Author Archives: Brian Dolinar

About Brian Dolinar

Brian Dolinar has been a community journalist since 2004.

IMC Announcements

Posted on 04/01/2017 by Brian Dolinar

Final Open Scene Workshop with Hill L. Waters April 14 (6-8pm) and April 16 (2-4pm) Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway There is a last Open Scene workshop with Hill L. Waters (April 14-16), a Black feminist love praxis project … Continue reading →

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Orange Crush: The Rise of Tactical Teams in Prison

Posted on 02/23/2017 by Brian Dolinar

Since Ferguson, there has been a public outcry over militarized police who shoot down African Americans on the streets of our cities, but less is known beyond prison walls about guards who regularly brutalize those incarcerated. In Illinois, there is … Continue reading →

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Congrats to Urbana for Being a Sanctuary City!

Posted on 01/19/2017 by Brian Dolinar

Congrats to Urbana for re-affirming our status as a Sanctuary City! An original resolution was passed in 1986 designating the city a refuge for Central American refugees. One of those who took part in the earlier campaign, Francis Boyle, University … Continue reading →

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Regulation of Prison Phone Calls Sweeps the Nation

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Brian Dolinar

The Justice Department’s recent recommendation to end the use of private facilities for US citizens in federal prisons has been hailed as a victory by reformers, but the widespread privatization of everyday services in prison, like hygiene products, food, laundry … Continue reading →

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Black Lives Matter Courthouse Rally

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Brian Dolinar

On Friday, Sept. 23, Black Lives Matter: Champaign-Urbana held a “No More Stolen Lives” rally at the Champaign County Courthouse. Photo credit: Paul Mueth

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Champaign County Facing Million Dollar Lawsuit for Jail Death

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Brian Dolinar

On August 8, 2016, attorney Shayla Maatuka sent a letter to Champaign County Board Chair Pattsi Petrie requesting a million dollar settlement for the wrongful death of Toya Frazier, who died in the Champaign County jail. The letter is a … Continue reading →

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Makerspace Float in Pride Parade

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Brian Dolinar

UCIMC’s Makerspace participated in this year’s Pride Parade with a mobile dance party! Photo credit: Jay Schubert

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IMC Helps Pass Prison Phone Justice Bill in Illinois

Posted on 08/24/2016 by Brian Dolinar

State Representative Carol Ammons and Wandjell Harvey-Robinson attended the signing of HB6200 on August 22, 2016. The bill will cut in half the cost of phone calls from Illinois prisons. Thank you to Rep. Ammons and Wandjell for fighting for … Continue reading →

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Prison Boycott in Illinois Targets Costs of Incarceration

Posted on 07/13/2016 by Brian Dolinar

During the month of April, at least 100 of those incarcerated at Stateville Correctional Center, about an hour outside of Chicago, participated in a boycott of the overpriced phone calls, commissary goods, and vending machines. “Mass incarceration is a luxury … Continue reading →

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Jail is Not Drug Treatment

Posted on 05/27/2016 by Brian Dolinar

If you were to believe those like Champaign County Board Chair Pattsi Petrie, who spoke recently at a meeting of Champaign County’s Racial Justice Task Force, those in the local jail are dangerous people that shouldn’t be let out on … Continue reading →

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#BlackLivesMatter Founder Opal Tometi Visits C-U

Posted on 03/11/2016 by Brian Dolinar
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20-Plus ICE Raids Reported in Champaign County

Posted on 03/11/2016 by Brian Dolinar

A longer version of this article originally appeared in Truthout. Reprinted with permission. Four men in unmarked cars showed up at the Shadowwood trailer park, where many Latinos reside in Urbana-Champaign. It was 8 a.m. one cool morning this past … Continue reading →

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Children With Incarcerated Parents Played Key Role in Phone Justice Victory!

Posted on 11/19/2015 by Brian Dolinar

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted recently to cap the rates of phone calls from prisons and jails after years of profiteering by telecommunications companies that have made millions off of those incarcerated and their families. In her comments before … Continue reading →

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What Happened New Year’s Night? Black Youth Shot Twice In Back By University Police

Posted on 07/08/2015 by Brian Dolinar

On New Year’s night, a Black Lives Matter protest broke out in Savoy after two University of Illinois police officers fired bullets into a carload of African American youth, wounding two people, with one of them shot twice in the … Continue reading →

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Securus Technologies: How a Carceral Conglomerate Makes Millions from Mass Incarceration

Posted on 03/29/2015 by Brian Dolinar

Miguel Saucedo grew up in the Latino neighborhood of Little Village in Chicago. Now almost 30, Miguel recalls as an eight year old taking a five-hour drive to visit his older brother who was incarcerated downstate at Menard Correctional Center. … Continue reading →

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UIUC Report on Hiring of James Kilgore

Posted on 11/10/2014 by Brian Dolinar

On Monday, November 10, the Friends of James Kilgore held a press conference outside the Henry Adminstration building on the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. They encouraged the Board of Trustees, meeting this Thursday, to reinstate Dr. Kilgore. After a right-wing … Continue reading →

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New MRAP Soon To Be Rolling Down The Streets Of C-U

Posted on 10/01/2014 by Brian Dolinar

Earlier this summer, the News-Gazette ran a story that Sheriff Dan Walsh had acquired a Mine-Resistant Armor-Protected (MRAP) vehicle. Titled “Something Big Just Arrived,” the article touted the benefits of the new truck. Yet in the wake of Ferguson, a … Continue reading →

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CUCPJ Stands in Solidarity with James Kilgore

Posted on 06/22/2014 by Brian Dolinar

As a grassroots movement  working to address racial, gender, and economic injustices produced by our local criminal justice system, we have made one of our main efforts in recent years the prevention of new jail construction and the mass-incarceration mindset … Continue reading →

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“A Day at Stateville” Captures Life As It Is On the Inside

Posted on 06/06/2014 by Brian Dolinar

On Friday, May 9, “A Day at Stateville,” a play written by men currently incarcerated in Stateville prison, and performed by those formerly incarcerated there, was staged at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Urbana. I spoke with one of the … Continue reading →

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Pete Seeger’s 1958 Visit to UIUC Amidst the Red Scare

Posted on 06/06/2014 by Brian Dolinar

A series of events took place in May celebrating the life of folk singer, banjo player, and political activist Pete Seeger, who passed away earlier this year. After a flyer for the events was circulated, my friend Barbara Kessel emailed … Continue reading →

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