Press Room

People with low income are particularly vulnerable to systems that criminalize poverty. Fines and fees like speeding tickets, city sticker fees, and court costs create financial burdens and trap individuals in cycles of hardship.

In 2022, Gov. J.B. Pritzker created a task force to examine racial inequities in the child welfare system and offer solutions. Last month, the task force issued more than 50 recommendations that call for investing in families with low income, not surveilling and separating them.

Since Illinois became the first state in the nation to outlaw cash bail, data shows early signs of success in building a more equitable system.

Vice President of Advocacy LaTanya Jackson Wilson writes that community and family justice is the heart of the Shriver Center's work.

Our 2024 Illinois advocacy agenda supports and protects workers, expands access to health care, promotes inclusive housing, and keeps families strong and stable. 

The summit's three interactive panels examined housing, repairing the child welfare system, and entrepreneurism as a means to building Black wealth.

We all have an obligation to stand up for what's right.

The fight for racial and economic justice takes commitment from everyone—no one can stand on the sidelines anymore.