A.C.T.I.O.N. Coalition hosts local town hall meeting

A.C.T.I.O.N. members and photographer pose for photo after a recently held post-A.C.T.I.O.N. meeting.
A.C.T.I.O.N. members and photographer pose for photo after a recently held post-A.C.T.I.O.N. meeting.

A.C.T.I.O.N. Coalition hosts local town hall meeting

by Safiyyah Muhammad

In an effort to unify community members, state officials and interested local parties, Assesseing Conditions Taking Initiatives Overcoming Now (A.C.T.I.O.N.) recently hosted its first town hall meeting, August 27th, at the Sip and Savor Café in Bronzeville.

The organization is a new grassroots group that is the brainchild of Ashley Munson and Wynter Davis of North Lawndale and the North side areas. A.C.T.I.O.N. works to address racism and systemic oppression in Chicago.

Munson, founder of the A.C.T.I.O.N organization said that A.C.T.I.O.N.’s goal is to put “action” behind the words of many people and other organizations that want to see effective change and measurable success in communities across Chicago. The purpose of the town hall meeting was to bring together local citizens, police officers, business people and politicians to let the officers and legislators and business people know what the community expects.

“The group was created to serve as the liaison between the problem and the solution that African-Americans face in neighborhoods across the city and the country,” Munson said. “With the help of all existing organizations and state officials, we can begin to really help Chicago and eventually the state of Illinois, through action,” she added.

Davis said that the organization discussed the heavily publicized issue of police brutality and violence that’s taking place in Chicago at the town hall. The group said it will also become active in raising monies by reaching out to corporate businesses to help curb the issues of poverty in the African-American community.

According to Davis, local politician turn-out was not as high as expected, but Davis says she’s hopeful that attendance will increase in the next town-hall meeting.

“We understand that we are in a major voting season and many of our local politicians were a no-show. We are taking notes on those who refuse to stand for liberty and justice for all and those who refuse to assist us with what is taking place in our communities.

“If they think that keeping silent will help them get re-elected, it might help for now, however, things must change in the next two years or they might see themselves being voted out of office,” she said.

“Our objective is to teach our children about economics and the importance of investing funds. We also want to teach them how to invest in African-American banks. There is a need for our children to be educated on politics and the importance of participating in the political process so they can later become mayors, aldermen and alderwomen in their communities. Thirdly, we want them to be educated about our government and engage them in the dialogue of how the system does not serve the interest of Black youth,” she stated.

A.C.T.I.O.N. is also calling for an immediate end to the arrest of local activists in the Chicago area. “We are not able to eradicate racism from people, but we can eradicate it from our political system and from the police department,” Davis added.

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