How do social justice causes get support from elected officials? How do we create a culture of collaboration between grassroots groups and City Hall?

We hosted this Roundtable for local activists to share strategies and build the movement. We envision this to be the first of quarterly Justice Project regional gatherings. Thirty people participated, with updates coming from ten suburbs: Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Skokie, Wilmette, and Winnetka.

The group also gained inspiration and ideas from progressive new legislator Trustee Heather Ross (Northbrook) and Rick Marsh of the powerhouse new grassroots group Community Alliance for Better Government in Evanston, on changing systems for the better and for good.

We learned that “listening to someone allows them to listen to you,” in the words of Heather. Whether it’s a trustee talking to another trustee, or in interactions with between resident and elected official, it is possible to create a culture of collaboration.

Read here for a full summary of our first quarterly gathering.