WelcomeHere are some news, events, and calls to action from #OccupyChicago. Be sure to forward and occupy the inboxes of your friends, families, and coworkers with this. For the most up to date info on Occupy Chicago be sure to check:
http://occupychi.org/contact If you have Occupy-related events, comments, feedback, or would like to help in putting together this newsletter in any way, please email ochi_newsletter@riseup.net. Occupied NewsHelen Morley, a longtime Mental Health Movement activist and consumer of the city mental health clinics passed away in her sleep this week. Helen was a figher for the rights of people struggling with mental illness for decades, starting long before the recent fight to save the city clinics. She was part of the sit in and negotiations in 2009 that led the city to continue operating the city clinics and was also arrested twice recently in attempts to stop Mayor 1% Emanuel from closing the clinics. There will be a memorial held for her at 4PM this Sunday at Woodlawn Mental Health Clinic, 6337 S. Woodlawn Ave. Back in February, a group of workers occupied their factory with the support of Occupy Chicago upon learning of Serious Energy's decision to shutdown the plant for good. After a 12 hour occupation, the company conceded to keep the plant open for another three months so the workers could find a potential buyer. Three months later, the workers have now incorporated a worker-run cooperative and are on their way to owning and running the factory themselves. On Monday nearly 100 demonstrators marched from Jackson and LaSalle to call out the targeted repression and use of entrapment tactics by the CPD of activists involved with NATO and occupy movements. Several dozen zip-tied themselves to one another and wore masks of the two people who had infiltrated the movement to symbolize the entrapment tactics and politically motivated arrests. On Wednesday, there was a peaceful "Casseroles" (pots and pans) demonstration held in solidarity with the movement in Quebec against tuition hikes. A dozen demonstrators were tackled and brutally arrested by the CPD, with one still being held on account of a bogus felony charge. Many were simply picked off the sidewalk for doing absolutely nothing at all. Police have also refused to return the sim card and phones of one of the released arrestees. Occupy these Upcoming Events#NATO8 Letter-Writing PartySaturday, June 9, 1:00PM-3:00PMUnit 501, 500 W. Cermak (Enter at 2147 S. Lumber) As of now there are still 8 #noNATO activists being held on a variety of bogus charges from accusations of terrorism to resisting arrest. There will be a letter-writing party for them this Saturday, please come to write letters of support, encouragement, and love to o our friends that are still held captive by the CPD. Please support them financially by donating to the bail fund here. For more information on how to support through other means (visitations, letters, etc.) click here. Occupy Chicago Summer Action AssemblySaturday, June 2, 5:00-7:00PM Now that NATO is over, continue last week's brainstorming session on possible events and actions for this summer. The discussion will be free flowing and will hopefully help flesh out ideas and build the framework and networks necessary for further organizing. General Assembly: Occupy Chicago Movement Building Discussion - Quebec & Building a Student MovementSaturday, June 9, 7:00-9:00PM Occupy Chicago has come a long way since its first day back in September 23rd. Join us as we continue a series of open discussions on the past, present, and future of Occupy Chicago. What do the strugglesThis week's discussions will be focused on privatization and monetization of education in Chicago and nationally. What issues in education are Chicago students facing that could get them mobilized in the fall? What would a city-wide of nation-wide student movement look like? How is the burgeoning student debt in this country affecting all of us? What sort of tactics would be best utilized for a movement like this? What sort of goal envision accomplishing? What other questions do you have? Court Solidarity with the #NATO5Tuesday&Wednesday, June 12&13, 11:30AM (Arrive as early as 9:00AM to increase chances of getting a seat) Congress Hotel Strike Anniversary PicketFriday, June 15, 4:00-6:00PM Strikers at the Congress Hotel, joined by hundreds of community supporters and members of UNITE HERE Local 1, are rallying outside of the Congress Hotel to commemorate the 9th Anniversary of the Congress Hotel Strike, the longest hotel strike in American history. On June 15 2003, members of