April 20, 2024
Presentation Slides (copy and paste to access in Google Drive):
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MhbPuYhNrc07GELzIt54xZ-gIBq4UGpObQJWsMHYLZY/edit#slide=id.p
Nan introduced Sara Knizhnik, Co-Director of SAFE ILLINOIS www.safeillinois.org. Sara is a long-time, very effective Gun Violence Prevention Activist.
Nan welcomed Sara and said that we hope that we can, once again, support her GVP work. After the AR GVP leads retired, we are looking for someone to lead our Gun Violence Prevention area. The volunteer would listen to the Honor with Action bi-weekly, one hour Zoom calls and report back to the AR Update regarding information learned and actions that could be taken. We hope that, after listening to Sara’s presentation, someone(s) will step up.
Sara opened by saying that the AR lead would never be alone in the work, that she would always be supportive. She then told the group about her history as a Gun Violence Prevention Advocate. After many years of advocacy, both locally and nationally, in June of 2022, one month before the Highland Park shootings, she was able to establish the first office of Gun Violence Prevention in the prosecutor’s office in Lake County.
Also in 2022, Sara won her seat as the Lake County board member that represents district 18. In this position, she can more effectively lead GVP initiatives. She believes that a completely different approach is warranted.
Until now silos of solutions have been addressed. She sees the need for an intersectional approach that focuses on the root causes of gun violence. She contends that there can be no change in gun violence unless the needs of underserved communities are be met. There needs to be a local focus but also statewide advocacy and national legislation.
Sara addressed the reason why the focus needs to be on strengthening “weak communities”.
The gun lobby (not gun owners) wants GV to be high but especially in underserved communities. Nothing sells guns more than fear and racism. The highest days of gun sales were after the Sandy Hook shootings and after the covid shutdown, which demonstrated that people buy guns when they’re most afraid. The gun lobby deliberately encourages fear and doesn’t support funding for gun control efforts.
For example, legislators, Brad Schneider and Dick Durbin have repeatedly tried to pass a bill that would require that guns be safely stored in homes where children are present. The gun lobby has done everything they can to defeat that bill.
Sara works to oppose the gun lobby’s efforts by focusing on strengthening those at-risk and in-risk communities. In Lake County, she founded Communities Partnering 4 Peace, which is modeled on the Institute for Non-Violence interruption program. As a result of the Institute for Non-Violence’s efforts in Chicago, homicides in the Austin neighborhood have been cut in half from 2015-2019! In Lake County, the Community Partnering 4 Peace program has already decreased homicides by 41% in less than a year.
To support Sara’s efforts private philanthropies have donated. Some of the donated funds go to professional researchers. Sara stressed that it’s important to have someone keeping the data so that programs can be funded. There are leaders across the nation who have contributed to Gun Violence Prevention, such as March for our Lives, Newtown Action Alliance, Live Free, Community Justice Action Fund, but they haven’t prioritized strengthening underserved communities or addressed the many root causes of gun violence. Sara said that Lake County is doing something that has never been done in the country.
She also stressed the need for Criminal Justice Reform. She pointed out that Lake County is urban, suburban and rural. It is different than Cook County. Chicago has one police department, and Lake County has forty-eight; so encouraging Police and Criminal Justice reform is difficult. The Lake County States’ Attorney office is the home of the Lake County Peacemakers. This is good because all police departments know those that have guns and shouldn’t. Sara’s group then gives these names to the Peacemakers, and they find these people and offer services BEFORE a crime can happen. Their funding sources are from Federal, State, and County levels. Sara said that they are building a coalition of actors. This is a “Public Health approach to GVP”.
They have also worked out an MOU between Condell Hospital and interventionists. If there’s a shooting, the Peacemakers are immediately called and step right in to prevent retaliation and to get services for victim (s) and, if possible, for the perpetrator(s).
She added that it’s so crucial to connect with other parts of the community, such as veterans’ groups. There are many young veterans who are prone to suicide. Suicide prevention is also Gun Violence Prevention.
Future priorities for SAFE, Illinois are to establish data sharing agreements, expand youth outreach, educate the community about firearm storage, continue to build relationships with stakeholders and community members, publish a county wide violence reduction plan, develop interactive resource mapping tools and diversify funding.
Sara emphasized that almost all acts of gun violence are the result of unhealthy interpersonal relationship. Also, the lack of environmental justice, the lack of reproductive services, the lack of mental health services are all root causes of violence.
