Stand to Save is a youth-led organization that is demanding an end to gun violence and a beginning to better gun control. We are done with seeing shooting after shooting happen in our communities while politicians seem to do nothing to stop the next life from being taken by a gun. We demand change before one of our own lives is taken by the pull of a trigger. We believe that to solve this issue, everyone needs to work together, Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals. Come join us at a peaceful rally to let our representatives know we aren’t backing down until we see change!

Protest: Intersex Activists Demand Lurie Children’s Hospital End Medically Unnecessary Surgery

WHEN
Thursday, July 19 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm CST.
WHERE
Lurie Children’s Hospital, 225 E. Chicago Ave (live stream will be at fb.com/pidgeon)
WHO
Intersex activists Pidgeon Pagonis and Sean Saifa Wall of Intersex Justice Project (endintersexsurgery.org), Mo Cortez and Koomah of The Houston Intersex Society.
WHAT
Protest for intersex human rights demanding Lurie Children’s Hospital change policy to become the first hospital in the United States to end unnecessary intersex surgery. #EndIntersexSurgery
WHY
Intersex children should be allowed to determine if they want surgery when they are adults.

CHICAGO 07/19: Intersex activists and allies from across the country are uniting to protest unnecessary “cosmetic” medical procedures, which the United Nations have deemed human rights violations, that are still being performed on intersex children at Lurie Children’s Sex Development Program (SDP) led by Dr. Earl Cheng.

“If our protest stops one more surgery from taking place or a parent from making a permanent and lasting decision on their child’s body, then our protest would have been successful.”-Sean Saifa Wall

Chicago’s largest LGBT center, Center on Halsted, has endorsed a moratorium on medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex kids. Human Rights Watch, the World Health Organization, Amnesty International, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality, every major LGBT legal organization in the US, three former US surgeons general, American Medical Association Board of Trustees, the AIS-DSD support group for intersex people and their families, and intersex-led organizations around the world have called for an end to medically unnecessary non-consensual surgeries on intersex kids.

“We aim to bring attention to Lurie Children’s Hospital’s ongoing practice of medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children’s bodies. These surgeries are damaging; resulting in the theft of body autonomy, forced sterilization, and subsequent trauma into adulthood.”-Koomah

Lurie Children’s continues to advertise medically unnecessary intersex surgeries on their website. We’re demanding the SDP become a leader in the nation by instituting an immediate ban on all medically unnecessary genital and gonadal surgeries on intersex children.

Maya’s next court hearing is Thursday, July 19 at 9:30am at 26th and California in courtroom 207. We are holding off on plans for a press conference. or wearing fist shirts until a later court date. But it would be great if any of you could be there to show support. Your support so far has been wonderful.

If you do come remember not to bring in phones unless you are ready for the security to hold them for you while in court.
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On March 1, University of Chicago police brutally attacked and arrested Maya (Diya Cruz), a member of the Revolution Club Chicago, for participating in a SILENT protest in support of undocumented immigrants. On top of this outrageous attack, they are now charging HER with felony aggravated battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. She has been banned from the University of Chicago campus by the University and by the judge who made it a condition of her bond.

Maya took part in 11 minutes of silence for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are now being terrorized in an escalating ethnic cleansing by the Trump/Pence regime (http://revcom.us/a/533/trump-regime-ramps-up-ethnic-cleansing-en.html

She, together with three other members of the Revolution Club, walked into the University of Chicago student center dining hall (Hutchinson Commons inside Reynold’s Club), held up sheets of paper announcing 11 minutes of silence for 11 million undocumented immigrants and stood silently for 11 minutes. Almost the entire dining hall fell silent for the 11 minutes. At the end the Revolution Club thanked all who participated, gave them ways to learn more and get further involved, and headed towards the exit.

As the demonstrators were peacefully leaving, University of Chicago police stopped them and then roughly grabbed Maya, arresting her and dragging her down the stairs out of the building. Maya was charged with felony aggravated battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, when SHE was the one who was injured and had to go to the hospital for her injuries.

This is the same University of Chicago that, in the name of free speech, has given a platform to Steve Bannon to propagate his toxic and racist message attacking immigrants and all people of color. Then they bring down the police against people silently protesting against the demonization and persecution of those same immigrants Bannon is attacking.

On top of this, Maya, who has been volunteering with the Revolution Club Chicago project since last Spring, was further targeted by the state at what should have been a routine bail hearing. The Assistant State’s Attorney arrived with a lengthy, distorted and utterly irrelevant political dossier on Maya, implying that Maya should not be released - on the basis of her alleged political views and associations, and the fact that the police have previously attempted to suppress her while doing lawful speech.

We demand: End this travesty of justice!

1) Throw out all charges against Diya Cruz from the March 1st University of Chicago silent protest
2) Rescind the orders banning her from University of Chicago campus
3) Stop the police and prosecutorial harassment of Diya Cruz

On March 26 a grand jury returned an indictment on Maya. We packed the court to demand:

Drop the charges & ban- HANDS OFF MAYA!

