Mount Prospect holding 'Community Conversation' on race, inclusion, diversity

This story has been updated to correct a caption error.

Mount Prospect is adding its voice to the national conversation around race.

The village's Community Engagement Committee is hosting a virtual "Community Conversation" next week on issues of racial justice, equality, diversity and inclusion.

"I think the community is dying for this conversation," Mayor Arlene Juracek said. "They're begging for it."

The online conversation is set to take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. Those wishing to participate must register online at www.mountprospect.org/departments/human-services or https://tinyurl.com/yy2g6tj7.

Juracek said she and other village leaders regularly receive emails from people who say they've been discriminated against or unfairly singled out.

"People who experience it want to be heard, that in fact it is happening," she said.

Committee member Trisha Chokshi told village board members last week that the idea for the conversation developed out of an effort to get residents to attend local police beat meetings, which have had such low attendance that sometimes there are more officers than residents.

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 changed that.

"We felt this committee was very uniquely positioned to address this issue and join the national conversation that we were all having," Chokshi said.

"And so we decided that it would be a good idea to rework the initiative that we already had in motion to perhaps begin addressing some of what was being addressed at the national level."

The conversation will include opening remarks by Juracek, a community prayer and a presentation by the Mount Prospect Police Department and the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners on policies, training and community engagement.

"We want to gather together stakeholders that we feel would like to have a voice in this conversation," Chokshi said, including members of the interfaith community and those who participated in a recent peaceful protest.

A portal will be available for residents to submit questions.

The Community Engagement Committee was formed in 2019, in line with the village's strategic planning goal of honoring history, heritage and diversity.

It also grew out of feedback from two village surveys, one with residents and another with community stakeholders.

Since its inception, the committee has created a community logo, a website and a mission statement dedicated to embracing and celebrating diversity.

Committee member Vicki Chung said the key word to describe the committee is "inclusion."

"That's so critical to us, that every member of our Mount Prospect community feels included," she said.

The committee already has had a presence at community events such as the Downtown Block Party and National Night Out, and helped organize the Celebration of Cultures.

Among its other goals is a lawn sign campaign, in which residents would be encouraged to place a sign reading "Mount Prospect. Stronger Together. Listen. Learn. Love. Respect."