Community News
• EPA proposes listing Chicago’s air quality as “severe”
The U.S. Environmental Agency is proposing to downgrade Chicago from a “serious” to a “severe” violator of federal ozone standards, a move that would force the state and industry to adopt tougher local rules to improve air quality. Ground-level ozone, the main component of smog, forms when pollutants emitted by vehicles, power plants and a wide range of industries chemically react in sunlight. It can aggravate asthma and contribute to early deaths from respiratory disease. - NBC Chicago
• ‘Stealth omicron’ cases rise in the Midwest
In the Midwest, the CDC says that 83.7% of COVID-19 cases are believed to be linked to the ‘stealth omicron’ subvariant. The rapid growth in subvariant cases is part of a trend of increasing cases in the state of Illinois. Since the start of April, Illinois has seen its daily case rate climb by 45%, with an average of 1,747 cases per day in the last seven days.
Local Organizations
Rainbow PUSH Coalition - We protect, defend, and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields, and to promote peace and justice around the world.
Chicago Urban League - Since 1916, the Chicago Urban League—through collaborative community, corporate and civic relationships—has helped people find jobs, secure affordable housing, enhance their educational experiences, and grow their businesses. One of the oldest and largest affiliates of the National Urban League, we promote strong, sustainable communities through advocacy, innovation, and collaborative community, corporate and civic relationships.
Grassroots Collaborative - Grassroots Collaborative builds power with working families through strategic community-labor organizing, grassroots leadership development, civic engagement, and training. We started in Chicago and our 9 member organizations and their 125,000 members, along with an effective and diverse set of ally organizations across movements create transformative change to win fully funded resources for our public schools, social services, and affordable housing that working families depend on.
First Defense Legal Aid - First Defense Legal Aid provides free, 24-hour legal representation to people in Chicago Police custody and educates Chicagoans about how to protect their constitutional rights. We undertake these activities to promote fairness and accountability in the justice system.
Inner-City Muslim Action Network - The Inner-City Muslim Action Network is a community organization that fosters health, wellness and healing in the inner-city by organizing for social change, cultivating the arts, and operating a holistic health center. IMAN incorporated as a nonprofit in 1997 through the drive of people directly affected by and deeply invested in social issues affecting communities of color living on Chicago’s South Side.
One Northside - Organizing Neighborhoods for Equality: Northside is a mixed-income, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization that unites our diverse communities. We build collective power to eliminate injustice through bold and innovative community organizing. We accomplish this through developing grassroots leaders and acting together to effect change.
Polished Pebbles - The mission of the Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring Program is to provide girls (7-17 years old) with the opportunity of learning the vital life skill of effective communication. Our Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring program instills confidence in girls to face the challenges of daily life by substituting aggressive forms of communicating and problem solving with new strategies that allow them to gain a solid reputation and respect without retaliating.
Restore Justice Illinois - Restore Justice Illinois believes in the possibility of rehabilitation, redemption, and reunification with the community for all incarcerated people, even those who have committed the most serious crimes.
Safer Foundation - Safer Foundation is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit providers of services designed exclusively for people with criminal records. We focus on helping our clients secure and maintain jobs because we understand that employment offers the best chance at successful re-entry.
Dovetail Project - We give young African American fathers – ages 17-24 – the skills and support they need to be better fathers for their children and better men in their communities.
Recent Events

Join iMentor Chicago for an open and candid panel conversation about mentoring our city’s young women of color and their unique experiences. Students and mentors from local mentoring organizations including iMentor Chicago, Chicago Scholars and Youth Guidance’s WOW will share their journey of navigating womanhood and building healthy and strong mentor relationships as well as the impact of mentoring from the adult and youth perspective. The panel will consist of three pairs from each mentoring organization, and Molly Matthias, a dynamic moderator.
This interactive workshop event is physical love letter from black women to black girls. The purpose is to encourage, empower, and support black girls by fostering a safe space to discuss topics from the book and beyond. Even if you have never read, "Dear Black Girl," don't miss this event. Black girls of all ages coming together to discuss the issues that concern us over lunch and positive vibes is not only ground breaking but life changing for participants. It's a space to be heard, and seen, and heal.

Upcoming Events

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) is an international human and civil rights organization founded by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. RPC seeks to empower people through the effective use of grassroots advocacy, issue orientation, and connections between the greater community and the disenfranchised.
RPC also supports research on key policy issues, collects data on non-partisan related initiatives, and organizes seminars and public awareness campaigns on a variety of policy concerns. RPC advances the democratic principles of civic virtue and human rights in order to improve life opportunities for those who have been marginalized and disaffected.
Local Hero Spotlight
Members can nominate a local hero for recognition on their local LoveJustice.com city page!
Anyone and everyone can make an impact, and at LoveJustice we believe that they deserve to be recognized for their good, necessary work!
