Ryan is a senior mental health worker with the Heartland Alliance Health’s homeless outreach team in Chicago. His work places him at the forefront of our city’s homelessness crisis and the COVID-19 epidemic – giving him a unique perspective of the impact that our society’s racist and oppressive policies have on vulnerable populations. Ryan believes deeply in the philosophy of nonviolence which guides his service and activism, and is no stranger to flexing his first amendment right and organizing for change in housing policy and criminal justice reform. A human rights worker’s job is never done, and Ryan sees his participation in demonstrations as just another part of the fight for equity and opportunity for all.
Why have you been compelled to act during this tumultuous time?
Community organizing is an essential service. The struggle against racism and the systemic oppression of Black and Brown people is not over. Slavery and Jane and Jim Crow are in the past, but today we confront the evils of mass incarceration, poverty, de facto segregation, and police brutality.
The progress that has been made up to this point has been a result of dedicated people protesting and organizing for change. It is my duty as a social worker, human rights defender, and citizen to actively participate in this struggle for justice. I believe my liberation is bound up with the liberation of others, and what happens to another directly happens to me indirectly.
What do you hope comes from this activism?
I hope that we begin to see poverty, deprivation, and systemic racism as the root causes of crime and allocate our resources accordingly. I hope we experiment with new models of policing that emphasize democratic community control of public safety. And in Chicago, take a serious look at legislative proposals like GAPA (Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability) and CPAC (Civilian Police Accountability Council)
Do you have any tips or something you would like to say to others thinking about acting?
Please do. When our days are done I think the most important question we can ask ourselves is “what have we done in this life to make a difference.” There is a real movement on the streets right now in need of our support and as I mentioned before human rights work is an essential service.
