Standing for Justice A Year of Civic and Community Engagement
Center for Civic Engagement: Voter restoration and engagement
The Voter Restoration Initiative from the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) worked to acknowledge the histories and legacies of voter suppression within marginalized communities that discourage citizens from participating in the present-day voting process. Resources can be found here: https://civicengagement.illinoisstate.edu/vote/restoration/. The Voter Engagement Coalition helped host “Your Voice Matters!” panel with student leaders from University diversity advocacy organizations and local elected officials of color.
Deliberative Dialogues
Deliberative Dialogues are guided conversations on controversial topics, which help participants develop public problem-solving techniques by building listening skills and empathy. CCE helped train 37 facilitators and hosted 70 dialogues with 740 participants in 41 classes and in five out-of-class settings.
MLK Jr. Day of Service
The MLK Jr. Day of Service at the Midwest Food Bank combined service work with reflection on Dr. King’s work.
NAACP vigil to commemorate George Floyd
University leaders, including President Larry Dietz, were invited to speak at the rally in response to the murder of George Floyd on May 21, 2020, sponsored by the NAACP.
Vigil for Asian Americans
Items on display at a vigil in Uptown Normal, including the Chinese character for love from AsiaConnect, written by AsiaConnect Vice President Miranda Lin. Leaders from “Not in Our Schools” and Illinois State’s AsiaConnect hosted a vigil and memorial at Uptown Circle, Normal, to honor and celebrate the lives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Women of Distinction
Dr. Doris Houston and Dr. Christa Platt were awarded YWCA McLean County’s Women of Distinction awards for 2020. Numerous nominees represented the inclusive excellence and leadership of Illinois State, including Olivia Butts, Rachel Hatch, Angell Howard, Jennifer Sedbrook, Dr. Tina Williams, and Michelle Whited.
Student Activism
Students organized social justice and anti-racism demonstrations and vigils throughout the year. Under the name #AntiBlackISU, student leaders sat down two to three times per semester with the president of Illinois State and cabinet leaders to discuss demands for change. Student-athletes formed the committee Redbirds for Change.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Annual Report for Illinois State University