Mayor Brandon Johnson Advances Interconnected Chicago Strategy, Strengthening Response to Hate Crimes Citywide

CHICAGO — Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the launch of the Interconnected Chicago Strategy, a structural framework that aims to strengthen the City's response to hate incidents and protect the dignity of every Chicagoan by centering collective repair, community engagement, and mutual responsibility. The approach integrates recommendations from the Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Board's hearing on anti-Jewish hate by establishing a long-term, cross-community governance model that prioritizes combating anti-Jewish hate in its initial phase while building lasting infrastructure to address the needs and safety concerns of communities across Chicago.

"No one stands alone in our city, when one community is targeted by hate, all of Chicago feels the impact," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Chicago would not be Chicago without the strength, culture, and contributions of every community that calls our city home. All of our residents deserve to feel safe, valued, and free to be who they are. By fostering increased civic connectedness, we are fortifying our response to hate today while developing a more united front and lasting foundation of safety and belonging for every Chicagoan."

The comprehensive approach reflects the urgency of addressing rising hate incidents, community fear, and fragmentation across neighborhoods and institutions while reaffirming the Johnson administration's unyielding commitment to confront hate in all forms.

Developed by the Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ), the strategy is anchored by three key priorities through which the administration will work to strengthen the relational fabric between communities, detect emerging threats, and coordinate collective responses to identity-based harm. The priorities include:

• Formation of a Jewish Engagement Council;
• Formation of Interconnected Chicago Council;
• Departmental systems gap analysis and Mayor's Office alignment.

"While immediate action responding to hate is critical, we recognize that lasting safety and true belonging cannot rely solely on reactive measures," said Carla Kupe, Chief Equity Officer. "The City must also build a sustained framework that ensures Chicagoans—both today and for generations to come—feel safe, respected, and supported in their communities and across our city. This is our opportunity as a city to practice mutual responsibility and collective stewardship of Chicago."

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The framework elevates reciprocal stewardship while strengthening the City's existing initiatives which seek to address identity-based hate. The coordinated effort comes as reported hate crimes in Chicago declined by 12% in 2025 compared to 2024 and reported anti-Jewish hate crimes fell by 40.5%.

"While the downward trends we saw last year are encouraging, we cannot rest in our fight to end hate," said CCHR Acting Commissioner Kenneth Gunn. "The CCHR remains committed to working within the community to address hate in all of its forms and will continue to advocate and support victims of hate crimes until all communities are safe and free from fear."

JEWISH ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL

The Jewish Engagement Council brings together faith and cultural leaders within Chicago's Jewish community to serve as a direct bridge for dialogue between residents, community leaders, and the Mayor's Office to foster meaningful relationships, strengthen trust, and coordinate effective responses to public safety issues before they occur.

The Council's mandate will be facilitating local civic participation, addressing community safety, combating antisemitism, and actively driving interfaith and intercultural coalition-building across Chicago's neighborhoods.

Consisting of up to 24 dedicated leaders and community connectors, the Council will reflect the rich diversity of denominations and cultural backgrounds present in Chicago.

Coordinated by the Mayor's Office of Community Engagement (MOCE), the Council will include intergenerational voices and subject matter experts in areas such as community safety, education, civil rights, and social services who will assist the Mayor's Office in building durable relationships.

Members will relay vital information relating to key priorities and available opportunities to community members while providing insight, feedback, and concerns on City policies, practices, and programs.

INTERCONNECTED CHICAGO COUNCIL

Set to launch later this summer, the Interconnected Chicago Council (ICC) will serve as the City's inter-community coordinating body, with a specific focus on addressing fragmentation between communities while fostering citywide cooperation to address identity-based harm.

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The ICC will be made up of representatives from existing cultural engagement bodies, City Departments, and cross-sector leaders who will monitor civic fragmentation trends through both data analysis and lived community intelligence to help City officials and outreach specialists better understand emerging tensions and opportunities for connection. The body will also work to increase communication between existing advisory and engagement councils.

During incidents of identity-based harm, the ICC will be tasked with coordinating cross-sector response efforts to ensure aligned communication, resource mobilization, and community support. During periods of heightened civic tension, the ICC will bring together relevant stakeholders, coordinate response efforts, and guide collective repair and structural learning processes that help communities recover, rebuild trust, and address underlying causes of harm.

The Council will produce an annual Interconnected Chicago Report documenting trends, challenges, and progress while issuing advisory recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.

DEPARTMENTAL ANALYSIS AND MAYOR'S OFFICE ALIGNMENT

To ensure alignment with the Interconnected Chicago Strategy and identify gaps in the City's existing response systems for identity-based hate, OERJ and the Mayor's Office of Community Safety (MOCS) have begun meeting with key City departments—including the Chicago Police Department, CCHR, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and the Department of Family and Support Services—to assess current efforts and identify opportunities to strengthen cross-departmental collaboration.

OERJ, MOCS, MOCE, and the Office of Education and Youth Services (EYS) will also meet with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and City Colleges to ensure inter-agency coordination.

Following these engagements, OERJ and MOCS will design an implementation plan and submit it for Mayor's Office approval, after which OERJ, MOCS, and relevant teams will lead implementation across departments.

Within the Mayor's Office, OERJ is developing a coordinated response protocol and standard operating procedure to ensure consistent and appropriate actions are taken in response to incidents of hate.

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