NEWS
Justice for Melissa Ortega
CHICAGO, IL (March 4, 2022) – As an organization established to promote unity and racial healing, Two-Thirds United denounces all acts of violence against Ukrainian sovereignty and the Ukrainian people. This unprovoked attack by the Russian Federation has rightfully been condemned by leaders around the world and we, members of Two-Thirds United, join them in expressing our outrage at this assault and stand with the people of Ukraine and encourage the communities we serve and our leaders to do the same. What is happening in Ukraine is a tragedy not only for Ukraine, but for all of humanity across the world and the biggest weapon we have is our unified voices supporting democracy in Ukraine and around the world. Our thoughts are with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters and with all those with family and friends in Ukraine. We hope for a speedy return to peace. #StandWithUkraine
Two-Thirds United:
Casa Central
Miguel Blancarte, Jr.
Chicago Urban League
Instituto del Progreso Latino
Dr. Rosita Lopez
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
EGBA of Chicago
UCAN Chicago
Heartland Alliance
From the streets of Little Village to Washington: A Chicago violence-prevention leader tapped to advise Justice Department
CHICAGO, IL (February 9, 2022) – On a summer day eight years ago, Eddie Bocanegra, with his daughter Salome on his shoulders, stood at the head of a wooded hiking trail in a Chicago suburb to lead a group of teens on a walk.
Justice for Melissa Ortega
CHICAGO, IL (January 28, 2022) – Melissa Ortega was walking alongside her mother on a Saturday afternoon, but she never returned home because she was caught in a shooting intended for someone else. Melissa’s story is one that repeats itself much too often in our city, especially in Latino and African American communities, and we need action now to prevent these types of stories from repeating themselves.
We, members of Two-Thirds United, a coalition of organizations and individuals from the African American and Latino communities of Chicago, present a united plea to community organizations, government leaders, and fellow Chicagoans to redouble efforts that will bring lasting peace to our children, families and neighborhoods and end the continued cycle of violence in our communities.
Two-Thirds United:
Casa Central
Children's Advocates for Change
Dr. Rosita Lopez
Instituto del Progreso Latino
La Casa Norte
The Chicago Community Trust
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
Casa Central promotes Black and Latino unity with "Day of Hope"
CHICAGO, IL (June 24, 2021) – Leaders in Chicago's Black and Latino communities came together Thursday in a show of unity for Casa Central's Day of Hope.
Two-Thirds United on the verdict against Derek Chauvin
We, the African American and Latino leaders and organizations that make up Two Thirds United, welcome the guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. On those rare occasions when charges are brought against law enforcement for the killing of persons of color, they often do not result in convictions; the decision by the jury in this case is of special significance. However, in order for the death of George Floyd not to have been in vain, we must look beyond the guilty verdict in this case and address the root causes of these injustices: the underlying systems and the engrained racism contained therein. Those systems must be taken apart and rebuilt. Until that happens there will continue to be more George Floyds.
Casa Central
Instituto del Progreso Latino
Chicago Commons
La Casa Norte
Christopher House
Metropolitan Family Services
Claretian Associates
One Hope United
Center for New Horizons
Safer Foundation
DuSable Museum
The Chicago Community Trust
Family Focus
UCAN Chicago
Heartland Alliance
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Call for Justice for Adam Toledo
CHICAGO, IL (April 18, 2021) – A boy of color, a police officer, and the use of deadly force. It is a story that repeats itself all too often in America. It is a story that must end now.
We, as members of Two-Thirds United, a coalition of organizations and individuals from the African American and Latino communities of Chicago, come together to say that we do not want to bury another member of our communities who has died at the hands of law enforcement.
In the case of Adam Toledo, we must not be allowed to get lost in blaming a mother or deferring to a police officer’s split-second decision. We must focus on truly addressing the social determinants and the institutional racism that have created a system where a 13-year-old boy found himself being chased by a police officer in a dark alley at 2 AM; a country where guns are easily available to those who should not have them; and where a Brown or Black child, with his empty hands raised in surrender in compliance to order from a police officer, is nonetheless shot dead.
Justice for Adam Toledo is not merely about addressing the conduct of the police officer who killed him, rather it is also about doing the hard and essential work of reforming, rebuilding, and re-imagining our economy, our educational system, our housing system, and yes, reinventing and reconstructing our policing. Until those steps are taken there will tragically be many more Adam Toledos.
United:
Casa Central
Casa Norte
Chicago Commons
Chicago Urban League
Christopher House
DuSable Museum
Family Focus
Heartland Alliance
Instituto del Progreso Latino
Metropolitan Family Services
One Hope United
The Chicago Community Trust
UCAN
Protect The Inalienable Right To Vote – And Our Democracy
CHICAGO, IL (April 13, 2021) – Scores of Americans of all races and nationalities have relentlessly fought for years – and even died – to protect our right to vote.
As a unified collective of nonprofit organizations, partners and affiliates nationwide, we firmly believe that every American’s vote is their voice. Any attempts to undermine voters’ access to the ballot box are contrary to foundational rights for everyone in the United States.
The sweeping – and ill-conceived – voting reform law recently signed in Georgia was rationalized by unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the state’s 2020 elections. Therefore, the law, simply stated, is untenable and un-American.
We stand in staunch opposition to the law that we believe will make it especially more difficult for voters in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities to exercise their fundamental right to vote in a nation built on democracy. We reject efforts to pass comparable legislation in other states that restrict voting rights and make it more difficult for people of color to cast their ballot. More specifically, currently, there are more than 350 restrictive voting laws in various stages of proposal and consideration around the country.