UNITE HERE Local 1 working at the Congress Hotel went on strike after the hotel decided to freeze wages, eliminate employee healthcare benefits, and demanded the ability to subcontract out all bargaining unit work at the hotel. The Labor Outreach working group is calling on people to join the picket line in solidarity. Occupy Chicago Working Group MeetingsCoalition Against Corporate Higher EducationSaturday, June 10, 6:00pm-8:00pm Arts&RecreationMonday, June 11, 7:00PM-9:00PM Occupy IndependenceMonday, June 11, 8:00PM-10:00PM Labor OutreachTuesday, June 12, 6:30-8:30pm Jail SupportFriday, June 15, 5:30PM-7:30PM Occupy the DateOccupy IndependenceWednesday, July 4, 4:00PM#Mental Health MovementOccupy Chicago stands in solidarity with the Mental Health Movement as we fight for mental health clinics to reopen after Mayor 1% shutdown half of the city's mental health clinics.There are two 24/7 ongoing occupations at the above two clinics. People's Health FairSunday, June 9, 1:00PM-5:00PM Memorial for Helen MorleySunday, June 9, 4:00PM-5:00PM 2 Month Woodlawn Clinic Occupation Anniversary ActionMonday, June 12, 4:00PM-6:00PMChicago Department of Public Health, 333 S. State St. (State&Van Buren) The Mental Health Movement will deliver CDPH a bunch of baloney to signify what their plan for the mental health in the city of Chicago is - baloney!. Already over 18 people have been hospitalized because of the stress of losing their therapists and clinics. CDPH is opening a "satellite clinic" with only one therapist and one support staff, no psychiatrists, no new staff, no capacity for new patients. Meanwhile the spiraling violence shows that the city needs healing, not cuts to mental health services. There will be free transportation provided from either of the two occupied clinics. Neighborhood Occupation EventsOccupy Evanston Meeting w/ City Manager to Discuss Divestment from Chase BankTuesday, June 12, 11:00AM Occupy the South Side Juneteenth KickoffThursday, June 14, 6:30PM-8:00PM Occupy the Southside will be holding a kickoff event for its Juneteenth Celebration Week of Action. Come to learn more about Juneteenth and hear from living pieces of history as some South side community residents share their stories of Juneteenth, Racial pride, triumphs, and tragedies. Occupy the South Side Juneteenth - "Souls of Black Girls" Movie and DiscussionFriday, June 15, 7:00PM-9:00PM The Souls of Black Girls is a provocative news documentary that takes a critical look at media images - how they are instituted, established, and controlled. Tee documentary also examines the relationship between the historical and existing media images of women of color and raises the question of whether they may be suffering from a self-image disorder as a result of trying to attain the standards of beauty that are celebrated in media images. Weekly Neighborhood Occupy AssembliesOccupy Chicago General AssemblyWednesday and Saturdays 7:00PM-9:00PM Occupy Rogers Park Weekly CanvassingSundays 4:00PM-5:00PM Occupy Rogers Park General AssemblySundays 5:00PM-7:00PM Occupy El Barrio General AssemblyTuesdays 6:30PM-7:30PM Occupy the South Side General Assembly/Teach-In'sThursdays 7:00pm-9:00pm51st and King Drive (By Horse Statue) Occupy Chicago Northwest Side AssemblySaturdays 11:00am-1:00pm Occupy Evanston General AssemblySaturdays 1:00pm-2:00pm Don't know where to begin?Want help connecting to specific groups and projects? Got an idea for a project? Have a topic you want to discuss? Come to one of our General Assemblies each Wednesday and Saturday from 7:00PM-9:00 PM at Congress & Michigan, by the Bowman/Horse Statue. In addition to occasionally discussing and consensing upon proposals, we also have open space sessions for people to breakout into discussion on anything they like! It's also a great opportunity to talk to some people who have been around for a while and to find out how to get more involved. Getting in touchInterested in emergency SMS/text alerts about important actions/events? Text @OccupyChicago to 23559 to sign up! For email alerts, visit For more frequent updates, announcements, news, action&meeting times&locations, text @ochicom to 23559 to sign up. For email alerts, visit Click here to donate to Occupy Chicago Subscribe here, or send an email with the receiving email address to ochi_newsletter-subscribe@lists.riseup.net Unsubscribe here, or send an email to ochi_newsletter-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net using the same email address you are receiving this email from. For more support and options regarding subscriptions go to See you in the streets, |
