Anjanette Young‘s whole life changed last year when she was subjugated to humiliation after Chicago Police officers mistakenly raided her home while she was naked and afraid in 2019.
Young announced that she would be pouring back into her community, after receiving the generosity of strangers. The social worker will be donating the proceeds from her GoFundMe, which on Sunday totaled over $51,000, to social justice efforts. The monies are scheduled to go to the social justice and counseling ministry at Progressive Baptist Church where Young is a longtime member.
“I’ve had so many people reach out to me offering support,” she told CBS 2 Chicago. “It’s been somewhat overwhelming.”
“I want to be able to honor the code of being a social worker, advocating and supporting others, uplifting the community,” she continued.
The fundraiser was set up by a professor from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, who reached out to Young after watching her story.
“I want to make sure that people in the city of Chicago know that it exists and know that it’s not about the church. It’s about us helping the community. That’s what we really want to be about and that’s what I’m about as a social worker. I want to give back. I want to help,” she said.
“She’s the perfect person, in an unfortunate sense, to be in this circumstance because like Rosa Parks she defies all of the common characteristics of a person who would otherwise be the victim of police brutality,” said Young’s pastor Charlie Dates. “We’re hoping that much good will come from this highlight to benefit other people in our city.”
Young’s case gained national attention last week after footage of the raid went viral. Soon after, controversy ensued after it was revealed that the mayor’s office attempted to block CBS 2 Chicago from airing the video.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also recently admitted that she did have prior information about the raid, even though she denied knowing about the incident earlier in the week.
In response two city caucuses are calling for the Office of the Inspector General to conduct an investigation of the incident.
CPD officers stormed into Young’s home in Feb. 2019 and handcuffed her for over 40 minutes while she stood in her living room. Officer’s were looking for one of Young’s neighbor’s who was under surveillance with an ankle monitor. Even though Young continually warned that they were in the wrong location, they refused to leave. Young is suing the CPD over the event.
The City Council Progressive Caucus and the Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus want the Public Safety Committee and Health and Human Relations Committee to promptly schedule a joint hearing over the incident.
SEE ALSO:
Bodycam Video Chicago Tried To Suppress Shows Cops Cuff Naked Black Woman During Botched Home Raid
