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Davis so this J. If you don't remember this J, but it's j j.
Good morning, everyone.
Chairwoman Rodriguez Sanchez will convene the meeting
shortly. But you do have a few minutes to visit conference
room a where you will find an assortment of official
Commission on human relations Donuts.
Complete with logo. I don't know how you guys pulled that
off.
Uh, but they are delicious and you will notice that the
donuts come in every variety shape and color and they are
all living harmoniously together in a box.
So let that be a lesson for all of us.
Please celebrate our diversity by eating 1.
Good morning, everybody. I am chairperson Rosa Rodriguez
Sanchez it is
um
1023 on June 27th 2024 and this meeting of the Chicago City
council's Joint Committee on Public Safety and health and
human relations will now come to order.
Today we will be hearing a presentation from the Chicago
Commission on human relations regarding their annual hate
crimes and hate incident report.
We are going to call the role.
uh chairman Hopkins
Alderman Robinson Vice chair, Jesse
uh Alderman Chico
uh Vice chair Ramirez
uh absent um Other Woman Gutierrez
not here Alderman Lopez
um Elder woman Coleman not present Alderman Curtis
not present Other Woman Tavares
not present Alderman Lopez
not present Other Woman Fuentes
Alderman Talia fero
Other Woman Cruise
not present
Um also not present Alderman's pasado.
not present Alderman Vasquez
uh Alderman Ken
Alderman Lawson
Alderman Gardner not present Alderman Martin not present
alderwoman manah hope and worth.
Um Elder woman Haden not present Elder woman still resting.
Uh chairwoman Rodriguez Sanchez is present. We have 13
members present. We have a quorum. Um, are there any no
members Elder woman lie, um is present um, and will be
recognized um as present for the record.
Um, we have a request for remote participation citing rule
159 from the following other people.
Um, I have Alderman Gardiner chairwoman Haden Alderman
pasado alment sexual Lopez Elder woman. Hey, Luke,
Gutierrez and Elder woman, Julia Ramirez.
Can I get a motion to approve the remote participation so
moved by uh Alderman Lopez all those in favor of allowing
remote participation for those Elder signify by saying I
opposite name
in the opinion of the chair the eyes have it.
Um, those Elders will be count present for roll call. We
will begin our meeting with time for public comment this
period is limited to 30 minutes and each speaker is limited
to 3 minutes.
um
I'm not sure how many speakers we have because I've been
getting um slips.
But I will uh, I will go back to that. Um, I will be
calling at random order. We're going to start with uh, the
ones present and then we will go to the online. Um,
the online commenters
and we are going to start with uh, John Wayne fry.
Hello.
Coid cases are up in Chicago.
So don't let make America great again Republicans. Take our
masks away. We still need them.
John Wayne fry 33rd Ward Working Families
Rosana Rodriguez is our alderwoman.
She is our committee woman.
We elected her because we wanted to clean up Chicago
politics.
I'm here today.
To talk about controversy between anti-Semitism and
anti-zionism.
I grew up in Indiana so I know a little bit about
anti-semitism.
When your cornered by the Klan?
And they start calling you. Hey jub boy.
You know, you got to be ready to fight or run.
anti-semitism
Means you hate Jews.
anti-semites have no Jewish friends
anti-zionism
Means you hate genocide.
anti-zionists have plenty of Jewish friends
because they oppose genocide.
1943 Hitler ordered the extermination of 13,000 Jews in the
Warsaw Ghetto.
Wasn't anything we could do about it back then?
Right now we're at over 38,000 dead Palestinians. That's 1
2 3 Warsaw ghettos.
But today we have an opportunity to put an end to that
genocide.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. The next speaker is Miss
Jessica Jackson.
Um Injustice against anybody is wrong.
But I challenge anybody.
in the United States of America
to be able to chop this
and it reads
Negroes for sale
by public auction
on Thursday 10:00 a.m. The 12th of April 1848
Prime and healthy at O'Donnell's Auction House 2 Cumberland
Street, Charleston, South Carolina
25 field hands
train at home chopping
thrashing Bellon plowing peaceful lot
No troublemakers strong can work in the heat all day long.
10 boys
being taught to drive wagons and fetch quick Learners 18
women 8 with Future Insurance meaning that they could be
breeding.
All house trained clean cooking iron and making beds.
6 girls comely quiet
But now meaning they just coming into puberty.
not headstrong manageable 1 female Superior cook and
excellent seamstress also for sale at 1:00.
plow horses cows Halls 1 Prime bull 5 heads of goats 2
wagons
Destiny in America that's here in America and the good thing
about it black people stayed here to fight our oppressor.
We done run to another country to ask for no help. We don't
run and take resources from other people for no help now.
We Face our oppressor just like what we dealing with right
now with them stealing our black people's property with
them trying to steal my property trying to steal Zoe's
mother property. We're here fighting the government. We're
fighting federal cases. We're going to court we're coming
in here. We're not running from our oppressor. That's why
everybody wants what we want. That's why everybody's on our
Civil Rights Act. That's why everybody takes advantage of
the 14th amendment that our people got because we got the
nerve and the courage and The Bravery to stand for our
oppression in our oppressors face on the land that we are
on the land that we are oppressed in this is what courage
looks like. Yeah, and we not gonna get no hate crime Bill.
Are we know?
It's going to go to all these lies that's going to float
around here today, but we know what it is and y'all do too.
for Black America applauded
thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Zoe Lee.
well
Um, that was very good Miss Jessica. Um, so
I have um, you know some issues as you know, the city of
Chicago unlawfully demolished my family's building with my
generation. Well, and again, I asked this question, I would
love the Alderman's to ask
Jason Lee Maurice Robinson. Um Marlene Hopkins Kimberly
Roberts. Um Grant Ulrich. Why did the city of Chicago?
Think that they owned a building that has been in my
family's.
Uh and been in my family's trust since 1970, but the deed
has been in my family's trust since 1972.
The city of Chicago never owned that building matter of
fact last week. I went and had a meeting with the county
the Cook County Clerk Cedric Giles and his legal counsel
and he gave me all the certified Deeds including the deed
that has been in the land Chicago land and trusts and my
mother's deed.
Chicago they they even said they confirmed Chicago never on
that bill, but because I go back to the city of Chicago
unlawfully demolished that building because in 2017.
Former president Donald Trump put into law the 2017 tax cut
and jobs act and that created opportunity Zone and
opportunity Zone in blighted property areas most uh, black
areas were supposed to help. Uh,
Build our communities up. My building was in an opportunity
Zone and because it was in an opportunity Zone the city of
Chicago the most corrupt city.
And we know that because Ed Burke.
Just got indicted 2 days ago Mr. Untouchable. He got
touched.
right
that
they just took it because at the end of the day, that's
what America has always done when it comes to Black
Americans.
So to sit here and and these are and this is a democratic.
This is a democratic City. Now y'all made this into a
Communist party. It's a 1 party system. The Republicans
didn't knock my building down, sir.
Yeah, you laughing but the Republicans knock my deal now
these these people knock my bill down.
And have been fighting have they have done everything
illegal to try to to make it seem like we can't take care
of our properties. This is my generational wealth and y'all
gonna continue to do it. If no 1 doesn't step up. So I'm
asking the great 50 Alderman and women in here to please
ask.
Someone why did the city of Chicago think that they could
knock down my family's building when we've had the deed
since 1972. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is to 1 seems
Taiwan tiw o n
I am 1.
but still, um
so 18 year old June 25th, Chicago Heights
19 year old June 26 West 93rd
there have been 249 slang in 2024.
5 Shot 2 kill rose land June 19th 3 shot 1 kill April 2nd 15
15 year old March 13 38 year old June 25th.
19 year old Rogers Park and a woman found just the other
night.
Um
Public Safety
let's talk. Let's think about Public Safety versus mental
health imagine you walk outside and you don't know if you
going to make it back home.
But we have all of these automatic all this automatic power
got a bunch of bright people over here and we got like a
force.
We got a police force out of this world.
But still black Americans dying on a day-to-day a 73 year
old 72 year old.
Retired bomb specialist I thought about that. I said man
wait, so this guy was in his yard 2 kids walk up to Rob him
and utilizing the knowledge that he had amassed over the
years of service that he had. He chose to play John Wayne
by pushing somebody out the way and going into a gunfight.
I thought that impossible to believe
With that they said that's what the news said happened.
kaban specialist
um
All these different things that's happening with black
Americans.
In Chicago the public now when if y'all go back and y'all
do the like the statistics and like how many black
Americans in this 2049 have been now it's 260 now, sorry
since like Sunday.
so
how many?
Are these people are black Americans?
Versus our counterparts like last time like Asian like
European or whatnot or just a little other people.
But how many are these black Americans falling?
And Public Safety is the issue.
And health imagine how crazy you would be.
The kid who the guy the 38 year old that was shot in Rogers
Park. That was a friend of mine 2 de 2 decades.
Shot in the back of his head boom kid killed him who didn't
even know.
I wonder if he'll get Justice.
Kenneth Sandy still ain't got no justice because Kamari is
still walking around making rap songs free to just live
while Kamari dead in the streets.
So Public Safety for black Americans don't exist here in
Chicago.
Or rather let's say.
It's not.
observed, especially by automatic power
Thank you for your comments. Um, our next speaker is Josh
Winer.
I'm uh Josh weiner with the Chicago Jewish Alliance.
Critical theory which comes in the form of critical social
justice or critical race theory has proven to enable the
targeting of Jews.
paired with intentional manipulation of the definition of
Zionism far-left activists and politicians like Rosana
Rodriguez are attempting to separate Jews from our identity
and dehumanize us as morally reprehensible.
Zionism is simply the right of the Jewish people for
self-determination in our D indigenous Homeland.
It is the Jewish Liberation movement after thousands of
years of persecution every place. We've existed in the
world since our Exile from our homeland by the Romans.
Zionism is not mutually exclusive to Palestinian rights
self-determination or dignity.
zionists exist across the political Spectrum zionists can
be and are most often good people who make positive
contributions that all of society benefits from
Critical social justice is an ideology that derides the
social and cultural power dynamics of society as creating
all inequities, which they say necessarily need to be
closed completely.
in doing so they are they other SoCal beneficiaries of
these power dynamics as oppressors and assign them a moral
responsibility to disrupt and dismantle the systems from
which they benefit to be considered good people.
This is an ideology that be most success attacks Merit and
Rewards victimhood.
As Jews we are quite likely the most successful minority in
America in terms of our representation in society relative
to our representation by population.
