Today is Election Day. That means today, Tuesday, November 5, is the last day to cast our votes for a host of political offices that have the power to determine the course of the future for our individual and communal lives. CRS encourages all who read this to make that choice.

Our voices will resound stronger, louder, and unbroken in unison and Beloved Community. Our foreparents faced setbacks and obstacles. Still, they rose to the occasion for us and generations yet born. We will carry that spirited fire because it is perpetual and vibrantly inextinguishable through the persistence of our prayers, our protests, and our policies.

CRS rang in Freedom Day early and boosted backing for the Free2Move Coalition’s campaign and their petition to end pretextual stops by canvassing at the June 15 Juneteenth Village Fest hosted by It Takes A Village Family of Schools. Check out photos from the fest here!

On this Juneteenth, let’s honor our history by continuing our ancestors’ fight for freedom. Read our statement as we celebrate and build political power to ensure that Black liberation is a reality.

This Memorial Day holiday, as CRS reflects on lives dedicated to service, moral courage, and the principles of justice, sacrifice, and human dignity, we do so against the backdrop of present-day wars, genocide, and a culture of violence that includes poverty and racism. We are beckoned to memorialize the peacekeepers of our past by being the change agents in this very hour of world suffering and unrest.

Find articles recapping how the end of money bail began in courtrooms across communities, moving us toward racial, economic and social justice.

While we have won by ending cash bail, this is the first leg of the race in dismantling practices and systems that criminalize being poor. Remaining vigilant is critical to secure full victory: Beloved Community.

CRS believes that the significance of accountability cannot be overstated. As people of faith advocating for racial, economic and social justice, it is critical that we always hold our leaders accountable.

On September 13, nearly one hundred organizations sent an open letter to the Illinois State’s Attorney Association urging them to align with the collective statewide effort to faithfully implement the Pretrial Fairness Act.

CRS continues our work with our coalition partners, member congregations, community members and volunteers to ensure the successful implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act. Read this blog article to learn about the many ways you can get involved in the implementation.

Once implemented on September 18, 2023, the Pretrial Fairness Act will end money bond. Read this blog article to learn ways you can get involved in making the justice system safer and more equitable.

The concept of group economics is a rarely discussed but widely used concept that has been adopted by numerous communities, whether it is farms, stores or even places of employment.

To ensure successful implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act on September 18, 2023, sign a petition thanking your legislators, register for community court watching and sign up to canvass and friendbank with the Coalition to End Money Bond.

CRS Communications Intern Katie Masano Hill reflects on the importance of remembrance.

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled the Pretrial Fairness Act constitutional, eliminating the use of cash bail and making the pretrial justice system fairer. Read our statement.

To support Chicagoans impacted by high temperatures, flooding, and tornadoes, CRS released a list of extreme weather resources from local, state and federal agencies. Read this blog article to access the resources.

CRS Communications Intern Katie Masano Hill shares about Japanese American support for African American reparations.

Today, the Illinois Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a lawsuit filed by Illinois State’s Attorneys challenging the constitutionality of the Pretrial Fairness Act, a law passed by the Illinois legislature to end the state’s use of money bond.

The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and more than 400 signers, represented by the law firm Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. and the ACLU of Illinois, filed an amicus brief supporting the Pretrial Fairness Act.

On January 15, 2023, a diverse mix of congregations gathered at the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ in Evanston for an interfaith service to celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This MLK service was more than a celebration of a civil rights leader. It marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights and reparations.