PEORIA, Ill. – Some Peoria residents whose lives have been impacted by violence are part of a larger group in Springfield Thursday, advocating for law changes they say will help them and others.
The annual lobbying day is put together by a group called “Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice” — one of the local organizers of which is Clara Underwood-Forman, who lost two sons to gun crimes.
“I’ve learned it makes a difference when you gather with other survivors that are going through the same thing you have,” said Underwood-Forman. “It gives you strength to be able to deal with the grief that you go through.”
Underwood-Forman says the group has seen legislative success in past years, getting lawmakers to pass a bill, for instance, changing the way victims are compensated after violent crimes.
But for Peoria County Clerk Rachel Parker, whose son was killed in a drive-by shooting in June of 2020 and who went to Springfield for the first time, she doesn’t have a specific message yet.
“I’m really just coming to listen and learn, and to see what the issues are, what people are looking for, what people are needing, just to see where I fit in, in all that,” said Parker. “Other than being a survivor, how can I help someone else?”
Underwood-Forman says the group has seen legislative success in past years, getting lawmakers to pass a bill, for instance, changing the way victims are compensated after violent crimes.
This year, they want to advocate for expanding employment protections for those grieving the loss of loved ones.
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