As such We Are The Number 1 Target of far-left activists as
white adjacent and upholders and reinforcers of the white
supremacy.
ridiculous considering white supremacists consider us how
subhuman
further the Zionist has been framed as the ultimate
oppressor Jew.
Who upholds Global races to Colonial systems this plant
seeds into Believers of this ideologies Minds that zionists
are evil. They're the cause of global oppression and they
can be dehumanized attacked and even killed for this
perceived and made up evil doing.
it also enables masses of people to view a conflict with
truly complex history as a binary of weak and morally
righteous verse powerful and morally evil 90% of Jews
support the existence of Israel because our religious
cultural and ethnic connection to the land and extensive
history of global persecution as a minority as they support
the existence of Israel are they are zionists. Are we all
evil upholders of global oppression?
When elected officials like Alderman alderwoman Rosana
Rodriguez post to Facebook asking for list of doctors who
are anti-zionists. It is hate speech. It is blacklisting of
Jews. It is inexcusable and it is a symptom of a deep
rotten in our society from the left which derides America
and all the liberal democracy is for your comments. Thank
you for your comments. Your time has expired.
Our next speaker is Martin Lavine.
Good morning. Um, I am Marty Levine. I'm a
Chicago in I'm here as a Jewish Chicago end and I'm here as
somebody who wants to see this community free from the
hatreds that diminish us all and threaten our safety.
I'm here this morning as a chicagoan who worked his entire
working life almost 5 decades.
in and for the Jewish community
in an effort to strengthen the flame of support for Israel.
There is a huge effort to throw the gasoline of
anti-Semitism on that fire weaponizing anti-Semitism and
making it
Um harder to combat anti-semites and other haters by making
the challenge of Israel and attack on Jews. They are making
it harder to place the battle against anti-Semitism where
it should be alongside the effort to raise up others who
have been marginalized like other voices. You heard this
morning.
Letting Israel escape responsibility for its behaviors and
the racism of its occupation does not benefit the Jewish
people.
Challenging the in that inhumanity is not anti-semitic. It
is very Jewish.
I recognize that for members of my community who have
centered their faith on Israel hearing and seeing these
words is unsettling disturbing and maybe even frightening.
I know that people of good faith recognize the importance
of keeping the difficult debate about the future of Israel
Palestine and its people of all faiths separate from our
fight against anti-Semitism and all other hates.
In this Arena of discussion numbers are thrown around
sometimes carelessly.
In a recent article by Shane Burley and Jonah Bond Ben
Abraham published about a week ago in Jewish currents. They
presented data looking at the most recent ADL data.
in their words it became clear to us that this reassessment
couldn't provide a clear picture of American anti-Semitism
in 2023 because the audit does not sufficiently
differentiate by degree and often does not share enough
information.
But our analysts yielded some helpful takeaways after our
assessment the adl's data still shows that organized white
nationalism was responsible for more incidents in 2023 than
every year since 2017 and that there is a clear correlation
between anti-Semitism and anti-lgbtq organizing.
Since we found that most alleged anti-semitic incidences in
Palestine solidarity movement lacked Merit, the
legitimately anti-semitic Palestine related incidents would
appear as more statistical noise when compared with the
stunning growth of organized white nationalism.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Danielle Hernandez.
Good morning.
My name is Daniel Hernandez. And I serve on as a
commissioner on the city commission, uh for human relations
and I just wanted to share a short statement on the hate
crimes and incidents report.
I'd like to apply to the commission staff and commissioner
and chairperson on Friday for their hard work on this
report and their recommendations. Our commission works hard
to fulfill the mission.
Of the human rights ordinance and I support the recommended
findings of the report. I know firsthand the importance of
this report.
The data within it will help the commission fulfill its
duties while also helping our city become a better safer
and more Equitable Chicago. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Joseph
Grant.
Is Joseph Grant here?
You good morning. My name is Joseph Grant and I'm a
community organizer at jcua the Jewish Council on Urban
affairs.
For 60 years jcua has worked in Interfaith and multi-racial
coalitions in Chicago and across Illinois to build a city
and state where all people have dignity safety and the
resources we need to flourish.
At the core of our work is a commitment to solidarity. We
recognize that anti-Semitism is linked to other forms of
Oppression and that safety for Jews is tied to the
well-being of all communities.
As a Jewish organization, we are deeply troubled by
instances of anti-Semitic islamophobic and racist bigotry
in our city.
And as an organization that works to create long-term
systemic changes in politics and Society.
We know that these kinds of rhetoric and actions are not
merely a matter of individual prejudices.
But our part of a much broader political problem.
a growing right-wing authoritarian movement in this country
is using racist islamophobic and anti-semitic rhetoric in
order to sow Division and fear and secure its own power.
And unfortunately, we are also seeing many others give into
fear and spread this dangerous rhetoric.
Those of us who hold dear the dream of a multi-racial
democracy and a pluralist society cannot give into fear and
isolation effectively addressing all of the forms of
bigotry in the cchr report means continuing to build strong
intercommunal relationships and working together across
differences towards a city that delivers on the promise of
freedom and safety for all people no exceptions.
Jcua, looks forward to continuing this vital work with Mayor
Johnson chairperson Rodriguez Sanchez and chairman Hopkins
and your respective committees and with commissioner
Andrade and the Chicago Commission on human rights. Thank
you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Thomas MD?
Good morning. My name is Thomas McDaniels. I am the
director of government Affairs and advocacy at the Chinese
American Service league in Chinatown. Um
as a result of this sharp uptick in the anti-asian hate
crimes, uh coid and postco. The anti-hate action center at
Castle was created to directly assist hate crime survivors
with a trauma-informed approach. We connect hate crime
survivors with mental health and Recovery support provide
legal consultations provide 1-on-1 assistance navigating
confusing government and law enforcement systems and
collaborate with partner organizations on prevention
efforts to provide the community with hate crimes and 101
and anti-bullying workshops.
Castle fully supported the shy versus hey ordinance as it
provided an important and timely update to the city of
Chicago's Commission on human relations enabling ordinance
reporting both hate crimes and hate incidents are both very
important.
Unfortunately, it is known it's known fact that hate crimes
and incidents are vastly underreported. This Under
reporting is especially prevalent among first generation
immigrants and Asian-American native Hawaiian Pacific
Islander individuals due to language barriers not knowing
what qualifies as a hate crime or incident distrust in
government entities a lack of accessible reporting options
and other reasons.
According to the Asian-American foundation's 2024 status
index nearly 1 in 3 asian-americans have been called a
racial or ethnic slur in the past year.
nearly 3 in 10 As Americans were verbally harassed or
abused in the last 12 months because of their race
ethnicity or religion.
Perpetrators are hoping that those they attack physically
and or verbally will not report the incident.
We need to change the culture around Under reporting
reaching out for help is a demonstration of strength and
courage and not weakness tracking non-criminal incidents.
In addition to criminal incidents gives valuable insight
into hate related activity in our community.
That once investigated can mitigate further future hate
activity. We urge the city of Chicago to continue to ensure
that sufficient language services are available for the
hate incident 311 intake process and to adopt culturally
sensitive training and scripts for 311 operators Castle is
proud to be partnering with the city on this effort and
offering translation support in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is vona
fenal.
It's padona present.
Okay, let's go to our next speakers Lionel Kimmel.
Good morning. Good morning. My name is Dr. Lionel Kimball
Junior. I'm the vice president and executive director of
the research and policy Center at the Chicago Urban League.
Thank you for allowing me to speak at this subject matter
here in regarding this, uh Council on human relations first
annual hate crime and hate incident report.
As many of you may know the Chicago Urban League was
established in 1916 as a mechanism to Aid, uh, the
thousands of Southern black migrants who came to Chicago to
get adjusted and uh acclimated into the urban environment.
We have a long history and and fighting hate dating back as
far as the 1919, uh red summer riot.
Uh into the open housing campaigns the 1950s 1960s and the
violence associated with that.
And today we are assisting in making a uh, Chicago more
Equitable for black people on the south and west side of
Chicago by providing access to Workforce Development
educational programs, uh, economic, uh and Entrepreneurship
opportunities as well as open housing, uh in first-time
home buyers, uh, uh, uh programs,
And my role I take a very active position in advocacy in uh,
a coalition building around issues of race and equity.
hate crimes have continued to be a stark reality for black
and African-Americans here in Chicago for decades black
people have endured hate crimes since our arrival on the
shores of North America in 1619 the brutality and the
inhumanity of hate against black people have been used to
as tools to keep us in bondage during the fort more than
400 years of uh, slavery and Jim Crow and oppression.
Hate crimes continue to be a means to keep blacks and
unofficial slavery during the Jim Crow era Decades of Lyn
lynchings. Typify. How hate has been used to keep black
people living in fear.
The fact the face of hate today has changed but this still
disproportionately affects black people more than any other
group year after year nearly 30% of all hate crimes
documented by the FBI in 2022 were against black people
while only comprising 14.4% of the national population.
In Chicago for the 2023 as the commission report shows 25%
of all hate crimes were committed against black people with
black being blacks being victims of 38% of all the hate
crimes based on race ethnicity and ancestry.
Thus we understand the importance of the work of Chicago
Commission on human relations to continue to uh, keep hate
crimes in the Forefront.
As a partner in the commission's upcoming hate crime
Community pilot program, the Chicago Urban League is
excited to work with the commission and Chicago Police
Department to assist victims of hate. We look forward to
reviewing discussing and sharing the support with our
contacts and helping to educate the community about hate
crimes. Thank you and uh for allowing me to comment. Thank
you for your comments.
Our last speaker in person is Jesse Conner.
Good morning.
So as you might have been able to tell from uh, some
previous comments here that tipped into playing about the
boogeyman of critical race Theory. Uh, we have a
an organized effort by some right-wing groups from the
suburbs to try to disingenuously smear my old woman the
chair of this committee or Center Rodriguez Sanchez. Not
for the first time.
All right, so we need to be perfect. We need to be
perfectly clear about what the reasons are for this.
They support the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Yes the group right, uh CGA direct your comments at me. Uh,
I I need silence in the chambers to continue public
comment, please or you will have the Suburban organization
supports the genocide in Gaza right now.
The older woman opposes it
Is the organization supports, uh settler colonial projects
that's broadly referred to as Zionism.
You know the older woman opposed to settler colonialism in
all of its forms full stop.
So these right-wingers they need to conflate.
Zionism they need to conflate the actions of the state of
Israel right now.
With Judaism because they know that they cannot defend the
actions of the state of Israel right now on its own merits.
They need to make this conflation because they know that
every day. There are Jews in the streets under the banner.
Of not in our names under the banner of Never Again.
So they know that they cannot justify on its merits right
now.
