Safe States 2024 Annual Injury and Violence Prevention Conference
On August 20-22, 2024, Jorge Elvir, Community Relations Manager in the Equity & Engagement Department and Dr. Anthony Sullers, Research Associate for the Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, had the privilege of attending and presenting at the Safe States 2024 Annual Injury and Violence Prevention […]
Community Canvasing
On July 28, 2024 a tragic gun violence incident that took the lives of two 18-year-olds in the community. The Equity and Engagement Department staff, aided by the Neighborhood Ambassadors, and Summer YES intern, Iris Kim, canvassed the area surrounding the Mattis North Apartment complex throughout the week of July 29. Flyers were passed around […]
EDDIT Site Visit and Symposium
On June 5 and 6, 2024, staff from Equity and Engagement, Public Works, and Neighborhood Services Departments participated in the Equitable Development Data Insight Training (EDDIT) site visit. EDDIT, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, offers specialized data analysis and storytelling training for nonprofit, community, and government organizations dedicated to promoting urban equity in […]
East Central Illinois Women Attorney’s Association (ECIWAA) Presentation
On May 21, 2024, Rachel Joy, from the Equity and Engagement Department presented during a meeting of the East Central Illinois Women Attorney’s Association (ECIWAA) at Silver Creek Restaurant. The focus of the presentation was the Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint. A focus on partnerships with community organizations, law enforcement and victim advocacy served as […]
DREAAM | Effective Black Parents Family Dinner
On April 17, 2024, staff from the Equity and Engagement Department were invited to participate in the Effective Black Parents family dinner hosted by Driven to Reach Excellence & Academic Achievement for Males (DREAAM). Justice Victim Advocate, Eric Toga and Impact Outreach Worker, Kellen Brown were invited to DREAAM by Tracy Dace to give a […]
Community Canvasing
On January 8, 2024, staff from the Equity and Engagement Department, aided by the Neighborhood Ambassadors, canvassed the area surrounding Colonial Plaza following a gun violence incident the previous afternoon. Flyers were passed around to neighbors to inform them of the existence of the Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint and how the City can assist […]
Cline Symposium
On October 27, 2023, Tracy Parsons of the Equity and Engagement Department presented at the Cline Symposium hosted by the University of Illinois. The Cline Symposium is an annual event that address the campus community on topics of great public importance. This year’s topic was focused on Reducing Gun Violence in American Communities. Tracy had […]
Academy High’s – Women Empowerment Club
The Equity and Engagement Department had the pleasure of working with students from Academy High’s Women Empowerment Club during the month of May. These students had a presentation from City staff regarding the impact of the Blueprint and decided they wanted to be a part of the solution. They chose to gather menstrual products throughout […]
Environmental Justice and Racism Roundtable
April 21,2023, Jorge Elvir, Community Relations Manager for the Equity and Engagement Department, presented on “The City of Champaign’s Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint” at the Environmental Justice and Racism virtual event. This event was hosted by Carle in collaboration with the University of Illinois and Carle Illinois College of Medicine. The main goals of […]
City Council to Consider Use of Grant Funds for Violence Prevention and Reduction
On February 21, 2023, the Champaign City Council will consider an agreement to accept a $334,440 grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) through the federal Violence Prevention and Reduction Program. The grant funding was appropriated for the City of Champaign by State Representative Carol Ammons. If the agreement is approved, the grant […]