Laurie Jo Reynolds is a policy advocate and artist who challenges the demonization, warehousing, and social exclusion of people in the criminal legal system, often long-term efforts at the margins of political viability. Focusing on the retributive extremes of solitary confinement and public conviction registries, Reynolds collaborates with justice advocates, state officials, cultural workers, and people directly affected by violence and incarceration to encourage policies that truly prevent victimization and restore and rehabilitate, rather than damage, people in the justice system.
The Chicago 400 are parents, grandparents, veterans, providers, mentors, church members, hard workers, and faithful friends. We are also people with past convictions that require registration who are experiencing homelessness and therefore have to re-register weekly at Chicago Police Headquarters or receive a new felony conviction. Most of us are homeless due to housing banishment laws. The Chicago 400 Alliance are the individuals and organizations supporting us in our shared public safety goals: prevent crime, support survivors, and hold people accountable for harm—then let people with past convictions move on w/ our lives. For real. We are believers in God, peace, restoration, and in the possibility that our lives will change with the support of people like you.
Twitter: @Chicago400
Joining today from the Chicago 400 are:
Terrance Chism
JC Clark
Steven Diggs
Benjamin Head
Robert Priest
From the Rupture: Ideas & Actions for the Future coincides with special project launches that were supported by Eyebeam’s Rapid Response for a Better Digital Future – a fully-digital artist fellowship that was launched in response to the onset of Covid-19 crisis, marking the beginning of a new kind of artist support at Eyebeam.
This talk was recorded on February 20, 2021, the fourth (and final) day of the festival celebrating Veil Machine in collaboration with Kink Out Events and Dillon Sung in collaboration with the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition with talks by Sasha Costanza-Chock, Vincent Southerland, Laurie Jo Reynolds and the Chicago 400, conversations with Juno Mac & Ze Royale, and hosted by nash sheard.