Over 20,000 children dead.
Maimed missing in Gaza. They know that they cannot support
that they know that people will not stand behind that so
they need to dissemble. They need to smear and they need to
go after somebody who has the moral Clarity to oppose it
someone who led the push for a ceasefire resolution in
Chicago city council.
That's really all I have to say on that. Can you please I
need silence or you will be escorted out either my own City
or you're from Chicago. So you gotta get your story
straight on here. But yeah direct your comments to me, sir.
And the rest of the people present in the chambers need to
be silent or you will be escorted out.
Another 50 seconds. Uh, also just want to Echo comment
before opposing the uh, Bill offered by the uh, you know,
the older the older men from Fox News, very Lopez.
Trying to ban masking.
In protest, uh, no reason to punish people who are trying
to avoid sickness in an effort to also punish.
People who are trying to avoid or who are trying.
You guys done?
Director comments at me, please.
I have a 15 seconds because I signed up for Speed.
Start direct your comments at me.
Okay, that's all I had.
Thank you for your comments.
I'm going to say this again. If you cannot be silent and
respect other people providing comment, you will be
escorted out.
Thank you. Uh now I'm going to go to the online comment.
I'm going to start with joy bandhan Miss. Bandhan. Are you
there?
Yes, can you hear me?
Yes, we can hear you.
Okay, great. Um people's response Network. They're
concerned about protocol for cleaning in Chicago and to
take over this button. We can hear you clearly.
There's
a little bit of of feedback
Can you speak again, please?
Miss Bunton, please. Press star 6 to unmute.
Okay, is that better?
Yes, that's way better. Okay. Thanks. Go ahead.
Okay, people's response network is concerned about the
current protocol for extreme heat in Chicago. We feel it's
outdated and cdph to take over decision-making from the
oemc and National Weather Service NWS in this regard the
2023 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or
NOAA heat map brand in Chicago proved that on July 28th.
There was a 22 degree difference between predominantly
Black and Latino communities versus white over 100.
years of red lining and lack of green infrastructure has led
to heat Islands in Chicago South southwest and west sides
using the newer CDC Endo NAA NWS heat risk color-coded map
whenever the heat index is 80 degrees not 100 degrees all 6
cooling centers and other facilities need to be open 24/7
including weekends and holidays CTA cooling buses should be
buses should be sent to see ha senior Section 8 buildings
and neighborhoods with the highest poverty rates and least
amount of air conditioning.
Iraq and on June 10th, it was only 1 cooling center open
for 2.8 million people when the heat index was 101 degrees
and that was closed in the evening including the 1995
Chicago Heat Wave. Most people die at night under extreme
heat their bodies can't effectively cool down heat Islands
greatly exacerbate the situation by keeping hot
temperatures and humidity too high for perspiration to
evaporate and cool people down. Although more households
may have AC now than in 1995 many don't turn them on at all
or too little too late to avoid High ComEd bills in these
situations. Social workers should do Wellness checks in the
same cha senior in Section 8 buildings and neighborhoods
located on heat Islands building environmental and he
inspectors should be sent to All high-rise and Senior
buildings covered under the 22 cooling ordinance with
temperature humidity instruments to ensure those at highest
risks. Don't get sick and die the city should also model
New York City's cool pavement and Phoenix's pool roof
Phoenix's pool roof programs for their effectiveness in
reducing Heat.
Island effects lastly we also recommend adopting OSHA draft
guidelines regarding heat warnings and response, especially
for outdoor workers indoor workers without AC at all at
risk using a 80 degree heat index threshold based on the
fact that workers have died a heat stroke with heat indices
below 80 degrees black Latinos indigenous and non-whites
are up to 3 times more likely likely to die during heat
waves as what happened in the 95 heat wave when twice as
many blacks died than whites. Let's be proactive and save
lives now. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Crayola
Hampton. Are you there miss Hampton?
Yes, I am here. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Go
ahead.
Thank you.
Uh, my name is priola Kazar Hampton, and I am representing
today the
Black black which is the black leadership. Advocacy
Coalition for healthcare equity.
Today June 27th is National HIV testing day.
Yesterday there was a summit in Chicago hosted by the
Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of
Public Health.
And others where Governor pritzker spoke as did Dr. Eay the
head of cbph about getting to zero in terms of HIV and AIDS
by 2030.
the impossibility of that
um exists based on these numbers.
Black African-American people comprise only 14% of the
population in the state of Illinois, but 408% of new
diagnoses and 52% of existing HIV AIDS diagnosis and the
City of Chicago. The numbers are the same 29% of the
population are African-Americans, but 48% of new HIV
diagnoses and 52% of existing HIV diagnoses exist among
African-Americans. This number has remained nearly
unchanged for almost the past 25 years. Why
98% of the funding for HIV and AIDS prevention and
awareness is allocated to White lead organizations.
Though the percentages of HIV and AIDS are among
African-Americans and only 2 to 7% of funding for
African-American LED organizations that have the cultural
competency to address and impact the incidence of HIV and
AIDS among black people are not funded.
according to AIDS vu
52% of people who died of HIV and AIDS in 2021 in Chicago
were African-Americans while there was 13% were Hispanic
and 24% White.
The rate of non-hispanic African-American males in the city
is 6 points who are HF living with HIV is 6.6 times that of
white men while it's only 2 times a uh, I'm sorry Hispanic
people it only exists 2 times more among white males, but
for black women in the city.
African-American females in Chicago
with HIV AIDS diagnosis are 18 times more than white women
while the rate of Hispanic and Latino females in Chicago is
4.5 times more that of white women.
I am working. We are working with TCA Health Southside
Health Center Universal.
Thank you for your comments Miss Banton.
Our next speaker is Ken Barrios.
Can you hear me?
Yes, we can hear you. Go ahead.
Excellent. Uh, so my name is Ken Barrios. I'm a born and
raised Chicago in in a proud resident of the 33rd Ward. Uh,
I'd like to use my 3 minutes to try to speak on 3 topics.
Uh, first of all Raymond Lopez is pushing for an ordinance
that would increase penalties for anyone committing a crime
while wearing a mask.
While this sounds uncontroversial the reality is that the
cops can approach anyone for any reason and declares that
they are committing a crime.
What is the stop police officers from Simply spotting
people with masks and making an accusation?
On that note. What is a stop cops from walking up to a Gaza
solidarity protests and declaring that anyone mask should
be under arrest.
Uh on that note secondly.
Uh, I know that today this committee will be discussing
hate.
This is an urgent topic. Uh, but I am troubled by the way
that many politicians have tried to confuse anti-zionism
with anti-semitism.
I want to make the distinction that Judaism is an
approximately 5,000 year old religion without any built-in
Politics. The Jewish Community is as politically diverse as
any community.
Uh, meanwhile Zionism is a political ideology that emerged
in the late 1800s and only solidified itself in the 1890s.
Zionism is and has always been an explicitly Colonial
ideology promoting the expulsion of Palestinians rather
than promoting a fully Democratic 1 State solution for All
Peoples.
If we are against hate we must also be against genocide and
colonialism.
And I wanted to thank these committees and especially my
older woman Rosana Rodriguez Sanchez for standing up for
all human rights.
I want to make this distinction because many of the pro
Palestinian protests have been called for organized and led
by Jewish anti-zionist groups like Jewish voice for peace,
and if not now
So I want to make sure that in discussing and defining hate
we don't make the mistake of conflating anti-zionism with
anti-semitism.
Especially since the far rights in this country with Donald
Trump his Maga followers and the qanon supporters are the
people actually promoting a very real and dangerous
antisemitism that we must unite to oppose.
Um last but not least on the topic of hate. Uh, I just
wanted to bring up the police as 1 of the largest drivers
of hate in Chicago with many members being members of the
oathkeepers and proud boys, and I hope the aldermen will
support the referendum for Community power over policing in
order to combat this hate. Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you for your comments. Our last speaker is Billy
rivy.
Billy are you there?
before I begin, I want to acknowledge that it would take me
over 15 hours to read the names of the thousands of
Palestinian children who have died at the hands of the
Israeli State since October my 3 minutes. Today is hardly
enough. I want to start by commending my older person Rosa
Rodriguez Sanchez for having me moral courage to continue
to stand against the atrocities being inflicted upon
innocent Palestinians in Gaza. I am proud that Rosanna is
my older woman and we should all be grateful to have a
beacon of moral Clarity like Rosanna on city council
turning to the topic of today's meeting. I am going to say
something uncontroversial hate crimes including anti-jewish
hate or terrible and should be opposed vehemently. We
should all do everything we can to support the victims of
hate and build communities where hateful actions are
unacceptable. But what concerns me about the recent and
forthcoming discussions on hate crimes in Chicago is bad
faith actors who are smearing political protests as hate
speech to illustrate Alder persons Ray Lopez Nicholas
basado and Deborah Silverstein recently characterized the
citizens for Palestine as
CPS schools as quote Finley veiled anti-Semitism and quote
when that was simply not the case here are some facts from
the United Nations that uh, explain why the students at CPS
were protesting and why alderwoman Rodriguez is morally
correct and her continued calls for a ceasefire in Gaza
over 8,000 children have been killed in Gaza more than 10
times the amount of children killed by Russia and Ukraine
1.7 million gazans have been displaced and over 2 million
face food insecurity or even famine. Let me be clear
opposing the deaths of Palestinian children is not
anti-semitic opposing displacement and famine is not
anti-semitic opposing war crimes is not anti-semitic and
opposing the continued oppression of Palestinian people in
Gaza and the West Bank by the Israeli government is not
anti-Semitic.
Deadly needs to be reiterated that criticizing the actions
and policies of Israel. The country is not an expression of
hatred towards Jewish people rather. It is simply
criticizing the actions and policies of a country. In fact,
some of the strongest criticism of Israel's campaign in
Gaza have come from Jewish people and Jewish organizations
such as Jewish voices for peace criticizing a country
processing for Change and condemning political ideologies
such as Zionism that justify war crimes is not hate speech
or hate crime and it should not be treated as such I think
we would all agree that criticism of the Chinese government
for instance is not the same as hate speech against Chinese
people all this makes me worried that any hate crimes
initiative heavily involving the folks who smeared
student protests would Criminal
protests in the future by lumping in legitimate political
protests with actual hate speech and hate crimes Alderman
Lopez is frightening dangerous and idiotic resolution that
would punish people for wearing masks and medical devices
at protests only increases my concern. I would encourage
the all the people on this call today to be wary and
skeptical of any proposed legislation that could be used in
a way to stifle legitimate political protest. Thank you for
free Palestine.
