CHICAGO—(ENEWSPF)—February 10, 2015 – In the City of Chicago, Black people are 15 times more likely than White people to be arrested for a low-level marijuana offense and 40 times more likely to plead or be found guilty for a low-level marijuana offense(The Chicago Reader). In 2012, an ordinance was passed to ticket Chicagoans for marijuana possession, however reports are still showing a racial disparity of Black people being disproportionately arrested and convicted (The Chicago Reader).The Black Youth Project 100 (BYP 100), Chicago chapter will hold a press conference and speak-out at 5:15 p.m. outside of DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago before the Mayoral Candidate Forum about the racial disparities in the criminal justice system that largely impact Black youth in Chicago.
In coordination with Communities United, BYP 100 are calling for Chicago Mayoral Candidates to enact policies and programs that end racial profiling and the criminalization of Black and Brown youth. BYP 100 specifically directs the City of Chicago to end the unjust arrests of Black Chicagoans for low-level marijuana offenses. BYP 100 will also speak about the Agenda to Keep Us Safe, a policy agenda that proposes strategies and policies to end the criminalization of Black Youth in America.
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Black Youth Project 100 (BYP 100) is an activist member-based organization of Black 18-35 year olds, dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. We do this through building a network focused on transformative leadership development, non-violent direct action organizing, advocacy and education using a Black queer feminist lens. We are an organization affiliated with the Black Youth Project.
Source: byp100.org