Sara showed a slide which listed the gun violence prevention legislation that SAFE, Illinois will be supporting. When the need for witness slips arises, the Friday Zoom calls will let us know.
You can find more information about Sara and SAFE, Illinois here…Sara (847) 815-1549, sara@safeillinois.org, www.safeillinois.org, Also the slides from Sara’s presentation are attached to these minutes.
Additionally, you can view the live-stream of the presentation on the Action Ridge Facebook page.
Sara closed by urging attendees to become members of SAFE ILLINOIS (It’s free.)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Q. Chris asked about people that are formerly incarcerated that have trouble finding work.
A. Sara says that SAFE IL has a good relationship with employers that will hire them.
Q. Liz asked about the Honor with Action Call.
A, Honor with Action is 4 years old and SAFE IL is 2 months old. Sara wants to use her Honor with Action email list and so she named the call The Honor with Action Call. It’s every other Friday from noon to 1:00 pm. We hope an Action Ridge participant will volunteer to take part in the calls.
Q. Catherine asked, “Hasn’t the safe storage law already been passed?”
A. Sara explained that a lot is happening with Karina’s Bill, which requires those with an Order of Protection to give up their guns; but it hasn’t passed yet.
She said that Ethan’s Law (which is a safe storage bill) was ready to be passed, but Nancy Pelosi wanted to save her political capital for an Assault Weapon’s Ban and so didn’t strongly support Ethan’s Law.
In committee, it passed with bipartisan support. Advocate leaders want a stronger bill. The IL house has good leadership on this stronger bill, but the senate doesn’t want to move. Looking for a leader in the senate.
Sara said that it’s great that we have an assault weapons’ ban in IL, but we still need a safe storage bill.
Q. Nan is wondering how we in Cook County can use info about Lake County where Sara lives and represents to help Cook County.
A. Sara said she has people all over Illinois but also outside Illinois. It’s all connected! If Cook and Lake County work together, we can do more to prevent gun violence.
KIDS ABOVE ALL
Nan introduced Catherine Inserra, who has been working for Kids Above All for 5 years. She works with kids from ages seven to twenty-four that have needs stemming from violence. She spoke about and is looking for volunteers for Camp Sheilah, which was started by a man whose mother was lost to homicide. Kids come year after year to a long weekend camp where they can talk about the losses they’ve suffered due to homicide of a loved one. They play games and have fun, too. There are also activities for them throughout the year; so that they can form relationships with each other and with the Camp Sheila counselors.
She told us about Robert, who was grieving initially and hung his head, but is now in college and is a leader at the camp. Camp Sheilah showed him that he’s not alone in his grief. The camp takes place in the 2nd weekend of September. Learn more about the camp at www.kidsaboveall.org/csmp. Denae Stern, MCO Therapy is the Camp Sheilah Volunteer Coordinator. Call her at (773) 319-5219 or dstern@kidsaboveall.org or www.kidsaboveall.org/camp.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DISCUSSION
Chris and Karen Reid encouraged people to VOTE! Voter information is in the Update each week.
Karen B-L reminded everyone that the book group is meeting next Monday at 7:00 at the Community Church.
Kristin reminded the group that Affordable Housing will be discussed at the COW on Monday, March 18 at 7:00, also. The more support the better! Maybe the book group can come after (or possibly during) their discussion. Kristin will let us know when it’s coming up on the agenda.
Nan said that Rainbow Connections, an LGBTQ community for young people that meets in the church, may have a pride festival this summer.
Nan participated in a meeting this morning with Forefront, a fiscal partner for community groups. She’s excited that AR might be able to apply for some $$ because she is a part of the group! She will let us know if she gets it.
Mary F. said that there is an event, “Get Caught Reading” on April 13, from 10:00 am-1:00pm on the library lawn. It will highlight ibraries as very important in the community. Guest speakers will be Mayor Marty Maloney and Senator Laura Murphy.
Nan said that she’s hoping that we can view a portion of the documentary “The Shame of Chicago”, which is about the causes of segregation, at our next meeting on April 10th. It will soon be available for streaming.
Nan said that in May, the general meeting may be a round table to discuss a succession plan and where we go from here.
Jeanne, Kristin and Kathy went to the exhibit called Evicted at the National Public Housing Museum. The book group has read the eye-opening book “Evicted” by Matthew Desmond. The group said that the museum is in the process of moving to a larger venue and is worth a visit, once they’ve moved.
Respectifly submitted by Karen Banks-Lubicz and Nan Parson 3/14/2024