Thank you for your comments there being no further
speakers. We can conclude the public comment period um, we
had 15, uh public speakers signed up and we received 3
written comments from the public.
Our first and only item of business today is a subject
matter hearing and presentation from the Chicago Commission
on human relations under annual report on hate crimes and
hate incidents. We're joined for the presentation by a
number of officials. Um first I will let the members of the
commissioner and human relations to introduce themselves,
then uh, police department streets and sanitation and
Emergency Management and communication, please go ahead.
Good morning. Good morning. I am chair and commissioner, uh
for commission on human relations. I am Nancy Andrade.
Hi Kenneth gun, first Deputy Commissioner of the commission
on human relations.
Uh, good morning, Danny Serrano director of Intergroup
relations and Outreach for the commission.
Can I have the members of the Chicago Police Department
identify them?
Good morning. I am Commander Carla Johnson of the office of
community policing.
Good morning, Norman White Chicago Commission on human
relations on the hate crime victim advocate.
Good morning, Debbie Dale Lopez Deputy Commissioner
Department of streets and sanitation.
morning, Audrey matthysse, uh Depp director for 3011 OMC
Thank you all for being here. We are very excited to dive
into the content of this report. We know that this is a
moment that requires, uh deep, uh, and thoughtful
discussion, um around issues of hate. Um, so we're just
going to delve in I'm going to pass it on to commissioner
Nancy Andrade you
Thank you chair. Good morning, chairwoman, Ronna Rodriguez
Sanchez and chairman Brian Hopkins esteemed members of the
Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety.
I am Nancy Andrade commissioner and chair of the commission
on human relations known by its acronym as the cchr seated
beside me are Ken gun for Deputy Commissioner and Daniel
Serrano director of Intergroup relations. We are here to
present the hate crimes and hate incident report a report
that is mandated of this commission by the December 2023
amendments to the hate crime ordinance. I would be remiss
if it if I did not take a moment to acknowledge the various
City departments with whom we collaborated to produce this
report. We thank the office of the mayor the Chicago
Department of police and the Chicago Department of police
civil rights unit 3111 office of emergency management
Communications, Chicago Department of Law, Chicago
Department of Public Health and public health, and of
course
intergovernmental affairs
a note of appreciation to CCR summer interns Katherine
Clayton and Javier Enriquez who were instrumental in
compiling the slide deck and graphs in the presentation and
Report last but not least. Thank you to Danielle Serrano
for graciously taking on the role of Scribner for this
report.
Let me Begin by starting off with a little history.
Ccr's Origins stem from the race riots of 1919. When a
black youth swam across an invisible line dividing a
Southside Beach from White beachgoers. The incident sparked
race riots resulting in 38 deaths and more than 500
Chicagoans injured.
This tragedy marks the origins of today's cchr to address
race relations and end bias and bigotry.
The cchr is a mighty Nimble yet small City agency that goes
the extra mile to help everyday Chicagoans to bring Justice
if they have experienced discrimination. We work with the
community and aldermanic offices to address Community
tensions provide referrals for other city or nonprofit
services or simply share a friendly face and a sympathetic
ear.
The latter is the human touch victims of hate appreciate
more more than words can express. Our agency is a neutral
party ready to assist all essentially. We are the city's
peacemakers.
The Chicago Commission on human relations is the city civil
rights agency.
The report we are presenting today is a summary of our work
specifically addressing hate crimes and hate incidents that
occur within the city of Chicago.
Its purpose is to inform the city council and the public
about the cities initiatives for addressing the problem of
hate crimes and hate incidents.
For purposes of the report the information and data is
comprehensive as the ordinance requires cchr to provide
hate crimes and hate incidents data organized by community
area bias motivation type of incident and disposition. It
also requires cchr to provide an overview of hate crimes
and hate incidents from local Regional and National
perspectives in overview of ccr's activities regarding hate
crimes and hate incidents.
Plus any findings and recommendations to reduce or
eliminate hate crimes and hate incidents.
Hate crimes and hate incidents are National and Regional
problems that also impact Chicago.
The is no Universal definition of hate crimes or hate
incidents nor Universal standards of measurement and
Reporting nevertheless data from across the various
National regional and local jurisdictions indicate that
recent years have seen record high increases in reported
hate crimes and now hate incidents and yes hate crime
numbers have risen in Chicago.
Looking to cpd's hate crimes dashboard the past 5 years.
There was a noticeable uptick in hate crimes in 2019. There
were 98 hate crimes 2020. There were 80 2021 there were 109
2022 there were 205 in 2023. There were 303 and as of June
13th of this year. There are 124 reports of hate crimes.
1 may ask what is the difference between a hate crime and
hate incident? A hate crime is a criminal act that targets
a person or group of people because of their actual or
perceived identity. I hate incident is a non-criminal act
that targets a person or a group from a protected class.
What causes a rise in hate there is no definitive answer,
but we do know that various factors are at Play.
global global crisis drives these increases so do political
partisanship and rhetoric white nationalist propaganda and
online conspiracy theories.
And now the Israel Hamas war is driving a sharp increase in
anti-semitic and islamophobic hate crimes and hate
incidents.
Historically African-Americans the Jewish Community lgbtq
plus victims have been targeted most often.
The co 19 pandemic also saw asian-americans and Pacific
Islanders targeted like never before likewise the increase
in Asylum Seekers and other migrants has accompanied record
numbers of hate crimes and hate incidents against Latin a
victims.
Despite these increases only a fraction of hate crimes are
reported the reasons for this are complex. People. Do not
always recognize a hate crime when they experience 1 some
fear retaliation others may not trust the police or the
criminal justice system.
Cchr works with the Chicago Police Department to handle the
civilian side of hate crimes reported in Chicago proper.
Our hate crime victim Advocate helps the victims cope with
the aftermath The Advocate tracks their cases through the
criminal justice system accompanies victims to court and
meetings with detectives and provides referrals for other
city or nonprofit Services through our collaborative work
with CPD. We hope to instill trust in the community. So
they may be more inclined to report hate crimes to 911 or
CPD District stations.
Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson's Administration is expanding
the city's response to the epidemic of hate in December of
2023 the city council amended the city's hate crimes
ordinance to include non-criminal hate incidents. It also
includes new data collection and Reporting requirements to
increase transparency. This new data may lead to new
approaches to address the problem of hate.
Since January of 2024 this year to June 15th of this year.
There have been 114 reported hate incidents by the public
23111 either via phone smartphone or computer of these 114
reports. Only 17 were deemed to be Bonafide reported hate
incidents.
In October of 2023 ccar partnered with CPD to win a US
Department of Justice Grant to create a community-based
hate crimes reporting pilot program. This pilot program
will operate in collaboration with several community-based
organizations.
These cbo's will help with Outreach to educate their
communities about hate crimes the initial cohort of cbo's
who have agreed to partner with us on this initiative
include the Chicago Urban League the Anti-Defamation League
Howard Brown Health Center Metropolitan Community Services.
The Chinese American Service League Institute, Del Progreso
Latino and North
Northside Community Resources
They will serve as culturally competent spaces for victims
to report hate crimes to police.
Program will supplement 911 and 311 reporting options, but
it is not meant to replace those mechanisms.
Cchr and CPD and 10 for the program to enhance police
community relations build trust and facilitate the
reporting of hate crimes that otherwise would have gone
unreported.
Cchr engages in various other initiatives and programming
designed to bring people from different demographic groups
together to discuss and work on solutions to end bias and
bigotry such as the unity branch of January 2023 and the
unity Summit of July 2023.
Last December we launched the think before you hate
campaign to promote the pilot program and the amendments to
the hate crime ordinance.
as mentioned earlier the amended ordinance mandates this
report to include any findings of recommendations to reduce
or eliminate hate crimes and hate incidents. The 2024
report makes the following recommendations pass the
proposed hate littering ordinance.
Review the Staffing model in the CPD civil rights unit for
Mission optimization.
connect 311 hate incident reporters to the mental health
system expansion initiative and lastly to implement
educational programs for youth to address the problem of
hate.
In conclusion President Biden said any hate crime is a
stain on the soul of America cchr could not agree more hate
crimes and hate incidents are a Scourge to the nation our
state our country and our beloved city of Chicago.
Regardless of how the data is measured recorded and
reported across the various jurisdictions. There is a
consensus that in recent years the number of hate crimes
and hate incidents have gone up.
Many of our family friends and neighbors feel threatened by
hate hate incidents and hate crimes.
This is not a new problem hatred is an ancient malady that
has plagued Humanity from early on.
in 1 of his most famous sermons
Loving your enemies the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Wrote Darkness cannot drive out Darkness. Only light can do
that hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that.
peace equity and prosperity depend on all good people and
all good governments to remain Vigilant and to stand
against the hate that Furs in the world.
As we imagine a more Equitable inclusive and just Chicago.
1 where hate does not exist we must think of the role that
we play each and every single 1 of us as individuals and as
members of our respective communities, we need to make this
city a stronger safer better place.
We all have a responsibility to do our part. That is why
Mayor Johnson boldly stated hate has no home in Chicago.
This is not a passive statement. It is a call to action.
Chicago and should take comfort knowing that despite the
national regional and local uptake in hate crimes CPD the
CPD civil rights unit and the cchr are equipped to lead and
study the course on addressing hate crimes and hate
incidents.
Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson Administration is expanding
the city's response to the epidemic of hate. We at the
Chicago Commission on human relations stand ready to oppose
hate. We hope that you will join us. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Um.
uh for your words, um
now we're going to go into your report.
I'm going to pass it on to my colleague, uh chairman
Hopkins, but I want to recognize uh, Alderman Carlos
Ramirez Rosa for the role.
Oh, thank you co-chair. Thank you commissioner for a very
detailed and thorough report. Um, you said a high standard
for future reports. And as you all know we will be doing
this, uh as mandated by ordinance annually, uh, the form
mentioned, uh amendment to our hate crime act, uh was
sponsored um by our colleague alderwoman Silverstein and
uh, she will make an opening statement following which we
will uh, open it up to questions alderwoman.
Thank you.
Thank you, um chairman and I have a statement, but I also
do have some questions as well.
I again I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity
to speak first. I want to thank commissioner Nancy Andrade.
For her partnership on combating hate in the city of
Chicago. Uh, I also want to recognize Daniel Serrano and um
Norman White the hate crime victim advocate of CC HR. He
has been on the streets every day fighting back against
hate. His work is deeply appreciated by me and the entire
50th Ward community. So, thank you.
With the help of the commission on human relations their
Partnership of numerous Community organizations, and the
support of all 50 Alderman. We passed shy versus hate
legislation last year.
