City Hosts State-Designated Cultural District Quarterly Meeting
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the City of Champaign hosted the quarterly meeting for the State-Designated Cultural District, bringing together staff from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Tracy Parsons, Community Relations Manager, and Mikal Washington, Community Relations Specialist, from the Equity and Engagement Department participated in the meeting, providing updates on […]
City Staff Support Business Elevator’s RISE 217: Entrepreneurial Edge
On Saturday, March 1, 2025 Mikal Washington, Community Relations Specialist from the Equity and Engagement Department, participated in Business Elevator’s RISE 217: Entrepreneurial Edge event at the Champaign Public Library. The event featured John Poll from Credit Care Company, who spoke about the significance of loan consolidation, business credit building, and securing funding. Business owners […]
City Staff Support the Lunch Crew
On February 26, 2024, Community Relations Specialist Mikal Washington had the opportunity to attend Lunch Crew at Centennial High School. City staff interacted with students, discussing the importance of making informed, responsible decisions. The session provided a platform for meaningful dialogue, allowing staff to connect with students and share valuable insights. This interaction displayed the […]
LIFT Black History Month
On Monday, February 19, 2025, City Manager Joan Walls, accompanied by Community Relations Manager, Tracy Parsons and Community Relations Specialist, Mikal Washington from the Equity and Engagement Department, attended the LIFT Black History Month event at Neil St. Blues Champaign County Clerk, Aaron Ammons, delivered an informative presentation on the complex process of expungement. This […]
Small Business Incubator
On Tuesday, January 21, 2025 Mikal Washington, Community Relations Specialist with the Equity and Engagement Department, facilitated a follow-up meeting with The Springfield Project, H3, First Followers, and Business Elevator. This meeting built upon an initial meeting , in which the organizations toured an incubator space in Springfield, guided by The Springfield Project. The follow-up […]
Small Business and Infrastructure Grant Program
On Friday, January 17, 2025, Mikal Washington from the Equity and Engagement Department attended the Small Business and Infrastructure Grant Program Informational Meeting. The session, led by Matt Simpson, African American Business Development Grants Manager at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in partnership with H3, provided valuable insights into a new […]
2025 MLK Jr. Countywide Celebration
On Sunday, January 19, 2025, the community came together to commemorate the annual Countywide Celebration honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The two-hour event celebrated several remarkable individuals, including students who received scholarships, Pastor E. Shelby for his 40 years of service in organizing and planning the event, and Chancellor Robert J. Jones, recognized […]
Visiting The Springfield Project’s CAP 1908 site
On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Tracy Parsons, Community Relations Manager, and Mikal Washington, Community Relations Specialist with the Equity and Engagement Department, participated in an incubator tour of The Springfield Project’s CAP 1908 site. This project aims to collaborate with public agencies and private partners to facilitate community development and revitalization, foster diversity development initiatives, […]
2024 Showcase of the Equitable Development Data Insight Training
On December 12, 2024, Rob Kowalski, Director of the Neighborhood Services Department; Rachel Joy, Director of the Equity and Engagement Department; and Mikal Washington, Community Relations Specialist, participated in the 2024 Showcase of the Equitable Development Data Insight Training (EDDIT). During the event, City staff had the opportunity to present alongside other 2024 cohorts, including […]
State Designated Cultural District Quarterly Meeting
On December 10, 2024, Mikal Washington from the Equity and Engagement Department attended the State Designated Cultural District quarterly meeting. During the meeting, staff had the opportunity to connect with representatives from other districts to explore potential collaboration opportunities, discuss next steps in planning, and review the reporting process.