Onward Together
Dear CLC community,
It’s a time of painful questions about the future of civil rights in this country. Our nation still has far to go to fully realize the promise of equity and justice. No matter what policies or changes come our way in this new reality, we will not step back from our mission to protect civil rights and end systemic racism.
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is no stranger to challenging times and was, in fact, born during some of the most difficult years of the civil rights movement in our country. We were founded on the belief that racial equity and economic opportunity for all makes us ALL stronger. Today, that belief is no different.
For more than 55 years, we have been committed to the unfinished business of our nation’s civil rights movement. Our commitment to justice doesn’t start or end during critical elections. We will continue our work in:
Safeguarding voting rights and access to the ballot box to ensure that every voter’s voice is heard and that our elections are free and fair.
Fighting against discriminatory housing practices that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities and push for affordable housing.
Championing public education, because a quality education is a fundamental right, and no child should be denied the resources they deserve because of their race, economic status, or zip code.
Providing access to free legal resources for small businesses and nonprofits serving in historically disinvested communities to ensure they can have access to economic opportunities to close the racial wealth gap in Illinois.
We had plenty of work to do before this and we will continue to wake up every day and fight together in this struggle for civil rights and racial equity. We know that the most innovative and effective solutions to civil rights barriers come from our partners who work to build power in Black and Brown communities. This is what we have always done and has laid the path for how we will move forward.
Thank you for standing with us all these years. Together, we will ensure that progress and justice prevail.
Yours in service,
David Shapiro
Executive Director
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights