Lee Copeland opened a recent 5th Ward community mixer event by quoting an African proverb he said encourages unity and support among the city’s residents.
“Sticks in a bundle are harder to break,” said Copeland, a member of the 5th Ward planning committee that hosted the forum Aug. 20 at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center.
He said the mixer and activities like it help bring about a stronger Evanston community. It was held in conjunction with the “CommUnity Picnic.”
The event provided residents with an afternoon of informational and interactive sessions on a broad variety of topics, from securing a living wage and finding mental health services, to buying a first home.
A number of local business and organization leaders addressed the crowd.
Ward Ald. Robin Simmons spoke on leadership skills and entrepreneurship, while Sanina Ellison and Courtney Jones, the co-owners of Chicago Homes Realty Group, offered information on affordable housing. Daisy Copeland of Project Hope commented on financial literacy.
“The event illustrates our attempt to respond to community members’ needs,” said planning committee member Joi-Anissa Russell, who is also director of partnerships for Moran Center.
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She called it invaluable “to have workshops that highlight the importance of financial literacy, first-time home ownership, soft skills training, leadership/entrepreneurial skills development and trauma-informed mental health care, and that include action items for individuals in each of these areas.”
The committee conducted a needs assessment survey in March, organizers said. The results of the survey indicated residents were looking for a more educational program rather than a pure festival format.
As a result, Russell said the forum held Aug. 20 was designed to “allow deeper connections with other community members and with expert presenters, while providing useful information to inspire action and opportunity.”
Ward resident Antoine Cravens said he attended because it keeps him more proactive and involved.
“It’s important for me to know more about who’s who, who is leading our community, and who is making the decisions here in Evanston,” Cravens said.
But attendance was not at the level that organizers hoped. They said the disappointing turnout leaves them with some questions about what ward residents consider to be support.
Nevertheless, organizers and attendees remain optimistic, many of the said.
Melissa Blount, a clinical psychologist who spoke of Martin Luther King Jr.’s idea of a “beloved community.”
She said that the mixer supports that sense of community engagement.
Gina Grillo is a freelancer.