The Journey Continues
This is a love story. A tribute to the people that so many deem as invisible, dismiss, and/or hate because of the color of their skin. "I had never even considered them, their lives, their lived experiences, the depth of the harm, the trauma, that they experience every day. Not easy to admit and necessary," Rachelle shares.
Partners in Racial Justice (PRJ) is engaged in creative ways and means of bringing all people together in the pursuit of racial justice, healing, and unity.
RAIN (Racial Awareness in the North Shore) started after a multi-week discussion of the Tim Wise video, White Like Me, in the Fall of 2015. After the series ended, several participants wanted to continue the discussion and formed RAIN. We generally meet the first Tuesday of the month at the Northbrook Library to plan future events. Currently we meet via Zoom.
One Community was formed in response to intolerant and xenophobic rhetoric heard around the country, including in our own neighborhoods. We observed escalating bias against segments of our community, including people of color, immigrants and refugees, individuals who practiced other faiths, and more. Welcoming signs were being destroyed, threatening notes were left at schools, unkind and unsettling words were being directed at minority populations.
CHANGE BEGINS WITH ORDINARY PEOPLE
The mission of Unity Partnership is to have a positive impact on the relationship between police and civilians by creating opportunities for interactions that foster mutual understanding, erase negative stereotypes, and develop new pathways for dialogue in the community.