Wednesday, April 12, 2023, the Champaign County Community Coalition welcomed many wonderful speakers to engage with the community. Members heard from Alliance for Inclusion and Respect about their annual Ebert Fest which celebrates films, genres and formats that have been overlooked by distributors, audiences and/or critics. Interim Urbana Police Chief, Surels, gave a powerful talk about the Fentanyl crisis in Champaign County through the campaign, “One Pill Can Kill.” Police and Public Health professionals are working in tandem to address this ongoing presence in the community.
The Coalition was so honored to welcome United States Attorney of Illinois Central District, Gregory Harris to speak to us about his role in the position. Attorney Harris was nominated by President Biden on October 27, 2021, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on December 7, 2021. Attorney Harris shared information about how the Department of Justice (DOJ) has evolved over the last 30 years he has been involved. He focused on how proactive the department has become in trying to stop violence by addressing underlying causes, specifically with youth. He commended the work of the Champaign County Community Coalition because it is at the forefront of community outreach to address these causes.