Shy versus hate is the first major update of Chicago's hate
crimes ordinance in more than 30 years. It is now easier to
report hate in Chicago.
By utilizing the 311 system victims can report hate
incidents 24 hours a day 7 days a week in whatever language
they speak.
They can request follow-up from law enforcement or from the
civilian Commission on human relations.
Notably shy versus hate also created a formal definition
for hate incidents noncriminal acts that may serve as a
precursor to Future crimes.
As an example.
a Jewish school in the 50th Ward notified me of a
non-criminal incident where teens at a public school Park
made the Nazi salute to Jewish youth.
A few weeks later they did it again.
But this time they also threw rocks at the students.
This demonstrate how hate if not addressed can grow and
threaten our most vulnerable communities.
Our hate crime ordinance was drafted with the partnership
of a diverse Coalition of human rights organization.
We heard from Castle the Chinese American Service League
who had been bombarded with anti-asian hate particularly in
the aftermath of the co pandemic.
We worked with equality, Illinois. The state's oldest
advocacy organization fighting for the rights of the lgbtq
community which has seen a huge spike in anti-gay and
anti-trans Hate.
We also worked with the Chicago Urban League and the
Anti-Defamation League.
Every Community we spoke with made it clear that hate is
growing and that changes needed to keep us all safe.
The commission's new report shows how desperately our city
needs to fight back against hate.
the data shows 50
The same number that was reported in the entirety of last
year.
Notably Westridge, which is in my 50th Ward had the most
reported hate crimes of any community area in the city of
Chicago and has already experienced more confirmed hate
crimes this year than it did in the entirety of 2023.
We also had the largest number of confirmed hate incidents.
Some of that some of that hate has made the news like the
hateful and disgusting anti-semitic firing that targeted
Jewish blocks in the 50th Ward.
But most of it has gone unreported and unnoticed by the
public this includes threatening and obscene phone calls
that targeted Jewish bakeries in my ward.
And most recently a disturbing bomb threat that was sent to
a Jewish College in Westridge.
Anti-Semitism is sharply spiking in our city and our
nation, but Jews cannot fight anti-Semitism alone.
as Rabbi Lord Jonathan sacks 1 of the greatest Jewish
thinkers of Our Generation wrote the victim cannot cure the
crime and the hated cannot cure the hate.
The only people who can successfully combat anti-Semitism
are the cultures that Harbor it.
And that starts right here at the top. We need our
leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand to protect
the Jewish population of Chicago.
The Jewish Community has been begging the city to take
anti-Semitism seriously.
We have watched the city turn a blind eye to Illegal
encampments inflammatory social media posts and
unsanctioned walkouts at our Public Schools.
We have experienced Silence from City Hall when protesters
blocked highways earned flags and vandalized public
institutions such as Buckingham Fountain.
This same hate has surfaced again when local Jewish
therapists were blacklisted and Jewish owned businesses
were boycotted.
The lists pretends to Target zionists, but the people on
the list all share 1 in characteristic. They are all
Jewish.
We all respect the right to free speech and free assembly,
but what about the rights of Jewish residents?
To live free of fear. We watched in horror as anti-israel
demonstrators.
Surrounded a synagogue in Los Angeles this week a protests
that erupted into violence when they tried to block Jew
Jews from entering their own place of worship.
Will our city keep the Jewish residents of Chicago safe
when the same agitators march on the DNC in August.
I am currently circulating a letter that I drafted together
with the Jewish Federation a metropolitan, Chicago.
An organization that represents the vast majority of
Chicago's Jewish community.
It calls on CPS to act to protect its Jewish students
faculty and staff in the fullness of their identities We
Believe or we being Orthodox conservative reform or
unaffiliated white black or brown lgbtq or others. And yes.
Even if we are zionists.
We deserve to have our city protect us and keep us safe.
For the my colleagues who haven't signed on to the letter.
Please see me, and I'm happy to add your name.
Because of the increase in anti-Semitism and because of so
much hate of all types in this world. It is important to
have legislation like shy versus hate.
But Shai versus hate is just a first step. It's only the
beginning. We need to continue to work together to come up
with new ways to combat. The epidemic of hate hate isn't
going anywhere and neither was must we thank you.
Thank you. Alderwoman Silverstein, uh, the floor remains
yours for questions followed by alderwoman Fuentes.
Do I have a a question, uh for you commissioner? I know
when hate incidents are reported. Um, they're
they're they could be either Bonafide undetermined or
unfounded. How do you differentiate?
between those 3
that is that is um, I will run that over to
our um to Sergeant to Commander Johnson from CPD
Yes, good morning again.
And I'm I'm talking specifically of hate incidents. Is that
something that that you've yes, take care of also. Yes, uh,
good morning again. Um Commander Carla Johnson office of
community policing so we investigate hate incidents. Um the
same as we investigate hate crime incidents if we receive a
incident, um, a hate incident, um after just just I just
want to walk you through the steps what happened. So the
officers that conduct the preliminary investigation, um
will determine
If it's a hate incident or hate crime incident initially,
and so after that, they will forward that information to
the Civil Rights unit. Um, the detectives we work with the
Bureau of detectives and we conduct a parallel
investigation with them. Of course, the Bureau of
detectives are still the primary investigators will be
provide is victims assistance as well as Leia son to um,
any information referral services that we may provide to
the victims.
If we receive additional information that can supplement
the in investigation for the Bureau of detectives. We
provide that information to them any additional
information. We received we provide that to the Bureau of
detectives and we work with them to determine if that hate
incident is um actually becomes a hate crime. So that's
based on all the information we receive.
If that answer your question.
No, I I was.
Actually wondering more about the the hate incidents. There
were how many 117 114 114 144.
individuals, uh reported a hate incident of those 114 only
17 were deemed to be Bonafide. Um,
The remaining were either unfounded some were just not. Um
I can add a little to that uh, essentially the difference
between undetermined and unfounded, uh unfounded means that
the facts alleged by the reporters. Do not meet the
statutory definition of a Hayden incident and therefore
cannot be categorized as a Bonafide hate incident.
Uh, that means it's not a criminal act motivated by by a
noncriminal act motivated by bias.
Reporters must allege both a non-criminal act and a bias in
order for it to satisfy the statutory definition.
Uh undetermined means that the reporter did not even
provide enough information to determine that an act
occurred. Maybe they left their name and the location but
nothing else or maybe they just left their opinion about
something.
Uh, that's basically it.
Okay. Thank you.
um the pilot program that you mentioned, um has that
Started yet, or we are waiting for the Department of
Justice as part of the requirement to approve our action
plan. That should be happening soon. We can't do anything
until we receive their approval as soon as we get it. We
will begin roll out.
Okay, because I know you've been talking about it for a
while. So again, the Department of Justice has its protocol
that's in the hands of the federal government. Okay. Um, I
have just a couple other questions. Um, I this is a
question for reporting. Um graffiti. I don't know if this
is um,
Oemc or 311 but I know that when you go into to report
graffiti just in general.
Um it you can you can report it as hateful profane or a
place of worship, but I do not believe that if you're
reporting graffiti that it goes.
And counts as a hate incident.
I don't know if somebody can speak on that. I know if you
go in as a hate incident and say it's graffiti. It will go
both to um streets and sand and it'll go in as an incident,
but if you go in as graffiti.
It it won't.
Send it to both places. It won't send it. It'll just send
it to streets and sends but it won't include it as a hate
incident, but you understand my question.
yeah, um, but if it goes in as graffiti that's information
that streets and sand have um and through the relationship
if it's found once they investigate that there's hateful
information then they will treat it similarly. Like it's a
hate incident. That was a reported that's based on the
person how they reported right? Um, is there a way to
possibly
add an extra step when you're just reporting graffiti to
ask whether it's hateful so that it could go to both
places.
Yeah, we could look at that something we could work on.
Yeah, we could work. You're blocked. I can't see you. Yes,
we can work with the Department of uh, the code act all
type codes.
Not under our purview we do it at the request of the
Departments. So, uh, that's something that Debbie and her
team will be prepared to if that answer is yes to treat it
differently then by all means so we can work with streets
to send on that.
Yeah, and when we get a report and we deem that it's a hate
crime. We've worked very very closely with the police
department and the CCR to get them on site so we can
expedite the removal. So that relationship is still moving
forward so we can remove it quickly.
Okay, we know how great you are Debbie. So um, but I think
it should be consistent on both sides if that's possible.
and then um
Yes, like to oh, I'm sorry if we could just add a little
bit to that. Um
under Illinois Law a graffiti is a crime period a graffiti
hateful. None hateful. Therefore if it contains hateful
content against a protected class now, it becomes a hate
crime because we have the 2 elements of crime and the hate
motivation.
In the past, uh, despite it being a crime here in Chicago.
We were treating graffiti as a public nuisance. So people
reported it to 311 or to their Alders and DSs would
immediately remove it as quickly as possible.
Uh now since the Amendment added graffiti to the hate
crimes ordinance the process for hateful graffiti has
changed before DSS can remove the hateful graffiti. It must
be treated as a hate crime.
This means it must be photographed uploaded to the 3111
system and recorded as an alleged hate crime so that the
evidence can be preserved. Then CPD can clear for removal
and 1 CPD clears it that's when DSS then removes the
graffiti, but the process has been happening very quickly,
right? I was just going to say we're moving on that because
we don't want to leave graffiti up, correct?
okay, and then um
just wanted to this is a really important ordinance and I
just wanted to know how it's being promoted. I I know I
myself had a community meeting about it. Um, how are we
educating it? Are we getting it on billboards? Are we
getting it in CTA stations? How are we promoting? Uh this
important legislation?
It's been on CTA Billboards, uh LED on the expressway. It's
been popping up on the Kennedy Expressway. It's been on bus
stops. It's been on all stations. It's been on buses on
trains.
It's also being promoted via social media. Right? I know
you said that the um mayor's is behind all this, you know,
combating hate so
Do you think with budget coming we could get more of a
budget for you to um have more money to get the message
out?
to help combating this hate
I think that's really up to the alderman when they approve
the budget.
I I know California has like 90 million dollars, um that
they're using to promote this anti-hate campaign. So I'm
hoping that we can get some additional dollars here in
Chicago to do the same. We are all ready to receive any
additional support.
Um, did someone else want to say something?
I'm finished with my questions. I don't know if you're no
thank you so much need to get into your computer. Oh, thank
you Otto woman Silverstein for your questions and thank you
for your leadership on this issue. Uh, please add Alderman
Martin to the attendance roll call and the chair recognizes
all cuentas with our next question.
Thank you chairman Hopkins um and commissioner. Thank you
for your work. Uh, I have questions as it relates to
collecting the data when we are looking at hate crimes. Is
there a way that we are aggregating data according to
multiple identities. For example, is there a way to
aggregate data that for black Trans women are more at risk,
um than their counterparts, right? Um what we have seen
particularly in the city of Chicago across the country. I'm
quite frankly. The globe is that black Trans women have
faced a lot more violence, um than any of their peers in
the lgbtq community and cross the black community. So can
we talk just a little bit about how we're collecting that
data aggregating it so that we account for multiple
identities.
Yeah, that's a CPD question. So we will um turn that over to
Commander Johnson, sorry, could you?
can you uh
The last part of your question, please repeat that. Yeah.
Absolutely. Thank you for being here Commander. We I I want
to know are when we are looking at hate crimes reported and
we are uh going through the data and providing aggregate
presentations. Are we also accounting for hate crimes as it
relates to intersectional identities. For example, black
Trans women. Is there a way that we're also accounting for
how the intersectionality of our identities also make us
more vulnerable to hate crimes.
Well, we do have the information listed by.
The different demographics and the different categories.
Um, we are working to get all that information aggregated
so that we can have more uh, comprehensive information to
um to to provide to the citizens of Chicago. We are working
on that now,
thank you. And and the reason I asked that question is I
fully understand how we are dividing some of the data, um
around race and sexuality, but it would it would not paint
a full picture if we're not providing data. Um, that's also
intersectional of those identities because often if you are
2 or 3 or more of those things, you are more vulnerable, uh
to hate crimes than than any other part of the population.
Yeah.
that's interrupt you older alert, but that data is
collected and
I was just going to add um, we can manually go through
every case File and pull that information determine that
thank you. Um, that would also be helpful to some of the
advocacy work that is needed and to you know, some of our
our public commenters right a lot of funding goes to
agencies, uh, that doesn't necessarily serve a population.
That is the most vulnerable when we're looking at
homophobia transphobia, um, black communities deeply need
that funding to be able to come back some of the things
happening in their community. And so I want to make sure
that we're also presenting data that makes the case for how
we achieve um,
safety for everyone and combat all hate crimes. Absolutely
Norman. Would you like to chime in on that a bit?
Yeah, uh, we have worked uh with the Trans community in the
past, uh, alongside the the center on Hallstead 1 of the
challenges of the trans Community because uh that we notice
is that uh, first of all their youth uh homeless and some
of them work as sex workers too. So part of their everyday
life involves violence and 1 of the challenges and we went
in there is to educate them that they do have rights and
they do have uh, there is a mechanism to report that
because for them it was just part of the job.
And also differentiating where they was violence against
them because they were trans or because they were in the
sex industry. So we've been working with the Trans
Community. We're very aware of it and we're very sensitive
to it because a lot of them are very young very kids 18 19
years old that have been living in the street. So we do
reach out to them, but sometimes it takes time for them to
even trust us. But yeah, we are aware of that.
Thank you and commissioner the data that was presented
today Does it include hate crimes that are reported by
individuals that are currently incarcerated in our justice
system.
That is a CPD question.
Sorry, can you repeat?
Absolutely. The numbers that were presented today are they
inclusive of of inclusive of hate crimes reported by
individuals that are currently incarcerated in our Justice
systems?
That I'm not aware of that information, but I can get that
for you.
Thank you. And I I would love to know right because you
know, I just uh visit the G Center and there are young
people that are experiencing some Dreadful, um hate crimes
by their peers, uh by Justice officers and I want to make
sure that they're also too accounted for it for the type of
resources that they need and deserve um, and if the numbers
today, uh are not inclusive of that data, I would like to
see a report that is
My last question is does the Chicago Commission on human
relations also work with EEOC and other entities that are
also reporting sexual harassment, uh, because what we find
in many workplaces and across the city of Chicago is that
sexual harassment is often compounded with hate crime,
right depending on the religion the ethnicity um, or even
the sexual orientation of the women that are experiencing
sexual harassment in the workplace or in certain
communities and so is this is their sort of a marriage in
which we're looking at all of these cases to determine
maybe what is not just sexual harassment. What is a what
may be a combination of both sexual harassment and hate
crime as we know that sexual harassment can be a tool of
how to exert power over individuals, right? Yes s under
under the ordinance, of course, we accept pay, um,
discrimination complaints, um, and we get a lot of sexual
harassment complaints. We also work with our partners at
the EO.
OC Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Cook County
Commission on human rights to address sexual harassment
Thank you. I appreciate that question. Do the chair. Could
we just get a response on whether or not the data today
presents, it also includes folks that are incarcerated. If
it's not then maybe updated data to include those hate
crime reports. Um, and then the intersectional, um
reporting uh that I alluded to in my first question.
Awesome. Thank you all for being here today. I truly
appreciate it. Thank you. We appreciate your questions.
Thank you Alderman. We will follow up on that, uh, the
chair recognizes alderman canson.
Thanks chair. Um, and I want to thank really the whole team
at CC HR commissioner Andrade Denny Serrano Kenneth gun
Norman White. We've been working quite closely with you all
in the 43rd Ward and on um, uh on the stop hate littering
ordinance that I really appreciate your report mentioning
as an action item to pass in order to minimize these
incidents and deter future ones. Um, we have an upcoming
hearing on July 12th on the ordinance so I won't get too in
the weeds. Um very much working with chairperson Rodriguez
Rodriguez Sanchez's team and Veronica on her team and City
lawyers to make sure that we do this right. Um, but I
wanted to take the opportunity since it came up to um, just
speak to the ordinance quickly and then ask you all a few
questions on it.
So the stop hate littering ordinance, which I have some
updated language on. I know I've talked to many of you
about it since introducing it a few months ago. Um, it
originally was born out of an incident that happened in the
Lincoln Park person portion of the 43rd Ward where we woke
up 1 Monday, um to a resident coming in
with a baggie that included a flyer with very explicitly
anti-semitic language and a substance a pellet substance
that appeared to be rat poison. If you Googled what does
rat poison look like this image came up. Um, this had
occurred to around 80 vehicles in the center of our Ward
and created a large, um atmosphere of fear in the
community, um, uh when this happened, um, we immediately
worked with your team and your response was incredible you
came out and we did the opposite of hate flying we flied
vehicles to teach them on the stop hate work that the
commission does. Um, that was really a beginning of just
learning with you all and learning what we can do to stop
these types of incidents which are not new they are
increasing in different ways. Um, I've learned that mostly
these are done by organized white supremacist.
IST groups that are based out of state but they have an
operation that comes into communities, um in an organized
fashion, we in in my team have dove into other incidents
over the past 10 years, um against uh black communities in
Chicago, um hate flying around mosques hate hate flying in
areas frequented by lgbtq plus people and we see a trend
that is growing and the reason it's growing is because um,
these hate organizations like to stay 1 hair within the
law.
We know exactly the organization that organized the flying
in Lincoln Park and in talks with our law enforcement. Um,
they said we'd love to do something. We cannot they're
staying 1 hair within the law.
Um, so what this stop hate littering ordinance intends to
do is move the law over a hair so that we can create a
ticket. It's up to 000 dollars for this kind of hate flying
since we know that these hate organizations like to stay
within the law. This will also serve as a deterrent for
these 2 happen going forward. This is something that's
happening Nationwide and I I think I'm confident with the
group The the really, um, broad Coalition. We've brought to
discuss this that we can set a standard Nationwide and
really reduce these kinds of hate incidents. So that is a
little bit of context on why we're bringing this forward. I
want to now go to you.
You all because I am uh, so happy that an endorsement of the
draft ordinance is in um the annual report and I want to
ask you all just the really broad question of um, you know,
know, what led you to endorse the um, the stop hate
littering ordinance within this year's annual report on
hate crimes and incidents.
He just has to stop hate has no home in Chicago. It has no
home in this world period um Humanity just needs to accept
1 Another Love 1 another and um, just be peaceful and
respectful and it is it is our work. It is our work to
combat hate. Uh, we had seen the incident of the leafleting
that you mentioned, um starting back in November of 2023
and um, they happened in 5 words that they also happen in
um, Alder Alder persons. Um, Lenny Mana hopping words Ward
and we too were there and it is um, it is frightening it
gave us as the commission. Um, when we uh started speaking
with cpg and even with the neighborhoods and with the
aldermanic offices, it really got very uncomfortable to
find out that
the individual or individuals who are doing this are taking
a lot of time to um, figure out the people who live on the
blocks where they target and it um, it really literally
sent chills down our spine that they're specifically
targeting Jewish families. And um, it did it is a very
uncomfortable it is um, very um, it's it's a moment where
you pause and you say this can't happen anymore and how can
we help how can we assist and um, just thinking out of the
box we were we were aware that a similar legislation had
recently passed in San Diego, um, and that um, really led
us to action to start thinking about this and when it
happened in your award and you kind of had the same
wavelength as we did, uh, and um, it was just I think it
was perfect. Um,
um, it was a
Is Serendipity for us to basically start talking about this
at the same time? Um, but it it needs to stop we need to
give Chicagoans peace of mind. Um, it is we can't have
people waking up or just feeling um, so afraid to come out
of their own home or to live in their own to live in their
own City. We can't have that.
Thank you so much for that. And um, I really appreciate
that. I appreciate the partnership on this. Uh, uh, we have
a full committee here on July 12th on this. So I promise
I'm not gonna comment here this meeting but I just want to
say this for the city council members in here, we're gonna
um circulate um in the MLS later for co-sponsorship. I am
available to talk through anything. We've been really
thinking closely on making sure that the language here is
nearly tailored content neutral all the things required to
ensure that this is constitutional and and really, um,
addressing our uh a goal and not anything more Broad and
inadvertently, so I want to say thank you to um chairperson
Rodriguez Sanchez chair chairman Hopkins, um, and we'll
look forward to this next Committee hearing on July 12th.
Thank you.
Thank you Alderman Alderman Menina hoppenworth followed by
Alderman Lee.
Thank you to both the chairs for holding this uh, subject
matter hearing and I I do want to thank your whole team
commissioner for exactly what you mentioned, uh for coming
out to the 48th Ward. Uh, Danny Norman. I really appreciate
your prompts attention to um, bring Comfort um, and to roll
out the um, stop paid initiative. I I, um, also wanted to
mention to you that. Um, your work has had
uh an economic impact in the 48th ward in that um our
Chambers of Commerce have um changed their budgets because
the graffiti has been um addressed so quickly, you know in
a way that's really Mindful and and helpful. So I wanted to
thank um streets and Sans also for your uh, really great
work. Um,
uh, I also wanted to
as uh Alderman, uh, Newton saying that it's um, it's so
important to
address what's happening, uh at a broader level and um, I
really am excited to hear more about the stop hate
littering ordinance in the in the own their own. Uh,
subject matter.
um hearing I wanted to ask um about the
because in the 48th Ward we have so much need.
and uh when incidents happen, um,
we do want to protect the classes that need to be protected
and also acknowledge that those who are
causing these incidents to happen also have need.
There they have housing needs they have mental health needs
and I appreciate that. You want to uh number 3 on your
recommendations to connect people to our mental health
system. Can you expand on on that recommendation a little
bit more? Yes. Thank you. Thank you for that question. Um,
we we are not mental health experts. We are not
credentialed in in that line of work but our experience in
just working with the community and Community tensions. Um,
when we see the 311 hate incident dashboard to which we as
a commission have access to um, we we check it every day as
well as CPD does and we started noticing that there were
some reports, uh people who reported it just did not make
sense. Um, um, um,
very nonsensical um free flowing thoughts, um, which were
kind of random free flowing thoughts not really stating a
crime or hate incidents just um, it was very clear that the
individual who was riding this, um needed needed some sort
of attention, but not necessarily in a
3118 incident or a 911 hate crimes so we have already
started an ad hoc program with the Department of Public
Health and we identify those uh reporters collectively with
CPD and we then forward them over to directly to the
Department of Public Health so that they can follow up with
these individuals directly, um, interestingly enough, um,
the individuals who have submitted those sorts of reports
do give their name. They do give their contact information.
Um, they give an an email they give something in order for
um for them to be contacted which is nice in a way because
if it's someone who truly has some sort of a need perhaps a
mental health need or some other sort of a need. Um, we can
actually contact them. So the Department of Public Health
has already started that and you know, we thank them and in
having conversations, um with Deputy Commissioner Matt
Richards. Um, we were hoping
that um, once the conversation start with regards to our
recommendations, we can also incorporate um, 211 the 211,
uh phone line on that and that's a conversations yet to be
discussed. But the expansion of the mental health, um
service, um providers that is key. We think it's a
wonderful opportunity to um, all of US Departments to work
together and to really demonstrate that we care that we
care about the folks who um who report incidents and hate
crimes.
Yeah, thanks so much. I appreciate that. Because once once
you find the graffiti, it's very difficult to find the
person who did that or um, the people who keep throwing
bricks through for instance women and children first
because they have an an inclusive flag or a Palestinian
flag hanging in the window. Um, so
is and it's very frustrating for small business owners, you
know to um figure out what to do and are also our police
officers are kind of um, they they don't know what to do.
So I would while you are also to uh alter Silverstein's
Point, um,
Marketing and promoting, um on CTA. Also, please consider
how to connect people to other services that they need
mental health services and how um, how you can also work
with caps.
Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. If if you can expand on that
more too because uh, I think that there is um,
There's a need for people to feel safe. But also for people
who um need the help to get the resources that they need.
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Um, this report clearly opens
the door, um for more in-depth, um, really really
aggressive working with the community and with City
departments and input from you know leaders like you so I
think the collectively we can definitely come up with
something very, uh beneficial to all
thank you. Thank you commissioner. Thank you. Cheers.
Appreciate it. Thank you all and I'll hop in with uh
honorable and Lee is not a member of this committee. But
her presence here today is vital and appreciated. Uh due to
the documented rise in hate crimes and hate instances
directed towards the Asian-American Community alderwoman
Lee.
Thank you chairman Hopkins and thank you, uh chairman
Rodriguez Sanchez for holding this uh public hearing and
I'll I'll I'll dispense with the thank yous and I I know
it's redundant but I think it can't be overstated how
valuable the work that uh, you all and CCH are doing as
well as caps as well as streets and Sands and oemc. Um, it
is a really um, incredible Collective effort. I can tell
you that any time we have had instances and unfortunately,
we have had instances of um, hate hateful graffiti. Um, Deb
dope,
Does and her team at streets and Sans? Um
Moves with the greatest of speed to make sure that that is
not up there for very long. Um, and that with the new
ordinance things are documented properly in order to
capture, uh this information. Um,
I I won't be redundant with the questions. I I'll kind of
go in in the direction of um looking at what we expect I
think is fully that numbers will go up because we have more
focus on reporting. Um, I'll Echo the sentiments of a very
everybody else here in terms of how do we get the word out
more? So I'd love it. If you would share electronically the
um, the marketing collateral that you've developed
especially I know you've done it in Chinese because I've
seen it and thank you for that. Um so that we can through
our newsletters or through social media channels and even
through local Publications who might be willing to provide
some public space. Um, uh to share that information. I
think the more we can get the word out the more empowered
people will be to report these incidents. Um, so that they
don't have to sort of live in fear of of these uh these
things and that they know that this is something that the
city's not going to tolerate. Um,
so that's 1 um as far as the increase in numbers and sort
of with the with the ordinance. Um, should I versus hate
now? Um, I'll I'll ask a question about Staffing. So are we
sufficiently staffed today to uh handle the sort of
workload that we have and what we anticipate
I think both questions so the to answer your first question
with regards to the marketing material. Uh, we did send out
all the marketing material initially when the ordinance
kicked in middle of January. We will send it out again. And
um, we also sent out a request to all the aldermanic
offices if they wanted a specific language. Um, we would be
happy to provide that so we can we can make sure that we
can do that again. We'll send it out again. Um, we are a
um, a mighty but Nimble staff of only is it 19 19 soon to
be 20? Uh, and so we you know, we're kind of like
superheroes we do so aren't kind of like kind of and and
the real superheroes Norman White sitting over there. I
mean Norman is um, he's our foot person he is out there. He
hits the streets. And so does Danny anytime anything
happens? Um, we we're small we would like to be bigger. We
would we would like to have um an addition
we would like to have additional Staffing. Um, we do as
much as we can with the resources. We hope that 1 budget
season comes. Um,
Any requests that are are made with regards to helping us,
um, optimize our mission and optimize our work, um in
alignment with the administration that you would be very
kind to to um to look at that. Um, but um, we also um, I
say we're soon to be 20 because we've just recently hired a
um, public relations representative kind of like a Pio
person. Um, and that that is a position that has not been
that has not been in existence. Well, it it existed when
the commission was back under a couple administrations ago,
um, when it when the cchr was about 90 people and then a
different mayors came in and we we We Shrunk down to when I
started the at the commission it was about 15 of us and so
we've grown a bit incrementally. Um, but since that whole
time the p p RR position has not really just been um,
pushed to the side, uh, when I
Came as commissioner. I immediately identified that as a
need. It's not a luxury it is a need. It is an absolute
need and it's taken us this long to actually, you know, get
the funding for that position and um, and the interviewing
process is also long as well. Uh, but we are having to
report that. Um, we did. Um, we did find some on the person
accepted our offer and now we're just hoping to um settle
down on a start date and when this individual begins, um,
they're going to have a lot of work to do.
And we're just thrilled we're jumping for joy because that
is going to be part of the amplification of the messaging
for the work that we do and um, so we look forward to that
and with regards to I think I kind of answered the question
with regards to staff. Um,
you know, we'd like to have more superheroes join, uh, Joy
join our team we would but again that is up to to budget
and um, but we
We make with what we do. Um, I and I appreciate that. I
appreciate the the data point that you were not 90 at 1
point. I I'd love to see just
Side by side the the size of your team versus the numbers.
I mean, I just be interested in that fact, I mean that is a
really significant difference in the um, in the number of
staff that are dedicated to this work. Um, I asked the
question because I think there are several of us here who
would love to see you have um, more staff and sufficient
staff. I you know, it would help us to just understand
like, you know, I don't we we're not going to get you up to
90, but like, you know in this new but in this next budget
cycle, what would be like kind of a a great number for you
in terms of new positions? Don't be don't be afraid to ask
because like, you know, we'll advocate so we only have 1
victim hate crime advocate for the entire city of Chicago 1
and that is normal. That's problematic. Yes. Not not that
he's problematic at all. No, no, it's not like just to have
1 person and um, not only is it a it is a heavy. Um,
Workload at times for Norman. It just doesn't make sense in
terms of succession planning. Um because you just can't
have 1 person. Um, you know, what if you know Norman
decides to retire 1 day, he's not alive. He's not allowed
but what if um what happens and it's not just to hire
someone out. It's the sharing of the years and years of
accumulated knowledge, but most importantly the bridges
that Norman has built. I mean Norman is like a Hollywood
star because anywhere he goes he makes friends and people
know him. Um, and those are the sorts of relationships that
you just can't acquire. That's a skill set. And so we need
we need to start thinking in terms of succession planning
how it can that position not only be increased and and
filled but how to pass that knowledge that wealth of
knowledge that can't necessarily be. Um,
You know recorded on a piece of paper. It's just comes with
you know, the skill set of of interacting with with the
community.
Well, I think it'd be great. If you had 3 more people
working under Norman, um and especially because of not
because you're right he is a superhero. I think we all love
and adore and respect the work that he does but you're
right. Um Norms not always going to be around. He may just
decide he's had enough and we'll hang it up at some point.
But we want to make sure that the city is set up and we
certainly don't want to lose all of that in.
Institutional knowledge and the opportunity for him to train
people. Um, so, you know, I I'll be the first to go on
record to say I I'll I'll lead the charge to advocate for
additional resources for you. Um, and I would ask the same
question then of of the Caps department and the Civil
Rights unit, um, as well as streets and Sands and oamc
because you know, we're we're focused here in cchr, but you
are all a very integral part of the of this, um, you know
apparatus that's responding to these incidents. So, um, if
you wouldn't mind just commenting on this from the Staffing
perspective, that'd be great. Absolutely. Absolutely So
currently the Civil Rights unit is staffed with a sergeant
a detective and 3 officers. Um, 3 officers. Yes 3 officers
and they are um, they have been trained on hate crime
investigations. Um, we are looking to uh expand in the near
future, um, of course, but at the present time, um, the
officers and detectives they are actually doing a wonderful
job they um whenever they
Receive a notification for a hate incident or hate crime.
They contact the victim as soon as possible and to try to
arrange to meet with them or and have a phone conversation
when they meet with them to see if their additional
services that are needed Referral Services lay on they also
attend court if they would like them to attend the court
with them too as well. So yeah, we do make it work. It's
um, it's a small unit. But um, they handle all the investig
all the incidents that occur that they receive from. Um,
Of course, we work with the commissioner of human relations
a very close with the work working with them so and other
organizations as well. But um, that's what we're comprised
of right now. Thank you. So you said a detective a surgeon
and then 3 officers, correct? So 5 5cp staff dedicating the
Civil Rights unit. Correct? Got it. Thank you.
