Current Events
Faith in Place Green Team Summit
Community Renewal Society is a sponsor of the 2022 hybrid Green Team Summit hosted by Faith in Place.
Pretrial Fairness Act Teach-In
Learn about the pretrial fairness act including how and why it will end the use of money bond. There is a virtual option for those who are not able to attend in person. Registration is not required.
Returning Citizens Independence Day Press Conference and Rally
Join All of Us or None in advocating for liberation from all systemic barriers and unlocking all systems of oppression.
WTTW FIRSTHAND: Segregation - Evanston Reparations
Join WTTW, Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Evanston, and the Evanston Community Foundation for a FIRSTHAND: Segregation screening and conversation in honor of the celebration of Juneteenth as a national holiday.
Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls
The June 18, 2022 Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls will be a generationally transformative and disruptive gathering of poor and low-wealth people, state leaders, faith communities, moral allies, unions and partnering organizations.
Justice: Restoring the Humanity & Rights of the Incarcerated
CRS Board Members Daryle Brown and Avalon Betts-Gaston will participate in a conversation on restoring the humanity and rights of the incarcerated.
UCC Juneteenth: Revealing Hidden Histories Webinar
Stories told by people descended from Africa, the cradle of civilization, will be featured in a live United Church of Christ webinar marking the coming Juneteenth holiday.
Sharing Our Stories: A Celebration of Community Voices
Join United Way of Metro Chicago for a free virtual event featuring Chicago-area community leaders of local nonprofits sharing stories of driving positive change in historically disinvested neighborhoods.
Racial Equity in Wealth: Wealth Building 101
The racial wealth gap separating white and black Americans is largely impacted by the differences in earning capacity, access to credit & homeownership, capital market investments, adequate planning for risk management coverage & asset transfer. This panel will bring together resources and expertise in each of these areas, positioned to discuss how disparities in each of these areas has impacted the accumulation of wealth and how we reverse those trends.
Why Juneteenth Should Matter to the Church
Join AACC Vice President Michelle Reyes and other great panelists on June 15 for this free Christianity Today webinar entitled "Why Juneteenth Should Matter to the Church." It will also include a time for live Q&A.
Clean Slate Campaign Launch
Learn how the Fully Free and Clean Slate Campaigns are fighting to end permanent punishments in Illinois!
WTTW Introducing FIRSTHAND: Segregation – An intimate look at segregation in Chicago
You are invited to the kickoff event for FIRSTHAND: Segregation, a year-long WTTW initiative that explores segregation in Chicago with a documentary series, expert talks, text and visual journalism, and community discussions.
On Faith & Freedom Teach-In On The Pretrial Fairness Act
Join the Coalition to End Money Bond for a focused, energizing virtual teach-in for clergy and people of faith throughout Illinois on the Pretrial Fairness Act and the movement for pretrial freedom.
CAARP Rally to Bring Torture Surviors Home for the Holidays
Join survivors, family, and organizers in a rally to demand Gov. Pritzker pardon all survivors and States Attorney Kim Foxx, vacate all convictions and drop the charges against survivors.
The Role of Asian American Women in The Church
Join the Asian American Christian Collaborative AACC in person or online for a live panel discussion on the role of Asian American women in the Church.
Racial Redress and Reparations: Policy Approaches to Remediating Historical Racial Injustice
The conference brings together lawmakers, academic experts, and advocates from across the country to explore legislative efforts to launch government-sponsored truth proceedings and reparations programs.
Age Options SAGE Table An LGBT+ Intergenerational Dinner
In honor of LGBT+ History Month, AgeOptions Thrive With Pride is hosting an evening of conversation & community on Zoom. Complimentary meals will be provided to participants in suburban Cook County.
Know Your Rights With The Chicago Torture Justice Center
The Chicago Consent Decree Coalition (CRS is a member) invites you to come learn about the consent decree and the impact it has on your life. Know Your Rights from people with lived experiences. Tell your story to experts who will give you advice on how to file your complaint with COPA.
