From Chicago to Birmingham, With Love

Birmingham and Chicago are two cities deeply connected through people and culture. 

During the Great Migration, many from Birmingham, other parts of Alabama, and the South came to Chicago seeking new lives and opportunities. Those southern ties are especially evident all-around Chicago’s South and West Sides.  

With the recent news of the mass shootings in Birmingham over the weekend, we, as Chicagoans, are compelled to think about the ties that bind our two cities.  

Chicago is no stranger to gun violence; in fact, there have been times when shootings and gun violence have felt synonymous with life in the city. Indeed, the causes and provocations for shootings and gun violence are many and varied, but there are some important lessons we want to reflect on and offer to our siblings in Birmingham.  

First, we must not pathologize everyday people.  

Communities impacted by gun violence are the victims; they are not the problem. There is nothing inherently wrong with them. We say this because reinforcing negative ideas and stereotypes about impacted communities seems to be step one in the playbook of media and law enforcement when responding to the kinds of tragedies we saw in Birmingham.  

While mass shootings and acts of gun violence do invite us to ask hard, even uncomfortable, questions, we must not take the bait and believe that there is something naturally wrong with Black, poor, Southern, and young people. No matter how widespread the problem, it is not insurmountable.  

The truth is, when our communities are rocked by tragedy and trauma, we often feel overwhelmed, and hopelessness can creep in. To fight against that, we must come together. We must make space to grieve together. We must create opportunities to act together. We must look at each other as allies in a shared struggle, not as suspects or enemies.  

Finally, in these moments, the demand for more police almost seems smart and intuitive. It is neither. Chicago’s experience tells us that more police does not necessarily mean increased community safety.  

Instead, we need bold, new ideas that come from impacted people and communities. That is why CRS is launching our Towards a Beloved City initiative. This partnership between community groups, city officials, and concerned people will work on advancing an agenda we can all rally behind to reduce gun violence.  

There is much healing ahead for our people in Birmingham. We stand with them and will do all we can to aid in that process. As we do so, we invite loved ones in Chicago to lend their time and talent to help us build a Beloved Community right here at home. 

In solidarity,

Keron Blair
Capacity Building Manager for Organizing and Policy