College receives $20,000 grant supporting racial healing

In support of North Central College's efforts to facilitate racial healing and promote racial justice, Healing Illinois awarded the College a $20,000 grant.

The grant will be used to help expand five of the College's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives: 1) Dialogue Across Differences workshops, 2) faculty roundtables focusing on antiracist and inclusive teaching, 3) restorative justice training, 4) teach-ins and a keynote presentation for Black History Month and MLK Day, and 5) focus groups to build upon the campus climate survey. 

"We're thrilled to receive this support," said Dorothy Pleas, assistant dean of students and director of multicultural affairs. "We recognize that racial healing needs to happen as a result of the recent incidents in our community to create spaces for learning and dialogue."

Healing Illinois is a collaborative initiative through the State of Illinois Department of Human Services in partnership with The Chicago Community Trust. There will be $4.5 million in grants distributed to organizations across the state to begin or continue the work of racial healing.

For more information, please contact Michelle Galasso '05, director of grants at North Central College (630-637-5207; megalasso@noctrl.edu).