Cook County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 05/13/2026 04:55 PM CDT
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.  Justice Advisory Council | May 13, 2026  A Message From the Director As the weather warms up, we are energized and ready to reconnect with our neighbors and communities. Historically, the change in the weather is also when we brace for more violence. While we acknowledge this pattern, we do not accept it. This Spring, the JAC and our partners are hosting a variety of events that will help us reframe this season as a time to build peace through community and connection. When we come together to share information and ideas, we re-center the power of community to bring about safety and justice. Together, we can and will build safer, stronger communities. We hope you join us! – Avik Das, Executive Director  Events Gun Violence Awareness Month Film Screening: Love is Not Enough Join the JAC for a special screening of the award-winning film, Love is Not Enough. Held during Gun Violence Awareness Month, this free community engagement event will honor survivors of gun violence and explore pathways to change. Event will include dinner, a 1-hour screening and a panel discussion with the filmmaker, Valerie Goodloe. Door prizes will be available for attendees at the event.  Tuesday, June 2, 2026 from 4:00 – 7:00pm. Kennedy King College, 740 W 63rd St Chicago Register for the screening here by Friday, May 29th. Space is limited and registration is required. Job Readiness Fair: A People’s Plan Event Hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety, Mayor’s Office of Health & Human Services, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, and City Colleges of Chicago, this event provides career guidance, resume and interview help, job search tips and sealing and expungement information. May 15, 2026 from 12:00 – 5:00pmRegister for the job readiness fair here  CVI Impact Webinar As part of the monthly Building Safe + Just Communities series, the Joyce Foundation is hosting a webinar on Investing in community violence intervention strategies: new evidence from Illinois’ Government Alliance for Safe Communities. Leaders from the Government Alliance for Safe Communities (GASC) and the Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science (CORNERS) at Northwestern University will discuss findings from a newly published report on the impact of public investment in CVI and the implications for policymakers in Illinois and beyond. Tuesday, May 19, 2026 from 12:00 – 1:00pm Register for the webinar here Fireside Chat on the Cook County Just Housing Amendment  Join the Cook County Commission on Human Rights for Measuring the Impact: A Fireside Chat on Cook County’s Just Housing Amendment. The event will discuss findings from the Just Housing Amendment (JHA) Impact Assessment Report and explore what these findings mean for justice-impacted individuals living in Cook County. The JHA prohibits housing discrimination based on arrest or conviction history. The impact assessment involved two years of research looking at the ongoing successes and challenges of the JHA. May 27, 11:00am – 12:30pm, at 69 West Washington, Chicago (22nd Floor, Conference Room B) Register for the fireside chat here  Cook County Job FairMay 27, 20269:30am – 4:00pmPalmer House Hilton Hotel, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago Cook County Government is hiring across departments, offering roles that directly support the health, safety, and well-being of our communities. Register for the job fair here Hospitality Hires ChicagoThursday, May 28, 2026, from 9:00am – 3:00pmPalmer House Hilton Hotel, 17 East Monroe Street, ChicagoThe Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership is hosting the 9th annual Hospitality Hires event. This multi-industry hiring event connects ready to hire employers across diverse sectors with qualified career seekers who may get conditional job offers at the event. Employers from the hospitality, healthcare, transportation and logistics, and other high-demand industries will participate. Employers register hereJob Seekers register here  Race Against Gun Violence Join the JAC in the Strides for Peace Race Against Gun Violence on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 6:00pm. This annual event supports local organizations on the front lines of building peace in communities. Organizations can raise funds, host a booth or simply participate in the event alongside residents. Learn more and sign up at runsignup.com/Race/IL/Chicago/RaceAgainstGunViolence Navigating the Cook County Justice System Do you have a court case? This free resource fair helps residents better understand the court system and connect with legal aid and community resources. Staff from key county agencies and partner organizations will be on site to share information, answer questions, and help you navigate available resources. June 6, 2026, 10:00am – 1:00pm Hamilton Park Cultural Center Fieldhouse, 514 W 72nd St, Chicago Register here for the Resource Fair  Submit Events for Gun Violence Awareness Month June is #GunViolenceAwarenessMonth. Are you or your organization putting on an event focusing on bettering the community and gun violence intervention? Submit your event on the Illinois Peace Project website! llinoisPeaceProject.org/gun-violence-awareness-month/event-submission/  Funding Opportunity: Reentry Services RFQ The JAC has an open Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for reentry services. The RFQ will identify community-based non-profit organizations equipped to provide services in one or more of the following categories: Housing Navigation and Rental Assistance Transitional Housing Case Coordination Transportation Applications are due on May 26, 2026 at 5pm. For more information and to apply, visit CookCountyIL.gov/JACGrants Justice Advisory Council 69 W. Washington, Suite 1410 | Chicago, IL 60602 | Phone: (312) 603-1133 jac.info@cookcountyil.gov Mission To promote equitable, human-centered, community-driven justice system innovation and practice through rigorous stakeholder engagement, policy work, service coordination, and grantmaking that increases community safety and reduces reliance on incarceration. Values Equity. Engagement. Excellence.Learn more about our strategic plans for Cook County with the Policy Roadmap: Five-Year Strategic Plan for Offices Under the President. |