Groups working to unify Elgin

Leading civic organizations from across the region took the first step Saturday in bringing unity back to the community of Elgin.

The Elgin Human Relations Commission and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition's Northwest Suburban Chapter joined Saturday for the inaugural Unity in the Community Forum at Gail Borden Library.

About 60 residents and organization leaders participated in numerous activities meant to open dialogue among the city's many social and cultural groups.

The forum's goal was to celebrate Elgin's diversity and to identify connections between organizations.

"This is a networking event to bring together all of the different groups in Elgin that have a common mission of supporting the citizens in the community," said Wellesley Scott, chairman of the human relations commission.

The event included about 20 groups, including the Asian American Community of Elgin, the Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders, Speak Out Against Prejudice and the Elgin NAACP.

"Elgin is a diverse community, and we need to take that diversity and use it to our advantage," said Rev. Walter Blalark, president of the local Rainbow PUSH chapter.

Though Elgin has many social organizations, they share similar goals, mission statements and concerns.

"The community is disconnected, not divided," Blalark said. "We need to come together and coalesce with one voice."

Inside the meeting room, Phillip Reed from SNAP Consulting in Schaumburg led participants through exercises that encouraged people to venture out of their comfort zone and meet people unlike themselves.

Terry Clark, 43, of Elgin, said the event demonstrated how people from different races, cultures and religious beliefs can coexist.

"There is a lot of tension going on in Elgin," Clark said. We need to learn to get along instead of blaming one group of people for all the problems. We need to come together and take it back to the community to show that we can get along."