
Upcoming
and representative past events

Heroines in the Family
Angelica R. Roberts shares the stories of three trailblazing ancestors: a community builder, an Underground Railroad hero, and a bold abolitionist, showcasing their courage and resilience.

Sitting-In for the American Dream
Join Van Gilmer as he shares his firsthand experiences from the Greensboro sit-ins, a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, and the fight to end segregation at the Woolworth’s lunch counter.
The Color of Law & Reversing Segregation with Richard Rothstein
To see the video of this event click here.
Virtual Event
Author and researcher Richard Rothstein presents on the policies that led to racial segregation in American communities, and what can be done to reverse these practices and work towards racial equity.
Richard Rothstein is a Distinguished Fellow of the Economic Policy Institute and a Senior Fellow (emeritus) at the Thurgood Marshall Institute of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He is the author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.
Click here to register.

Hidden Stories of the North Shore | Community Walk
Join us as we come together, outdoors and in a socially distant manner, to walk along our New Trier School District neighborhoods. We have scheduled the walk on Juneteenth to help create meaningful action for the New Trier community on this significant date.

Hidden Stories of the North Shore | Community Action (Zoom)
Join community leaders for a series of Zoom discussions before the Juneteenth (June 19th) walk in the New Trier School District.

How to Have Conversations About Race
Lifelong equal justice advocate Van Gilmer will lead a discussion to help you build skills to navigate conversations concerning race. This event will be held live on Zoom by the Northbrook Public Library. You do not need a library card to register, but advance registration is required. Register at www.northbrook.info/events

Hidden Stories of the North Shore | Education (Zoom)
Join community leaders for a series of Zoom discussions before the Juneteenth (June 19th) walk in the New Trier School District.

Hidden Stories of the North Shore | Houses of Worship (Zoom)
Join community leaders for a series of Zoom discussions before the Juneteenth (June 19th) walk in the New Trier School District.

Hidden Stories of the North Shore | History (Zoom)
Join community leaders for a series of Zoom discussions before the Juneteenth (June 19th) walk in the New Trier School District.


BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS THE RACIAL DIVIDE
Sandy and Larry Feldman, authors of Building Bridges Across the Racial Divide (2019) will talk about their experience in creating programs that bring together children, teens and adults from different races, and what kinds of initiatives have the best likelihood of success. Following their presentation, Bruce Bondy and Van Gilmer will share their experiences of establishing authentic relationships between people from different racial groups. Q&A period at end. Co-Sponsors of the event are the Glenview Public Library and RAIN. To obtain a link for the virtual program, please register here.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING, The Myths, History, and Future
Judy Hughes (president of Northbrook Historical Society), and Gail Schechter (longtime housing justice advocate) spoke about federal policies that caused the suburbs to be white; how Northbrook responded and grew; the myths vs. realities of Affordable Housing; and Northbrook’s proposed zoning ordinance. Q&A ended the event. Presented in partnership with RAIN (Racial Awareness in the North Shore). To view a recording of the event, click HERE.

Curriculum of Hope: Stories of College Behind Bars
H. David Smith, PhD, Distinguished Senior Lecturer of Psychology at Northwestern, shared stories of transformation based upon his experience of engaging with incarcerated students. Smith teaches college-level courses at Stateville, a maximum security prison in Crest Hill, just outside of Joliet. Co-sponsors of the event were the Northbrook Public Library and RAIN. A recording of this event may be viewed on Youtube here.
Building Bridges Across the Racial Divide
Sandy and Larry Feldman, wrote Building Bridges Across the Racial Divide (2019) which offers a hopeful view of how well-constructed diversity initiatives can combat entrenched racial prejudice and segregation in American life.
On June 29, 2020, they made a virtual presentation with Bruce Bondy and Van Gilmer of the Montgomery Travelers group, to discuss racial inequities and strategies for building connections across the racial divide, and creating a more just society. Q&A followed. Co-Sponsors of the event were the Northbrook Public Library and RAIN (Racial Awareness in the Northshore). The recording of the event is available on YouTube here.