Adam Toledo was a 13-year-old child, a 7th grader, a resident of Little Village. Our hearts are with his family, our partners, and the Latinx community of Little Village and Chicago as we mourn the loss of one of the youngest people killed by police in Illinois in years.
The Metropolitan Planning Council is distressed by the city’s fear-based decisions that vilify Chicagoans, especially Black and Brown bodies. Following yesterday’s release of the video of the tragic shooting, Chicagoans are full of sadness and outrage. As protests for accountability continue this weekend, the City of Chicago must allow demonstrators to exercise their First Amendment rights without undue limits or controls. MPC believes it is past time to shift investments from traditional policing to needed community services. Antiracist and healing-centered policy requires investments in communities of color across the city. It also prompts us to ask difficult questions about every policy:
- How does this policy promote wellness? Does it expand access to health services? Does it restrict access for some? Who will benefit?
- How does this policy promote safety? Will stakeholders feel more or less safe in their environments as a result?
- How does this policy promote community connectedness? Does it include broad stakeholders who have a voice in the process? Does it allow for services or interventions at the community level?
- How does this policy promote equity? Does it reduce barriers for Black and Brown communities specifically? Does it perpetuate policies that disproportionately harm communities of color, and if so, how can that be changed?
As we work with our partners to support mental health and strengthen social and community services, racial equity will be the cornerstone of our calls for systemic change. We stand with our partners in the Latinx community who are striving to build a better, bolder, and more equitable future for everyone.