The speaker stood before the group of central Illinois nonprofit executives and posed the question: How would you define racism?
The attendees shifted uncomfortably trying to define one of the most intractable problems facing the nation. Finally, someone said, "Bias without evidence."
The attendees, who were Black, white, Hispanic and Asian, nodded their heads appreciably upon hearing the definition at the Healing Illinois gathering hosted Dec. 5 by the United Way of Central Illinois at Lincoln Land Community College.
The program called Healing Illinois is a statewide initiative that gives anti-racism grants to nonprofits.
"If you look at Springfield's demographic, you'll find it's predominantly white. It's also extremely segregated. And white supremacy has a toehold," said Bob Blackwell, a project coordinator for the Springfield Coalition on Dismantling Racism. "I'm encouraged by this infusion of information and activation around this issue of race and race equity. ... That fits very comfortably with our mission and purpose."
The state program will give out grants as large as $30,000 to fund racial healing and equity work by various nonprofits. The program is funded by the Field Foundation of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Amanda Elliott, chief of staff for DHS, said, "We are hoping to have grants throughout the entire state where organizations that are in the community can make decisions and recommendations based on what they know their community needs. So, it's really locally driven, locally based grants to help with racial healing throughout the state."
Recipients for the next round of grants will be announced within the next several weeks. The grants can fund endeavors ranging from racial education programs to murals.
The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 sparked the creation of this program, said Maritza Bandera, manager of Healing Illinois. The first round of grants were awarded in 2021 to 179 organizations statewide.
"Ultimately, it is an effort to create the conditions to create healing in Illinois, to make Illinois the most anti-racist state in the country," she said. "One of our intended outcomes is to enhance knowledge and understanding about racism. Or in the most basic way: How do we see each other as humans, as neighbors, as Illinoisans?"
Veronica Espina, president of the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network, said she has felt the sting of bigotry and misunderstanding.
"One of the things that is important for me is to create training programs in which we teach about immigrant stories – refugee and immigrants' lives – their contributions and also their challenges and obstacles. Let's remember that we have 17,000 Venezuelans that were bused to Chicago in the last year-and-a-half. Springfield, little by little, is getting Venezuelans that (originally) arrived in Chicago. We have been receiving Ukrainian families, too. So, we need to create networks of support for people."
Marne Fauser, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Illinois, said there is about $4.5 million in grants available statewide. Five organizations, including her group, are administering the grants for different parts of Illinois.
"Some people may do a (Martin Luther King Day) breakfast or have a someone come in and speak. I think there are (funding) opportunities for even a library or a school to come in and have a speaker and pick out some books about MLK or Harriet Tubman," she said as examples of the types of projects that could be funded through the grant.
Applications are being accepted through Dec. 20 and award notifications will be made in mid-January. Grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2024.
Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times, can be reached at [email protected].
