Dear Friends of Land of Lincoln Legal Aid:
This sign has been in my front yard for the past three years. But the premise, “Black Lives Matter,” has been a central tenet of Land of Lincoln’s work since its inception 48 years ago.
In 1975, Land of Lincoln filed a class action on behalf of black residents of Cairo that contested the at-large form of government that kept black residents from participating in Cairo’s political process. As a result of our advocacy, two black candidates were elected to the City Council for the first time since 1896.
In the 1980s, we challenged deplorable living conditions that affected the black residents of East St. Louis public housing. In the 1990s, we sued contract-for-deed sellers who stripped black homeowners of their wealth. Most recently, we have created wildly successful programs to help Illinoisans seal and expunge their criminal records so they get the second chance they’re entitled to under the law, and a better shot at employment.
We know it is not enough.
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected people of color and laid bare the evident disparities that black and other minority communities face in accessing healthcare, nutritious food, stable housing, quality education, jobs that pay a living wage, and the myriad factors that make for a healthy, stable life.
As we face the COVID-19 pandemic, we also confront another crisis: civil unrest in response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. We at Land of Lincoln were shocked by the video of his death. Our staff members have been flooded with emotions—anger, sadness, frustration, fear, and hopelessness. As a result, we are freshly examining our work and searching for more ways to dismantle racism through free civil legal aid.
While Mr. Floyd’s death has brought countless Americans to demonstrate against police brutality, their outrage is also fueled by deep-rooted injustices and inequalities that our black and brown communities live day in and day out. Land of Lincoln acknowledges the deep pain in many of the communities we serve, the inequalities these Illinoisans experience every day, and the injustices they routinely face. We understand that acknowledging their reality is not enough. Our mission is for all Illinoisans to enjoy safe and health lives. For all Illinoisans to enjoy safe and healthy lives, we must continue to work for racial justice.
Land of Lincoln is committed to strive for transformative change. We hope you’ll join us. We hope you’ll continue to support our work towards a more fair and equitable country, with more fair and equitable policies, more fair and equitable enforcement of the law, and with access to justice for all.
Be well.
Yours in solidarity,
Clarissa Gaff
Executive Director