Former members and staff of the Massey Commission used the anniversary of Sonya Massey’s death to announce formation of a new organization.
The Massey Community Action Network (MCAN) said it will work to ensure implementation of the commission’s calls to action “through education, organizing, advocacy, collaboration, and sustained civic engagement.”
The commission, which issued a final report in December, was developed after Sonya Massey, 36, was shot and killed in her Springfield-area home in 2024. She had called 9-1-1 and it was later determined she was suffering a mental health episode.
The unarmed Black woman was removing a pot of boiling water from her stove when a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson opened fire. Grayson is serving a 20-year prison sentence for second degree murder.
“The Massey Commission was established with the understanding that addressing decades of systemic racism could not be accomplished within a single year,” said a news release from MCAN. “From its inception, there was a shared vision that an independent entity would be needed to carry the Commission's work forward and ensure its recommendations did not remain words on paper.”
“Rather than allowing organizations and institutions to continue working in isolation, MCAN seeks to eliminate the silos that have too often prevented lasting systemic change. The organization will convene all accountable parties, educate the public, advocate for policy change, organize communities, pursue funding opportunities, and monitor progress toward implementation, bringing residents, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community partners together to turn recommendations into measurable results."
During its first year, MCAN will focus on securing sustainable funding and beginning implementation of three to five priority Calls to Action identified by the Commission.
It said initial efforts will include expanding community education, organizing residents, advancing policy reforms, strengthening collaborative partnerships, and establishing systems to publicly track implementation and measure progress.
Among some of the long-term priorities MCAN will champion are the creation of a 24/7 mobile crisis response system with wellness follow-up services ( named “GEMS”), a countywide co-responder program, strengthened psychological standards for first responders, and public-facing accountability dashboards that allow residents to monitor progress toward implementation of the Commission's recommendations.
Community members, organizations, and professionals interested in supporting or partnering with the Massey Community Action Network are encouraged to express their interest by completing the contact form at: https://sangamonil.gov/departments/a-c/county-board/massey-commission/contact-us.
“The formation of the Massey Community Action Network is about making sure Sonya's life continues to inspire meaningful, systemic change," said Sontae Massey, cousin of Sonya Massey.
"The Commission gave our community a roadmap, and the Massey Community Action Network exists to make sure that roadmap becomes reality. We believe Sonya is smiling down on us as we commit ourselves to building a community where accountability, compassion, and justice are more than ideals, they are reality. The Commission gave us the vision. Now it's our responsibility to deliver the change."
