Keeping Our Community Safe: Read & Run Chicago’s Commitment Amid ICE Violence in Chicago
Runners from communities across Chicago at the first Solidarity Run in October 2025.
by Allison Yates
At Read & Run Chicago, our mission has always been rooted in connection—between stories, people, and the neighborhoods that make Chicago one of the greatest places in the world. But connection can only thrive in a space where everyone feels safe–and right now, our friends and neighbors are being illegally brutalized and kidnapped.
We want to take a clear stance: we are angry, frustrated, and disgusted with this violence and we stand in solidarity with all Chicagoans who deserve to move freely and safely through their city.
Chicago is–and will continue to be–an incredible city, and we are not going to let this violence stop us from celebrating it. However, we will continue to work on how to best keep our community safe amidst the ongoing crisis.
Our Commitment to Safety
We will be actively monitoring local news and community alerts to ensure our running routes are safe for every reader & runner. For each event:
We will assess routes and reroute to avoid any areas with reported ICE activity
We communicate all event information with attendees so they can share with loved ones our meeting locations and what to expect on the route
Our guides and volunteers will prioritize readers’ & runners’ safety and to act calmly and respectfully if an unexpected situation arises
If at any point we feel that a planned event could compromise the safety of our runners—especially those who may be vulnerable—we will reroute, reschedule, or hold the event indoors. Readers’ & runners’ safety is non-negotiable.
What Readers & Runners Can Do
Whether you’re joining a Read & Run Chicago event or running on your own, here are a few ways to stay informed and prepared:
Know your rights: Familiarize yourself with your rights when interacting with ICE.
Save the ICIRR 24-hour hotline: Safe the 24-hour Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) hotline number in your phone now: 1-855-435-7693.
Stay connected: Follow trusted local organizations like the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) for verified updates on ICE activity and community safety alerts.
Share your route: Let a friend or family member know when and where you’re running. Share your location if possible.
Carry essentials: Keep your phone, a copy of a recommended form of identification, and whistles on you at all times. ICE agents in Chicago have also been deploying tear gas on bystanders and peaceful protestors. Know how to protect yourself.
Run with awareness: Stay alert to your surroundings. If something feels off, trust your instincts.
Keep supporting: There are many advocacy and mutual aid organizations working to organize and protect our neighbors. Here’s a good list via City Cast Chicago.
Follow protocol: If you see ICE activity, you can:
Report: Call the ICIRR 24-hour hotline to report a sighting: 1-855-435-7693. Here are some things to note.
Whistle: three short beeps if agents near, three long beeps if there’s an active arrest.
Honk: If you’re in your car, make noise.
Film: Document the ICE encounter, filming horizontally and focusing on the ICE agents, not the person under attack.
Opportunities to Fundraise and Advocate Within Read & Run Chicago
Read & Run Chicago will continue to highlight the stories, authors, bookstores, and small businesses that make our city great.
Here are a few ways you can stay involved with us and support ongoing efforts to keep our city and our neighbors safe.
Purchase merchandise: 30% of all merchandise sales while supplies last will be donated to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR).
Attend our November Book Club Run: Our November Book Club Run is inspired by Elly Fishman’s chronicle of refugee teens during the 2017-2018 school year at Sullivan High School. A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to The Hyde Park Refugee Project.
Community meetups and events: We will continue to prioritize hosting community meetups and events like our monthly reading nights and Move + Book Swaps in areas that have been suffering as a result of ICE violence in Chicago, including Latine-owned businesses.
Solidarity Runs: Read & Run Chicago is part of a coalition of other Chicago run clubs dedicated to using running as a tool for protest and advocacy called Solidarity Runs. We will continue to post, share, and communicate out on social media the runs we’re part of.
Our Space is for Everyone
Our events are meant to help Chicagoans better connect with themselves, each other, and this beautiful and complex city we call home. We work to highlight the myriad of ways it looks like to be a Chicagoan, especially celebrating our immigrant and refugee communities–now who are facing racial profiling and disproportionate threats of violence and displacement.
We will continue to create spaces where those stories—and the people behind them—are treated with the respect, empathy, and protection they deserve.
We remain committed to being a community where everyone belongs and where movement—whether through running, storytelling, or solidarity—remains a tool for connection and exploration.
Thank you for continuing to celebrate Chicago using movement and stories.