DIVE IN CHICAGO INTRODUCES SYSTEMIC SEGREGATION & VIOLEnce

Sep 24

On the 24th of September 2020, my co-City Lead Aisha Ghori-Ozaki and I (on behalf of the incredible Chicago Planning Committee and our generous Sponsors) were honored to add Chicago's voice to Dive In 2020 and Chicago's lens of Systemic Segregation & Violence to the broader exploration throughout cities across Dive In Americas of Our Journey in Understanding Systemic Racism, Oppression & Social Injustice.

This Dive In 2020 Chicago event featured a screening of Chicago at the Crossroad which explores the root causes of the intentional segregation in our city and the devastating impact it has had on our most underserved communities. Following its screening, the film’s producer Brian Schodorf was joined by two community social impact leaders (Jahmal Cole, the CEO of My Block My Hood My City and Vaughn Bryant the Executive Director of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives) in a panel conversation that inspires us all that the time is NOW for us to take ACTION to create meaningful change towards more racially just, equitable and inclusive communities.

While the Dive In Chicago event was pre-recorded, we shared the following as a written statement at the onset of this virtual session.

We wanted to take a moment to address just how acute the imperative is for this exploration, along with the significant work & mutual accountability we collectively shoulder. We acknowledge the pain and trauma our Black colleagues, friends, family and community members throughout the country face (yet again) with yesterday's injustice (yet again). We stand in solidarity, in allyship and in the fight for the world we want. #sayhername #breonnataylor

Our time for ACTION is NOW.

-Aisha Ghori-Ozaki & Megan Stewart Hodge | Dive In Chicago's Co-City Leads

Below you will find the Dive In Chicago Introduction (video) to Systemic Segregation & Violence as well as Dive In Chicago’s Curated Resource Guide which includes information about My Block My Hood My City, Metropolitan Peace Initiatives and other recommended organizations, initiatives and opportunities to engage, collaborate and take action.

THE TIME IS NOW FOR US TO TAKE ACTION!

TO DOWNLOAD Dive In Chicago’s Curated Resource Guide (with links to the film, panel discussion and all organizations / resources), click here.

TO VIEW the Dive In Chicago Co-City Lead introduction to the September 24th event, see the below video.