Alderman not a point of clarification
um
so is it your group that also investigates the crime or
I mean do you feel like you might need some more detectives
that are working on this or so, you know, as I mentioned
before our officers the in the Civil Rights unit. They do a
parallel investigation with the Bureau of detectives. The
real detectives are the ones that do the primary
investigations. They take care of everything. They go out
there to canvas for the cameras everything we provide
supplement information, um to them, you know, we go out and
talk to the victims to see if they may have their you know,
we uh, provide additional support So at the time of the
incident when they are providing the information to the
officers, uh, who are the primary, uh, preliminary
investigators, there may be something that they missed so
when we come out and talk to them at that time a little
later 24 hours later, they may provide additional
information that could help and assist and we provide that
to the the Bureau of Detectives.
So, um, that's kind of that's how our unit works.
Okay, okay.
Alderwoman lead, does that include your um?
We got everybody.
Well for streets in Santa I'm the uh Le on for the graffiti
heat crime.
She's our super superhero superhero. You have 1 and as is
311. Okay. Um, I I think I don't want to believe her the
point. I just want to make sure we're sufficiently staffed.
I think you know, so this is a really important piece of
legislation and if we're not staffed up to enforce it, um,
I think you know, it's it would be a shame not to um,
I think that's all I've got everything else was already
asked. So thank you very much for all the work that you all
are doing. And you know know that we're we're here to
support you. Thank you very much. Thank you all the dates
for the community Town Hall budget hearings have just been
announced. So this is a timely reminder to all of us, uh,
the time to advocate for your budget priorities is now
don't wait for the budget to be presented in October or
November. The time is now so, uh, your your remarks are
timely order womanly order woman. Um and Ramirez Rosa floor
is yours. Thank you so much chair. Um, you know, I really
want to thank you commissioner and your team for putting
together this report. Of course, I want to thank both of
our chairs for both of their efforts, uh to combat hate not
just through this hearing but uh year round,
Um 1 question that I have is um, actually for Alderman
Conan. I'm very happy to see that this report has tangible
recommendations including around um legislation that we can
move forward in my 9 years. Uh, it's been very rare for me
to see a report come forward and say hey here's an
ordinance that's in committee that you can act on uh, and I
think that we need more of that. So I think that um, you
know, this is a very welcomed uh suggestion, you know, as
we were discussing the incidents of hateful flying I was
reminded of an incident that occurred in Logan Square about
6, 5 years ago where white supremacists and neo-nazis where
uh, actively flying in the community and 1 thing that they
were doing is they were putting hateful flyers on our light
poles and they would put
blades hidden
behind the Flyers because they knew that people in our
community would go up to that flyer and rip it down. And
so, uh, they wanted to you know, cause harm to the people
that were seeking to tear down that harmful, uh, and
hateful, uh, and violent poster.
So I'm wondering um, if perhaps the um commission or if
perhaps Alderman Knudsen you all have given any thought
about how we can perhaps maybe incorporate, um, some
language around that into this ordinance. Um, you know, I
don't know if you've given it any thought but if not, I'd
like to offer it up as a suggestion. Um, so um, obviously
it is illegal to put flyers on light poles. Um, that is the
case already. Uh, we don't often enforce those rules. We
just send our board
superintendents and other streets in Sands workers to clean
up those light poles, um as they can but um, but I'm
wondering if perhaps we can include protections around, um,
you know ensuring that that is covered in this ordinance.
If you're putting up hateful flyers on light poles, but 2
also putting language around if you're putting blades or
other things to try and cause harm hidden in there. So just
wanted to offer that up.
Yeah, and thank you so much. Um, we we read about that
incident during our research on this chair. And yeah, it's
an example of just looking back the different ways that
these hate groups, um for lack of better word innovate in a
terrible way. Um, let's look into an expansion here because
right now,
To succeed our goal of narrowly tailoring this we made sure
that it applies to private real or personal property. It
doesn't go into the public way. However, I believe there's
an easy add-on in a separate subsection that could relate
to incidents in the public way that
Put per someone in reasonable apprehension or unknown
apprehension of physical harm. I'm just thinking out loud.
But um, I think that's a great thing to point out and let's
Circle up on it. Yeah, and I wonder if perhaps maybe the
language could also just touch upon because you're right.
We absolutely do have to protect uh constitutional rights.
Maybe just the act of putting a blade behind a poster.
Right? Like it's already against city code to put flyers on
light poles, but perhaps we can add additional language
about you know, what happens if you hide a blade behind
that pole behind that flyer great.
Yeah, thank you. Good point. No further questions from the
committee members are 2 coers each have a question to
conclude. I will yield to my colleague.
Thank you chairman. Um.
I think reflecting on how we have being losing funding
consistently for structures of care in our government is
important to give pause and when we have an opportunity to
rebuild some of these structures which is definitely take
it. Um, so I'm very grateful for this report and for the
possibility of
um, rebuilding some of the infrastructure for the
commission so that we can be effective we can be efficient
and we can provide people with the support that they need,
uh when they are victims, but we also want to focus on
prevention, uh 1 of the recommendations is um to do
Um educational programming for Youth and that that is very
appreciated. I think um, it is something that we need to be
talking about openly everywhere. Can you talk a little bit
about the efforts?
to educate
The adult population you were talking about. Um how a lot
of this hate um incidents and crimes
Um come from global conflict. You mentioned conspiracy
theories. Um, you mentioned several different factors. Um,
and I would like to know from your perspective. What are
the things the commission are Act is actively doing in
order to be able to prevent and address.
Um, but then what other things we can do and I already have
some um some thoughts and I I would love to work with you
on those. Um, but I am curious about the work that is being
done besides this and um, how can we support that that
work? Absolutely. Thank you. Um, so we do go out and we
speak to community groups and to schools. Uh, we speak at
times 2 parent University we speak to different, um
Community organizations. Um, some of it is folks will reach
out to us. Some of it is we see something in the news or in
the media and we will reach out to that particular group or
organization or community and we offer our services. Um,
most of the time people say, yes, and we educate them on
Um, what is a hate crime and also Basics on like just
Prejudice and bigotry and with regards to even like
bullying because adults it's not just kids who are bullies
or teens. It's adults and talking about bullying and um and
and the origins of bullying in the different scenarios. Um,
we also do some work, um with the with the new arrivals and
in senior citizens homes, there is a lot of bullying going
on in senior citizens home. So we do go out and we do some
some Outreach with the senior citizens home. So that is 1
component. Um, we have recently hired, um a project
coordinator. Uh, this person will be starting hopefully
sometime um next month and this is a new hire and that is
precisely what this role of this new. Um, staffer is going
to be doing is going to be really making a conscience this
effort to solely be going out and making these sorts of
presentations and making our services more aware to the
Community and to the city at large to anyone who wants our
services. So we're we're expecting um, um our current um
visibility factor to be, you know quadrupled, um, if not
more so with the addition of our new public relations
representative in our project coordinator. Um, I'm glad to
hear that. Um, I think um, there is a a really big
opportunity right now to also be doing a lot of training
and capacitation in our communities.
Just like we do with parent mentors, um and peer support,
um, um people in our community so that we know that you are
stretched out and that as much as you want to come to every
community and be super present at all times that might not
be possible all the time, but we want to make sure that our
communities are hearing, um facts. We want to we want our
communities to be aware of impact. Um, and and I think it
would be great to start thinking about Capac capacitation
of and training of community members so that they can
assist us in in spreading the word. It's a wonderful idea.
Thank you and and I will be happy to to work with you on
developing a a program that can help us, um that can help
us accomplish that I have. No further questions if I can
make 1 final point, I'm sorry, um with regards to educating
youth I think um, Jen would you like to talk about the New
York, uh public, uh, the New York City School, uh Public
School Systems
Started a um, they just implemented a uh curriculum for
their school children. Let Danny lever. Yeah. Um, so 1 of
the things that came up in the research, um, which was very
disturbing is first of all, we've always worked with youth
but uh 1 of the issues, is that a huge percentage of the
bullying that happens happens in schools.
uh and
You know, that's besides being very heartbreaking. It's
also uh an opportunity to like
Think more intentionally about how we can address that. Um
and so New York City, we as we found in the research, um
recently launched the curriculum, uh in their public school
system to specifically address hate crimes and bias
incidents, uh, and this unit is supposed to help students
learn like what hate crimes are and the impacts that they
have. Um,
And that in by itself would be very helpful because as we
heard from some of the public testimony a lot of times
people don't report because they don't even understand what
a hate crime is, uh, they don't even understand that
they've experienced hate crime that they've witnessed hate
crime. So beginning there and educating. Uh, the youth is 1
way where we can start making it that in the future. This
is less of a problem. So that is 1 of the things that's uh
spelled out a little bit more in the report, but we just
wanted to bring that to your attention.
Yeah, thank you. And my question is along those lines. I
want to continue to pursue that uh, I appreciate the effort
in this meeting. And in other forms to explain the
difference between a hate crime and a hate incident. It's
an important distinction. Um, but it can be confusing to
the to the public. Um, and that's something we need to
continue doing you. Don't just get to explain that
That 1 time that is an ongoing process of repetition. That
is absolutely necessary for the uh, ordinance amendment of
last year, um to be successful. So I I appreciate the
continued attention to that um, and along the lines of
confusion. Um, I'm a little confused myself commissioner.
If you could explain on page 7, uh, we have a category
called non-criminal hate crimes. I how can a how can we
have a non-criminal client? That might be a typo? I'm not
sure but could you explain what exactly that might be
because that makes no sense listening to that page 727 page
7 of the report 9 criminal hate crimes.
The executive a category in the executive summary or the
executive summary, okay?
Executive summary. She's got it.
This the non-criminal hate crime or yeah non. Um
Yeah, so that's a that's a CPD. Um everything in that chart
is was extracted from the CPD. Um public facing hate crimes
dashboard. So that's a CPD question. Um,
I'm looking I'm get that right now and that that should
have been non-criminal hate incident. So we'll make sure
that's correct. Yeah. Okay. We we never stop explaining the
difference. Yeah. I thought that might.
I want to thank everyone thank my co-chair. Um, and
especially our expert Witnesses in the staff for an
outstanding presentation today appreciate that diligence.
We will follow up alderwoman Fuentes and uh, and you're
through the chair inquiries with that. No further questions
coming before this committee all the women Silverstein
moves. We adjourn hearing no objections so order. Thank you
everyone. Thank you.