To our valued community members,
As many of you know, Asian Americans Advancing Justice—Chicago partnered with 33 community organizations to sponsor the Asian American Town Hall Forum on June 7th. Almost 130 community members were in attendance as our community leaders passionately expressed their concerns regarding the abuse of Jianqing Klyzek at the hands of Chicago Police Department officers to Chicago city officials including Alderman Pawar (47th ward & Chicago City Councial Asian American Caucus) and representatives from the Mayor’s office, Independent Police Review Authority, and the Chicago Police Department. At the town hall forum, Janey Roundtree, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety at the Chicago Mayor’s office, presented a statement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, which we would like to share with you. Here is an excerpt (the whole letter is attached):
“As the mayor of Chicago, please know that I believe the comments and conduct shown in the surveillance video at Copper Tan and Salon , released on May 19 are despicable, and do not reflect the values of the hard working men and women in the Chicago Police Department, or the values of our City. Within a few hours of the video being seen, the officer was stripped of his police powers, and the matter is under investigation by the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA).”
Advancing Justice—Chicago believes the public acknowledgment of this horrendous act is an important first step in a continuing dialogue and collaborative process with our city officials. We will continue to update you on this case and any related developments. We also want to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate our collective power as a community to voice our concerns and make change. We look forward to continuing to build power in the Asian American community!
Sincerely,
Asian Americans Advancing Justice—Chicago