Citizenship Fast Track Program
On December 9, 2023, staff from the Equity and Engagement Department assisted the New American Welcome Center (NAWC) in the final steps of their first Citizenship Fast-Track program. This intensive 10-day program was designed for community member seeking citizenship who were confident in their English skills. Through this program they learned about American history and […]
Administrative Services Team Training
On August 30, 2023, Community Relations Manager, Janel Gomez, presented to the Administrative Services Team (AST) about how to deal with difficult telephone calls, specifically angry citizens. Specific attention was made on how to deal with microaggressions and when customers use racially insensitive language. The team held a discussion on their customer services experiences and […]
Hope Fair Housing
On May 17, 2023 Community Relations Manager for the Equity and Engagement Department, Janel Gomez, attended the HOPE Fair Housing Conference where Jim Bennett, director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights, was the keynote speaker. Conference sessions focused on educating the public about source of income protections, identifying bias in real estate appraisals, and […]
Champaign County Community Coalition
On May 10, 2023 the Champaign County Community Coalition hosted a wide variety of speakers highlighting work being done in the community. We heard from local law enforcement that were excited to share a steady downward trend of gun violence. They also shared a few community engagement events like Touch-a-Truck, Coffee with a Cop, and […]
Illinois Municipal Human Relations Association
April 19, 2023, the City’s Equity and Engagement Department hosted the quarterly meeting of the Illinois Municipal Human Relations Association (IMHRA) at their new office at 205 W Park Ave. The human relations officials from throughout central Illinois discussed outreach and education around the State of Illinois’ new source of income protection law, updating municipal […]
Sight Words Testing at Wiley Elementary School
April 4, 2023 Justice Victims Advocate, Jarrel Young (Equity and Engagement Department) visited Wiley Elementary School to assist Mrs. Quinsenberry’s 1st grade class with reading activities and sight word testing. Sight words are commonly used words that schools expect kids to recognize instantly. Words that appear often like “the, it, and” are examples of sight […]
United Way’s Women United Spring Lunch and Learn
March 28, 2023, Janel Gomez, Community Relations Manager in the Department of Equity and Engagement, attended the United Way’s, Women United Spring Lunch and Learn. The event’s topic was “Authentic Leadership” and was presented by Carle President Elizabeth Angelo. Women United offers opportunities for women to learn from each other, gather, and celebrate the influence […]
Homeless Education and Awareness
The annual One Winter Night fundraising event in downtown Champaign, sponsored by CU at Home, was held from 5:30 – 9:00 pm on Friday, February 6. This year’s event included a new an educational component regarding homelessness. The Champaign City Building served as the educational space with several vendors set up in the atrium while various […]
Champaign Police Department Conducts Roadside Education on Distracted Driving (North Prospect Avenue)
The Champaign Police Department remains committed to making Champaign’s roadways safe for all those who travel. An effective method of promoting safe, responsible driving is through driver education and awareness regarding the dangers of both vehicle speed and distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 3,328 people were killed and […]