Chicago Votes: "Silenced: An Unlock Civics Documentary" Screening & Give A Sh*t Happy Hour
Join Chicago Votes for an in-person Give A Sh*t Happy Hour featuring "Silenced: An Unlock Civics Documentary" on Thursday, October 7th at 6pm. In addition to a showing of the documentary, the happy hour will feature light refreshments, letters and art from currently incarcerated people on the importance of SB828, Voting in Prison, and a panel featuring directly impacted individuals.
Don’t Believe the Hype: Cutting Through False Narratives and Protecting Pretrial Justice Reforms
False narratives about the impact of Cook County’s efforts to reform the pretrial justice system have permeated the airwaves this summer. While Chicago Police Superintendent Brown and Mayor Lightfoot have consistently tried to tie gun violence to pretrial justice reform, a wealth of academic research has proved that these claims are not true. On Wednesday, July 28th at 6pm, the Coalition to End Money Bond will be joined by Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell, and MediaJustice to get the facts about pretrial justice reforms and discuss what real community safety looks like.
Register now and you'll get a link to access the event emailed to you on the morning of July 28th!
Chicago Consent Decree Coalition Press Conference & Rally
Impacted Community Members Address the Failings of the Chicago Police Department’s New Foot Pursuit Policy
CONTACT: Arewa Karen Winters arewa_neo@yahoo.com cell: 312-813-6882
WHEN: Wednesday, June 9, 2021 – 10:00am
WHERE: Chicago Police Department (CPD) Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Avenue
WHAT: People affected by police violence and reform advocates will gather in front of CPD headquarters to address the glaring inadequacies of the Department’s new interim foot pursuit policy. The policy does not state that foot pursuits carry a significant risk of danger and death. It also permits foot pursuits for many minor offenses and fails to give clear easy-to-understand guidance to officers. The policy was developed without input from Black and brown Chicagoans impacted by reckless and dangerous foot pursuits, who have stood ready to work with the City on a policy to restrict foot chases. Instead, the City engaged only in an ‘internal’ process. Additionally, the Monitor enforcing the Chicago Police consent decree found in her most recent report that the City relegates community engagement to the late stages of policy development and fails to incorporate community engagement which often prevents meaningful community participation.
WHO: Consent Decree Coalition Members, Use of Force Working Group Members, Community Activist and Organizers and Families Impacted by CPD Foot Pursuits.
Community Renewal Society is a member of both the Consent Decree Coalition and of the Use of Force Working Group.
Black and Asian American Christians United Against Racism
A LIVE PANEL DISCUSSION ON RECENT ANTI-ASIAN/BLACK RACISM,
ITS HISTORY IN CHICAGO, AND UNITY THROUGH INTER-MINORITY SOLIDARITY
Apostolic Faith Church • Chicago, IL
This live panel discussion addressed the recent surge in anti-Asian violence in light of COVID-19 and highlighted the need for Black and Asian American solidarity against racism and white supremacy. Panelists also discussed how the Church is uniquely positioned to lead the way in efforts toward racial justice. Speakers include:
Dr. Charlie E. Dates, Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church
David Wu, Executive Director, Pui Tak Center
Dr. Gabriel J. Catanus, Pastor, Garden City Covenant Church
Dr. Gregory Lee, Associate Professor, Wheaton College
Bishop Horace Smith, M.D., Pastor, Apostolic Faith Church
Juliet Liu, Pastor, Life on the Vine Church
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ
Raymond Chang, President, Asian American Christian Collaborative
Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, Professor, North Park Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton, Executive Director, Community Renewal Society
Together We Heal: Recognizing Female Leadership in the Pursuit of Justice
Join CRS Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Waltrina Middleton, along with faith leaders Dr. Mary Nelson and CRS Board Member Rev. Marilyn Pagán-Banks for this special dialog.
Complicated Joy: A Conversation on Black Joy in the Movement for Black Lives
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago held a conversation with Rev. Dr. Waltrina N. Middleton, Executive Director of Community Renewal Society to talk about the nuance of Black Joy and how it shows up in community.
“There are those who believe Black people possess the secret of joy and that it is this that will sustain them through any spiritual or moral or physical devastation.” – Alice Walker, Possessing the Secret of Joy.
This event is sponsored by the Chicago Chapter of the African Descent Lutheran Association (ADLA) and the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).