Sharpton takes NAN to Lake County

A little more than a year after opening a Chicago chapter of his New York-based social justice organization, the Rev. Al Sharpton opened another in a neighboring county.

A little more than a year after opening a Chicago chapter of his New York-based social justice organization, the Rev. Al Sharpton opened another in a neighboring county.

In Lake County, which includes North Chicago and Waukegan, gun violence struck a few African American men over the last year, leaving the community’s hands tied with little help, said the president of the newly-formed Lake County chapter of the National Action Network.

The county, one of the wealthiest in Illinois, experienced two police-involved shooting deaths last year.

Aaren Gwinn, 21, was killed in May in North Chicago. Jeffery Lewis, 17, was killed in August in Waukegan. The October fatal shooting of 20-year-old Brandon Starks by a grocery store clerk in Waukegan is also on the organization’s radar.

Alleged aggressive police force is at the root of the shootings, said Christopher Blanks, chapter founder and president.

“Law enforcement officers are getting a pass when it comes to sensitivity training and psychological evaluations in Lake County,” Blanks said.

The organization has called for an independent investigation of each fatal shooting, he said.

Blanks also said NAN could spotlight the limited job opportunities for African Americans in Lake County.

“We see Hispanics and others training for and working good jobs for Lake County. We don’t see, however, the same eagerness and willingness to train and hire African Americans for those county positions. We must fight for the creation of jobs and the equal access to county jobs for more African Americans,” Blanks added.

While the Lake County chapter appears to be active, the Chicago chapter of NAN seems to have fizzled.

In front of the historic Regal Theater on East 79th Street in August 2007, Sharpton announced the opening of the local chapter and tapped Jeri Wright, daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ, to head the chapter.

The Chicago chapter, which became the organization’s 36th chapter in the country, was set up to help stomp out police brutality and corruption, and continue a tradition of social justice.

To its credit, the chapter organized a caravan to Jena, La. to support the Jena Six, and participated in the Day of Decency when they marched to the Chicago offices of Clear Channel Communications to protest vulgar music lyrics aimed at women.

A year later, the chapter has not been as active and is under new leadership.

Lou Meyers is currently the president of the Chicago chapter.

He did not respond to Defender calls for comment about the chapter’s recent activities.

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