A “Healing our Streets: Voices of the Community” grant that Project Success of Vermilion County received from Healing Illinois goes to work for real this Thursday evening (Mar 26) at the Laura Lee Fellowship House. The grant called for a “Project Success Youth Council” to be created. And Project Success’s Jamie Nightlinger says this is meant to be a “youth led racial and community healing initiative.” The first step will be this “Eat and Share Intergenerational Community Dinner.” Adult participants will represent a variety of ages, races, and what they do for a living. One-on-one interviews by the Project Success Youth Council members will be in one room, with table discussions going on in the other.
AUDIO: And they’ll explore different experiences within the community; the impact of race and inequity and ideas, for healing the growth moving forward.
Nightlinger says the 15 to 20 local high school and U of I students involved in this are quite serious about it; and they’re required to be.
AUDIO: The students on the Youth Council just completed three 3-hour trainings. So, for the last three Thursdays, they did a training on racial equity; the second training was on leadership development, and then the third one they just did last Thursday was on community organizing.
Other upcoming events will include a wellness expo, along with community clean-ups and block parties. Thursday evening’s event in the Laura Lee Fellowship House at 212 East Williams will be 5:30 to 8:30 PM.
The members of the Project Success Youth Council include:
Aamijha Rapier
Aaron Tabels
Austina Cotton
Brooklyn Albrigh
Bryson Perez-Hinton
Chase Clark
Curtis Beasley IV
Da’Sani Lewis
Jalon Catchings
KyEshia Maze
Maia Roberson
Malia Roberson
Nialah Taylor
Senecia Johnson
Serenity Reed
Shiia Johnson
Tyzah Howard
Victor Jones
Helping lead the council are:
Phil Davis
Yolanda Davis
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