Community Letter Writing Event in Support of Patrick Johnson and Tewkunzi Green

How to Write a Letter of Support! (included in Facebook event description for Clemency Letter-Writing Event)
Letters of support can help to show the Governor that the general public believes that a commutation is appropriately merciful in this case. Letters of support can be from individuals or from organizations. Letters need to be submitted to RachelWhiteDomain@cgla.net before January 20, 2020 when the clemency petitions for these survivors will be filed!

What to include in your letter:

• Address your letter to Governor J. B. Pritzker, 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601. Open your letter with, “Dear Governor Pritzker.”
• State clearly that you are writing in support of Tewkunzi Green’s immediate release, or that your support her commutation to time served.
• If you want, you can briefly share information about yourself such as your profession, if there is something that personally moves you about this case, or if you have personal or professional experience with the issues that Tewkunzi has dealt with in her life.
• If you have been a penpal with Tewkunzi, sharing details about how long you’ve known Tewkunzi and what kind of person you know her to be is especially helpful!
• In your own words, very briefly explain what you understand about Tewkunzi’s case, so that it is clear that you are familiar with the basic facts of the case. Just briefly!
• Explain why you think Tewkunzi should be released. You can also say if there’s any reason why you feel personally moved by her story.
• Sign your letter and include your address. Your address is included to verify your identity (i.e., that you are a real person), and may also show that you are a potential voter in Illinois.

More tips: It’s okay for the letter to be handwritten, but please write legibly. Letters from the general public are usually kept to one page in length. You can still write a letter even if you do not live in Illinois. More than one person or organization can sign the same letter but please include your addresses. Write from the heart, don’t overthink it.

Read more about Patrick Johnson and Tewkunzi Green’s clemency petitions

Click here to read the details of Patrick Johnson’s clemency petition
Click here to read the details of Tewkunzi Green’s clemency petition