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'See Something? Say
Something!' campaign inspires youth and adults to act to stop the violence 
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[August 16, 2007]
CHICAGO -- Flanked by more than 70 wheelchair users, most
of whom were disabled by gun violence, Illinois Department of Human
Services Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D., encouraged youth and
adults at the 78th annual Bud Billiken parade on Saturday to speak
out for "Safe Schools and Safe Communities."
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The first message of the IDHS entry -- "See Something? Say
Something!" -- inspires youth and adults to act to stop the violence
in their neighborhoods. The department is promoting the slogan
as an antidote to the destructive "don't snitch" rule popularized in
urban communities.
"None of us can afford to be silent in the face of the
destruction and violence that is threatening our way of life,
endangering our youth and destroying our future," said Adams. "It's
time to break our silence about gun violence."
The IDHS entry included members of the Broken Winggz Foundation
who have been victims of gun violence; the Metropolitan Area Group
for Igniting Civilization, known as MAGIC Chicago, an organization
that promotes positive youth development; and rapper Malik Yusef.
Spoken word artist Malik Yusef, aka "The WordSmyth," was the
voice of the entry as he delivered strong and powerful messages all
along the parade route. Yusef has developed a reputation as a
hip-hop musician and an exemplary urban poet who brings a message on
the importance of education and prevention of gang-related activity.
Like human billboards displaying the impact of violence, the
wheelchair participants were powerful reminders of consequences of
gun violence. Broken Winggz founder Eric Wilkins and Levon Stone of
MAGIC, both living testaments of the effects of gun violence, are
reaching out to others who have been disabled by violence. Working
with IDHS, they want others to know that they can be messengers and
activists against violence. They rode under the banner "Come Roll
with Us ... Make a Difference in Your Community."
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 Wilkins, who was shot and paralyzed in May 1999, said he rolls
with IDHS because, "I want each person who's in a chair due to gun
violence to know that there is a community where they can begin to
heal and put their lives back together."
The second message of the IDHS entry is just as powerful as the
first -- "Don't Dis' Your ABILITY... ." That message was reinforced by
the last banner in the IDHS entry. "We want people with disabilities
to know that we are here for them, their lives are not over, and
they still have opportunities to use their abilities," said Adams.
While spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries have
traditionally been associated with falls and accidents, increasingly
they are the result of gunshot wounds, according to statistics from
the IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services. Using the parade as an
outreach opportunity, IDHS informed people with disabilities about
the services available that can help to increase their independence
and productivity.
The back of the last banner alerted onlookers that people with
disabilities can contact IDHS for assistance with jobs, education,
training, medical benefits, housing and transportation. Those in
need of support are urged to call the IDHS Division of
Rehabilitation Services at 800-843-6154 or 800-447-6404 TTY.
[Text from Illinois
Department of Human Services news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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