Olivia.

Olivia was a longtime member of Care Not Cops at the University of Chicago. She was fluent in abolitionist theory and had contacts in several politically active organizations, but struggled to recall the last election she had voted in.

With some prompting, she remembered that she voted in the 2019 municipal elections. An activist group opposing then-candidate Lori Lightfoot organized an event at a local coffee shop that year, and she got a sticker from them there. Olivia would take the organizers’ advice and vote for Lightfoot’s opponent, although her vote did not stop Lightfoot from becoming mayor. Still, Olivia did not consider elections to be very important to her organizing work.

“I just feel like voting is just like one little blip, you know, in terms of the work that needs to be done.”

— Olivia Lee, organizer, Care Not Cops