* Press release…

What we see play out in the video of Anjanette Young is an act of racism, gendered violence and yet another violation of a Black woman’s dignity and safety. She told police 43 times that they had the wrong house, yet they stood there while she remained handcuffed and unclothed. Ms. Young had the courage to pursue the release of CPD bodycam footage in the face of legal threats from the City’s top leaders. Now it’s our turn to pursue justice and accountability for the wrongful trauma Ms. Young experienced, all rooted in the same systemic racism that plagues Black people throughout our state and country. We will not let Ms. Young stand alone without answers from the City.

Signed,

Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kim Lightford
Senate Black Caucus Chair Robert Peters
Incoming House Black Caucus Chair Kam Buckner
Senator Jacqueline Collins
Senator Mattie Hunter
Senator Adriane Johnson
Senator Emil Jones
Senator Patricia Van Pelt Watkins
Representative Lakesia Collins
Representative Curtis Tarver

* In case you are unaware of this horrific case…

* ‘You Have the Wrong Place:’ Body Camera Video Shows Moments Police Handcuff Innocent, Naked Woman During Wrong Raid

* Innocent Social Worker, Anjanette Young, Violated by The Chicago Police Department.

* Chicago officials tried to block video of police arresting naked woman in botched raid

* ‘So Terrifying’: Woman Describes Moment Cops Burst Into Home, Handcuffed Her Naked

* ‘I want accountability,’ says woman seen in video of botched CPD raid

* Anjanette Young, Handcuffed Naked In Her Home By Police, To Lori Lightfoot: ‘I Believed In You As A Black Woman’

* Mayor Lori Lightfoot apologizes for wrongful raid, said it was a mistake to try and stop CBS from airing body camera video

* What Happened To Anjanette Young Isn’t New; Here Are Some Of The Faces Of CPD Wrong Raids

…Adding… Press release…

National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter Statement:

“In February 2019, Anjanette Young, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), experienced a traumatic incident that occurs in Chicago far too often—armed city officers abusing and traumatizing Black men and women under the guise of public safety. Her story is not unlike others, being reported in the news where city law enforcement wrongly traumatize communities of color with improper or incorrect warrants. In the video which Ms. Young fought to have released, a clearly vulnerable woman is shown pleading with Chicago law enforcement over 43 times that they have raided the wrong house but to no avail. The level of disdain, dehumanization, and humiliation at the hands of Chicago city officers is on full display throughout the now released video.

The National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL) strongly condemns these outrageous actions by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and asks our city leaders, When will the trauma end? When will enough be enough? We further condemn the actions of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her city of Chicago’s legal department for their efforts to further traumatize Ms. Young through the suppression of the body camera footage, and the now subsequent seeking of sanctions against Ms. Young for bringing into the light the reprehensible actions of CPD.

We call on Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois State General Assembly to work to end no knock warrants and to aggressively address and enact meaningful police reforms which the city of Chicago is clearly unwilling to enact themselves. The era of deferring the safety of the residents of Chicago to powerful mayors needs to end.

Systemic oppression, racial discrimination and division, and the misappropriation of power has been ingrained in the fabric of our country and is on full display again today. There is no shortage of reforms and recommendations from the communities being traumatized to address this misappropriation of power, just a lack of will.

One of the core values of the social work profession contained in our code of ethics is that social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person. As a city—and as a society at large—we are not living up to this core value. That needs to change.

The NASW-Illinois Chapter commends the bravery of Anjanette Young. We support Anjanette Young in her fight. No one should be exposed to this level of violence and trauma. “