<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:27.360001px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">The Never-Regular But Always-True Newsletter From...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:right"> <span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span><img width="362" height="163" src="blob:https://mail.google.com/5e89b468-c791-4db2-b513-a26ecb57e6e4" alt="A blue and white sign with white text
Description automatically generated"></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:right"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:21.280001px;color:rgb(31,73,125)"><a href="http://www.aclu-cu.org">www.aclu-cu.org</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:right"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-size:21.333334px;text-align:right">Dear Members, Supporters, Friends and Allies,</span><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Here at<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>ACLU of Champaign County<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>we are looking back and celebrating our most exciting victory of the past year.<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Working in coalition with allied organizations, ACLU succeeded in ending money bond in Illinois on September 18, 2023. We are the first and only state in the nation to accomplish this important reform!<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">No longer will domestic abusers and professional violent criminals be able to pay up and get out of jail. Instead, a hearing will be held to determine whether the accused person is a danger to themselves, another person, or their community. Or a flight risk. If so, they remain in jail. Those not deemed dangerous will await their court appearances at home where they can continue to work and take care of family responsibilities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The inability to pay cash bail has ravaged low-income Black and Brown communities in particular, and although other reforms are needed, this is a giant first step toward making our justice system fairer for all.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">There were plenty of naysayers who said it wouldn't work and lots of disinformation being spread around. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">So, how's the big change going?<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(192,80,77)">JOIN US on Friday, April 12 from 5-7 PM at the IMC to celebrate seven months of progress! Hear directly from our Champaign County Public Defender, Lis Pollock, for the local perspective, as well as Ben Ruddell from ACLU of Illinois for a statewide view. Real live in-person humans! Real, not virtual snacks!<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(192,80,77)">Hope to see you there!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(192,80,77)">***</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:27.360001px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">THE ACLU of ILLINOIS ANNUAL<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><a href="https://www.aclu-il.org/en/events/lunch2024" style="color:purple"><b><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:27.360001px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">LUNCH</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:27.360001px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">Friday, MARCH 1st in Chicago.</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:16.719999px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0%;background-size:auto;background-repeat:repeat;background-origin:padding-box;background-clip:border-box"></span><b><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:27.360001px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:normal;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-image:none;background-position:0%;background-size:auto;background-repeat:repeat;background-origin:padding-box;background-clip:border-box">The program will include a keynote from ACLU Repro Rights Artist Ambassador Busy Philipps, a performance by Young Chicago Author’s Poet Chima “Naira” Ikoro, and remarks by Cook County Public Defender Sharone R. Mitchell, Jr.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">WANT TO ATTEND FROM HOME?<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">Your lunch + Our inspiring speakers. Great combination! Register here and you will receive a link for the livestream</span>. <span style="color:rgb(79,129,189)"><a href="https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/aclu-partner-registration-2024-aclu-lunch" target="_blank" style="color:purple"><span style="color:rgb(79,129,189)">https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/aclu-partner-registration-2024-aclu-lunch</span></a></span><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">***</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And keep in mind: Urbana Champaign Reproductive Justice Week <span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span>April 19-28<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(79,129,189)"><a href="https://www.ucrj.org/ucrjweek2024">https://www.ucrj.org/ucrjweek2024</a></span><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">WANT TO JOIN OR RENEW YOUR ACLU MEMBERSHIP?<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="https://action.aclu.org/give/illinois-join-renew-today">https://action.aclu.org/give/illinois-join-renew-today</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:18.24px">FIND US AT <a href="http://www.aclu-cu.org">www.aclu-cu.org</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 9pt;line-height:15.96px;font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><span style="font-size:16pt;line-height:24.32px;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(79,129,189)">THANKS for reading and Supporting ACLU Champaign County!</span></b></p></div></div>