Sign petition here: https://tinyurl.com/ybvaodvv

Rep. Peter Roskam and Democratic challenger, Sean Casten, will debate at the Union League Club, which is hosted by Fox 32 and the Lincoln Forum. Limited tickets sold out in 2 minutes flat.

Please join us outside on the sidewalk (directly across the street) for a civil, peaceful, protest of Peter Roskam’s votes to take healthcare away from 700,000 in Illinois while adding $1,700,000,000,000 to the national debt in order to give large corporations (his donors) and billionaires (his donors) tax cuts they don’t need.

We’re expecting over 1,000 to join, including allies from grassroots organizations across Chicagoland. Peter Roskam spends all his timing raising money outside IL06 and never holds a town hall, while his horrible policies destroy lives all across America, so it’s on ALL OF US to stand up and LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD!

The doors open at 5pm so that’s when we’ll start our peaceful action. Signs are welcome, and we encourage you to make them about issues and his voting record rather than personal attacks. He suggests we’re a mob of uncivil disrupters rather than parents, grandparents, teachers, blue collar union families, and VOTERS!

9:00 Gathering and Leafletting
9:30 Program, Speeches and Demands
10:30 Depart

We are demanding justice for Harith Augustus and his family and investment our communities. Mayor Rahm Emanuel needs to answer for the execution of Harith Augustus by members of his Chicago Police Department.

We are in support of and in solidarity with the demands of Black-led organizations across the city, including: No Cop Academy, Assata’s Daughters, BYP 100, Black Lives Matter, and the BlackRoots Alliance.

Partial list of Demands:

Fully-funded schools and mental health centers, robust after-school and job-training programs, into Chicago’s most marginalized communities.

Divest & eliminate profit from punishment

Justice for all killed by police

Accountability for all police murder & torture

A People and Planet First Illinois Budget

Across the nation on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, we will Confront Corruption and Demand Democracy with a candlelight vigil at sundown. In Chicago, we will hold ours just south of 400 N. Michigan (the Tribune Tower), and facing the Trump Tower.

From attacks on the rule of law to conflicts of interest, ethics violations and flagrant abuse of government offices for personal gain, the corruption of the American government by the President, his associates and many in his party has reached a new, profound low.

Officials are trading on the power invested in our institutions for personal and financial gain rather than for the welfare of the American people. From attacks on the Russia investigation to ethics scandals in the highest offices in the land, we must reject attempts to shield corruption from political consequences, public scrutiny, and legal accountability.

These issues are on top of years of challenges to the basic health of our democracy: from money in politics to attempts to shape congressional districts to manipulate outcomes and laws written intentionally to exclude voters from participating in our democracy.

Together, we must confront corruption and demand democracy. For more information, visit confrontcorruption.org.

SUGGESTION: CAR POOL AND USE SPOT HERO OR PARKWHIZ FOR THE CHEAPEST PARKING LOTS IN THE AREA

WE WILL PROVIDE CANDLES (please donate $1 to offset costs), bring signs, and your friends. You will be our speakers, the people most affected by this widespread corruption and dysfunction, organizational leaders and grassroots activists who are working to hold the Trump administration accountable and create a democracy that works for everyone. Speakers will have two minutes to speak (please let us know if you’d like to speak - sharsand1950@gmail.com) - We will have a total of 30 minutes for all speakers so requests will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.

This is a developing event - make sure you click the organizer’s link or reach out to the organizer directly for more information.

The “Pro-Life Action League” will be on the streets of Chicago tomorrow with gory images looking to intimidate women and progressive people with a dark-ages agenda of outlawing abortion and birth control and other Biblical literalist oppression. These Christian fascists are rejoicing in the fascist Trump/Pence regime’s plans to lock into place a fascist SCOTUS for the next 45 years or more.

We say NO! We REFUSE to accept a fascist America!

4:15 at Ogilvie, Madison and Wacker
Counter the anti-abortion PLAL group - bring signs, your voice and spirit. These misogynists are very hostile bullies and should be regarded with caution and determination. Don’t let them deter you OR provoke you; we have a policy of non-violence.

7:30 Press Conference on the sidewalk at 170 N. State St.
RefuseFascism.org reps and other pro-choice activists will listen to and respond to Trump’s SCOTUS pick in real time.

We’re showing up at Senate District Offices to demand our senators protect our democracy— our choice, our affordable health care, our rights— and #SaveSCOTUS. Parking is limited. We strongly encourage taking public transportation.

#SaveSCOTUS is a joint project of Indivisible Project, MoveOn, Demand Justice, NARAL Pro-Choice America, People For the American Way, Daily Kos, CAP Action, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, National Women’s Law Center, Health Care Voter, Protect Our Care, Maine Women’s Lobby, Friends of Earth, End Citizens United, CREDO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, UltraViolet, American Federation of Teachers, SEIU, Population Connection Action Fund, Center for Public Democracy, Upper East Side for Change, National Center for Transgender Equality, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund, Democracy For America, Sierra Club, and United We Dream.