As nonprofits and industry stewards, we are committed to building bridges to self-empowerment, education, and employment for all communities, and especially the historically marginalized BIPOC communities across the country. Our mission, vision, and values undergird our belief that all Americans must have their voices heard in a democracy.
The axis on which democracy rests depends on a government that works for every American. All of us are guaranteed the constitutional right to cast a vote counted without delay or diminishment. A suppression of votes is to deny the public a government elected by the people and for the people.
In Unison,
- Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc.
- Asian Human Services
- Bethany United Church of Christ
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Chicago
- Boys and Girls Club of Chicago
- Casa Central
- Carole Robertson Center For Learning
- Centers for New Horizons
- Chicago Commons
- Chicago Youth Centers
- Children’s Home + Aid
- Chinese American Service League
- Council for Health and Human Service Ministries
- Erie House
- Family Focus
- Four Point Play
- Gilead Church Chicago
- Good Shepard Lutheran Church
- Gorham United Methodist
- Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Heartland Alliance
- Illinois Collaboration on Youth
- Illinois Partners for Human Service
- Jazz Institute of Chicago
- Kids Above All
- Latino Policy Forum
- Lawrence Hall
- Lutheran Social Services New York
- Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
- Marillac St. Vincent Family Services
- Metropolitan Family Services
- National Youth Advocate Program
- New Covenant Development Corporation
- One Hope United
- Organic Oneness
- Play Like A Champion
- St. James Community Church
- Saint Pauls United Church of Christ
- Safer Foundation
- Stone Temple Church
- The Network For Social Work Management
- Thresholds
- Trinity United Church of Christ
- UCAN
- University Church Chicago
- YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
- YWCA
- Youth Guidance
- Youth in Need
Two-Thirds United Announces Micro Grant Recipients: Increase the Peace; Instituto del Progreso Latino; Metropolitan Family Services; and Voices for Illinois Children
CHICAGO, IL (February 17, 2021) – Two-Thirds United announced the recipients of $25,000 in funding for community-based activities to support and promote racial healing in Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities.
Two-Thirds United, a coalition of black and brown community leaders, was recently launched to promote unity and racial healing. The group was formed as a result of the unrest that took place over the summer in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Seeing a need to strengthen ties and promote long-term sustainable unity and collaboration among Latino and African American communities, leaders from both communities have come together.
“The grant opportunities provided by Healing Illinois and Two-Thirds United recognize the need to understand our communities and work together to establish trust and a renewed sense of humanity and compassion. If we are to learn from the past and strive for a more just future, empathy and understanding are vital to begin and sustain racial healing.,” stated Karen Freeman-Wilson, President and CEO of The Chicago Urban League, and Co-Chair of Two-Thirds United.
To further its mission, Two-Thirds United has been awarded funding from the Chicago Community Trust’s Healing Illinois program to conduct activities that promote and foster unity and collaboration of both communities, including creating micro grants to support the mission of Healing Illinois.
As part of its Healing Illinois activities, Two-Thirds United awarded micro grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 and will fund programs:
- Promoting Dialogue: Conversations to build understanding and empathy
- Encouraging Collaboration: Activities that bring people together in-person or virtually to connect, act together on a project or idea
- Facilitating Learning: Activities designed to build or enhance knowledge
- Seeding Connection: Racial healing circles, peace circles, or restorative justice activities
Grant recipients include:
- Increase the Peace Chicago develops young leaders and promotes peace through leadership development, community organizing, and advocating for solutions that tackle the root causes of violence. The grant supports a Racial Healing Youth Council for African American and Latino youth, on both the North and South sides of Chicago;
- Instituto Justice & Leadership Academy (IJLA)/Instituto del Progreso Latino is a restorative learning community connected with Instituto del Progreso Latino, that re-engages at-risk youth, through praxis, to strive for self-actualization. IJLA invigorates hope and restores students’ hearts and minds to reclaim their education, graduate, and transform into agents of change. The grant supports the Instituto Leadership and Justice Academy for stipends for Latino and African American Youth Circle Keepers on the Southwest side of the city;
- Metropolitan Family Services empowers families to learn, to earn, to heal, to thrive. Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, since 1857 Metropolitan Family Services has been the engine of change that empowers Chicago-area families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities. The grant supports Racial Healing Circles (TRHT) for Latino and African American youth and young adults, on the far South and far Southeast of Chicago; and
- Voices for Illinois Children works to intervene the alarming number of children who are victims of abuse by educating, empowering, and enlightening the community, school-aged children, and parents about prevention factors. The grant supports Advocacy Healing Circles pilot Youth Leadership Program for African American and Latino youth in Chicago’s Austin community.
All Two-Thirds United award recipients are 501(c)(3) organizations. Projects will be focused on promoting activities jointly in African American and Latino communities. All awardees must expend funds and complete projects by April 30, 2021.
“I am pleased to be part of and working with a community of leaders and organizations fully vested in making progress in developing broader racial understanding, equity, and compassion among Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities. These micro grant opportunities provided by Healing Illinois and Two-Thirds United focus especially on our Black and Brown youth, who are the present and future architects of our communities’ unity,” said, Martin R. Castro, Co-Chair of Two-Thirds United and President and CEO of Casa Central.
Two-Thirds Launched to Bring Unity and Racial Healing to Black and Brown Communities
CHICAGO, IL (January 19, 2021) – Two-Thirds United, a coalition of black and brown community leaders, was recently launched to promote unity and racial healing. The group was formed as a result of the unrest that took place over the summer in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
