Equity and Engagement Staff Tutor Youth
On December 1, Acting Community Relations Manager Mary Catherine Roberson (Equity and Engagement Department) played math games with first graders at Stratton Elementary to help them learn math facts. Mary Catherine has spent the semester assisting students biweekly as a part of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce’s “iRead. iCount.” mentoring program in partnership with […]
City Staff Discusses Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Local Boy Scouts
On November 17, 2022, Acting Community Relations Manager Mary Catherine Roberson (Equity and Engagement) met with members of the Boys Scouts of America Troop 101. The Troop is comprised of students from Champaign and Savoy. The scouts are working to earn their “Citizenship and Society” merit badges by learning about efforts to address equity within […]
Equity and Engagement Staff Speaks to Centennial Seniors
On October 12, 2022, Acting Community Relations Manager Mary Catherine Roberson participated in a roundtable discussion with Centennial High School Intro to Education students about the role of the City’s Equity and Engagement Department. The students are researching City of Champaign resources to learn more about the community in which they will be teaching.
City Staff Attends Uniting Pride Center Open House
On August 29, 2022, Acting Community Relations Manager/Compliance Officer Mary Catherine Roberson (Equity and Engagement) and Administrative Services Manager/LGBTQ+ Liaison Kris Koester (Public Works) attended the Uniting Pride (UP) Center’s Open House at the University YMCA. The UP Center of Champaign County is the only LGBTQ+ resource center in the greater east central Illinois region, […]
Presentation Made to Mental Health Board
On October 27, 2021, ECHO Community Relations Specialist Mary Catherine Roberson, CU Trauma and Resilience Initiative Executive Director Karen Simms, and Youth and Family Peer Support Alliance Executive Director Regina Crider presented virtually to the Champaign County Mental Health Board about the work of the Champaign County Community Coalition’s Community Violence Response Team.
City Staff Presents to Local High School Students
On October 13, 2021, Community Relations Specialist Mary Catherine Roberson met virtually with Central and Centennial High School juniors and seniors and shared information about the work of the Champaign County Community Coalition. The students are members of an Intro to Teaching class who are working to understand the challenges, programs, and resources in the […]
Neighborhood Safety Meeting Held at Champaign Park Apartments
Neighborhood Safety Meeting Held at Champaign Park Apartments The Community Violence Response Task Force (CVRT), a working group of the Champaign County Community Coalition, hosted a Neighborhood Safety Meeting at Champaign Park Apts. on Monday, August 16. City staff Mary Catherine Roberson (ECHO) and John Ruffin (NSD) assisted with facilitation of the event, sharing information […]
City Staff Connects with Community to Address Gun Violence
City Staff Connects with Community to Address Gun Violence On April 21st Mary Catherine Roberson, Community Relations Specialist and Tracy Parsons, Community Relations Manager and Compliance Officer, joined the Coalition’s Community Violence Response Team (CVRT) and Urbana School District #116 for a community conversation about recent incidents of gun violence. Click here if you would […]
Study Circle Wrap Up
The Champaign Police Department (CPD) Study Circles, a follow up to the Police and Community Listening Sessions recently wrapped up. Staff from the Office of Equity, Community, and Human Rights (ECHO) collaborated with CPD to register community members and produce the virtual sessions held on November 12 & 20, and December 7. Several staff and […]
City Staffer attends New American Dreams National Immigrant Integration Conference
Mary Catherine Roberson, Community Relations Specialist in the City’s Office of Equity, Community and Human Rights, attended the virtual New American Dreams National Immigrant Integration Conference earlier this week. Attendees heard from special guest Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and discussed how communities can ensure that voices of minority, immigrant, and refugee communities are heard.