Bring signs, wear a shirt of your favorite progressive organization (or any color of the rainbow) and help show Erika that hate is NOT an Illinois value.

Illinois needs an Attorney General who understands that our laws should support the health and well-being of all of us. At a time when human rights and freedoms are under attack, we must elect an Attorney General who will lead the fight to protect our rights.

Join us for our next public action to bring awareness to the deportations at Gary-Chicago International Airport. Know your rights information will be available. More to come.

Join 48th Ward and Carol Ronen 9th CD Democratic Committeewomanon Monday October 29th to meet JB Pritzker and hear about his agenda to move our state forward. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky will be there along with many special guests including Congressman Mike Quigley

This event is hosted by;

43rd Ward Alderman - Michelle Smith
43rd Ward Committeeman - Lucy Moog
44th Ward Alderman & Committeeman Tom Tunney
46th Alderman - James Cappleman
46th Ward Committeeman - Sean Tenner
47th Ward Alderman - Ameya Pawar
47th Ward Committeeman - Paul Rosenfeld
48th Ward Alderman - Harry Osterman
48th Ward Committeewoman - Carol Ronen
49th Ward Alderman & Committeeman - Joe Mooe

Evanston Committeeman - Eamon Kelly

State Senators - John Cullerton & Heather Steans

State Representatives:
- Sara Feigenholtz
- Ann Williams
- Greg Harris
- Kelly Cassidy

Cook County Commissioners
-Bridget Gainer & Larry Suffredin

March For Our Lives Chicago will be hosting a rally on Saturday, November 3 to emphasize the importance of voting.

Voting is our voice. Voting is how we make change. Voting is how we elect politicians into office who will make that change. Voting is part of being in a democracy.

If we don’t vote, we will continue to have politicians who do not take action after days like February 14(the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Shooting in Parkland, Florida). We will continue to have weekends where over 60 people are shot in Chicago. We will continue to lose our friends, families, and fellow Americans to gun violence.

So, stand with us. Fight for change. There is one way to make sure politicians listen to us, and that is to vote. If we do not like what they are doing(or not doing) in office, we can VOTE THEM OUT. Voting is how we show them that WE have the power. They work for us.

So grab a friend, make a poster, and make your voice heard on November 3rd because voting is how we save lives.

On October 29, 2018, Reed will be granted a new evidentary hearing. The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression calls on all people to join with Gerald Reed’s large family and community of friends to pack the court room and demand his immediate release. Join us on the 29th at 1PM at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse (26th and California), room 604 to free Gerald Reed!

On October 3, 1990, Gerald Reed, 27, was arrested and questioned about a double murder by Detectives Michael Kill and Victor Breska at Area 3 Homicide, members of the notorious “Midnight Crew” of torturer Jon Burge. They beat him and kicked him repeatedly, and broke a metal rod that was in his right thigh along with the surgical screws that held it in place, causing him excruciating pain. The rod had been surgically placed years before to repair his thigh-bone, which had been shattered by a gunshot.

Reed signed a false confession to end the beatings, but that did not stop the torture. For 27 years, Reed has been incarcerated for a crime he did not commit and the extensive damage to his leg has not been properly taken care of. Learn more about his case by visiting caarpr.org/freegeraldreed