What steps will you and your community take toward reconciliation and reparations?

Saturday, January 23, 2021

"How do you get your own community and individuals to come on board and join the effort to really expand horizons about reconciliation and reparations?"

This past Tuesday, the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was the 5th annual National Day of Racial Healing. We convened a panel to discuss Racial Healing and Reparations, and the question above was one of those posed by the moderator, Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors. How would you answer that question?

In the past three weeks, we all experienced the horror of the white supremacist assault on our Capitol. In the days since January 6, and much closer to home, we’ve seen deplorable reminders that hatred, entitlement, racism, and homophobism are alive and active in our own communities. Local examples include:

• Racist Zoom-Bomber Threatens Candidate for Evanston City Council

• Homophopic slur left in D65 vice president’s ransacked car

This is happening in towns across the country. Because of the extremism of those who participated in the assault on the Capitol, it can be easy talk about “Those people…” and miss the opportunity to reflect on the role we all play in upholding systems that promote profound injustice.

No single leader or organization can foster the healing that must take place in order for us to advance justice in this country. It takes a movement of principled individuals who are willing to fight for justice in every sphere they inhabit. This week in which we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. provides an opportune starting point for many to become ACTIVE in the process of truth-seeking and reconciliation.

Here's how our panelists answered the question

"Care enough about your community and yourself to make a commitment, and sometimes a sacrifice, to impacting change and doing that work fearlessly. Because it is the courage of people in communities that keep the work alive and keep the progress toward having this country live up to the promise that it’s supposed to have. It’s the people in Georgia that are doing that on the ground that made that vote happen. Stacey Abrams and the people that nobody ever speaks their name. There are people walking these streets that are doing real hard work to advance us and the best we can do is to make our own personal contribution to that." (Monica Haslip, Little Black Pearl)

"I’m an Evanstonian, and we are a city of very smart leaders here. It was a matter of putting together all the information, the tireless efforts of organizations like the YWCA, and the archives of Shorefront Legacy Museum, and our data that showed year after year after year we have these same racial disparities. And with my entrepreneur hat on, looking at it, (I asked) "what is a smart goal to help us not continue with the insanity to think that we’re going to get a different outcome with the same plan?" Reparations was the only response. So it wasn’t that it was unique to me, it was the next option for us that allowed for a legislative process for us to have targeted funds and redress and repair for a community that we knew had been injured." (Robin Rue Simmons, Evanston Alderman)

Watch the entire panel discussion: Racial Healing and Reparations: Two Steps Toward Transformation

Live in Evanston? Join a Racial Healing Circle

Racial Healing Circles start January 31

Racial healing recognizes the need to acknowledge and tell the truth about past wrongs created by individual and systemic racism and address the present consequences. It is an experience and a tool that can facilitate trust and build authentic relationships that bridge divides created by real and perceived differences.

Those who live, work or worship in Evanston are invited to register for a series of THREE Racial Healing Circles. The first two will happen in racial affinity groups and the third session will be mixed across racial groups. We are asking folks to register only if they can participate in all three sessions.

Additional opportunities to learn with YWCA

All of the following online classes are open to the public, but please register to attend. Are you new to our platform Community Pass? Follow our easy guide to set-up an account.

Microaggressions: Intent vs. Impact Workshop

JAN 25 @ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT

What are microaggressions? Can they hurt if they weren’t intended in a hurtful way? How do they impact our work environment? What are helpful responses when I see, commit, or have someone use one on me? Register here.

Understanding Power & Privilege Workshop

FEB 8 @ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT

This workshop explores: What privilege is, who has it and how it works for them. Register here.

Basic Money Management for Women

FEB 8 & 22 @ 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM CT

Basic Money Management for Women is a free class which will help strengthen your money management skills by developing tools to help with budgeting, credit and debt issues. Participants must commit to complete the entire course consisting of two modules over two evenings. Register here.

Let's Talk @ Lunch

FEB 17 @ 12:00 - 1:00 PM CT

We’ve taken Let’s Talk @ Lunch, an informal discussion of current events through a racial equity lens, to Zoom!

Please grab some lunch, pull up a chair in your home, and join your virtual neighbors for a facilitated discussion. All are welcome! Free.

Developing Cultural Humility Workshop

FEB 22 @ 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT

We’ll explore how an organization can become inclusive and understanding of a variety of cultures, races, abilities, and differences. Register here.

YW Culinary Orientation (virtual)

FEB 23 & 24 @ 1:30 - 3:30 PM CT

FEB 25 @ 10:00 - 12:00 PM CT

Are you interested in a career in food? Apply today for YW Culinary, a free, job training program for women. In 12 weeks, you will learn essential culinary and job readiness skills to prepare you for success in Chicagoland’s vibrant food service industry. Watch the video below and learn more here.

YW Culinary is now accepting applications for its Spring 2021 session (March 15 – June 4, 2021), which will be entirely virtual. Sign-up for an orientation session.

YWeb has begun! Here's a brief update

On January 4, we started our first live YWeb class in partnership with Oakton Community College. We have 25 students (24 women and one man) of whom the majority are Black and Brown. We provided ten of the students with a brand-new laptop (donated by Dell), and we're providing financial assistance to four students so that they can afford childcare to attend the evening sessions.

We spent the majority of the first class building community by having each student share their hobbies, pet peeves, and goals for the course. It was fun to see the students laughing and connecting with one another. Professor Peart completed an introductory lesson on navigating Oakton’s on-line learning platform. After months of planning, it’s great to get started!

Partner Spotlight: Prairie Grass Cafe

Prairie Grass Cafe donates meals to survivors at Bridges

Sarah Stegner, co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, has been helping to provide chef cooked meals to families at Bridges through a "moms feeding moms" non-profit, The Abundance Setting. Bridges is YWCA's longer-term housing for survivors of domestic violence.

Said one resident: "If you speak with those who provided this dinner, please tell them we, I speak for all, thank you very much. It is so good!"

We got to know Sarah through a March 2020 International Women's Day panel on women in the culinary field, and she's been supportive ever since.

Thank you, Sarah, Prairie Grass Cafe, and The Abundance Setting for your support of our mission!

New Year – new opportunities to give!

Wondering how you can make a difference in 2021? Here are some ideas:

Support our new YWeb coding program - Your donation will give low-income women, particularly women of color, a chance to gain marketable tech skills, so they can get family-sustaining jobs. Your donation can help pay for childcare, equipment, staff time, and other program expenses. Give to our Women’s Empowerment program.
Give to our Women’s Emergency Fund – When you’re trying to get back on your feet, even minor problems can become emergencies. A flat tire can turn into a major car expense. Unexpected medical bills can turn into missed rent payments. Sometimes it just takes a little support to get back on track. Our Women’s Emergency Fund provides one-time emergency support when it’s needed most. Give to support Domestic Violence Services.
Become a YWCA corporate partner – How can your company support equity and empowerment? You could start by partnering with YWCA. Sponsor an Equity Institute panel discussion like the Racial Healing and Reparations panel highlighted above, or underwrite an equity workshop series. Your organization can make a difference in 2021. Give to the YWCA Equity Institute.

I'd like to help

Our Domestic Violence Services are available free of charge to anyone who needs them.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 847-864-8780 or (toll free) 877-718-1868 anytime, day or night.

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YWCA Evanston/North Shore | Phone 847-864-8445 | ywca@ywca-ens.org | www.ywca-ens.org

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