People gathered at noon on Monday, June 13 for the Community Launch Event for Evanston’s Interfaith Reparations Effort with speakers including clergy, elected officials and reparations stakeholders rallying behind the effort.
Planning for the event began last winter of this calendar year, said Rev. Kathryn Banakis of Albany Park, head pastor and rector at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, also one of several event co-organizers.
The purpose of the event, promoted by Evanston’s interfaith community, was to show support for Evanston’s reparations initiative for truth and healing.
16 houses of worship across Evanston are part of the community launch effort this year.
“The city and the private sector have created vehicles and vessels for contributing to reparations,” Banakis said. “It is the joy of the interfaith community of Evanston to contribute meaningfully to these as motivated by our faith traditions.”
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (9th District) offered a recorded message played back to the audience.
“Evanston is really leading the way, literally, when it comes to the issue of reparations,” Schakowsky said. “And it has been just so important to be a leader in this country.”
Also appearing by recorded message was Shorefront Legacy Center of Evanston Director Dino Robinson.
“This work is definitely not easy,” Robinson said. “It is, at times, uncomfortable. But it is necessary.”
Robin Rue Simmons, former Evanston 5th ward Alderman, who is credited with leading the City of Evanston’s reparations legal framework, also appeared remotely via recorded message.
Rue Simmons spoke of wanting to let attendees know how their leadership and the milestones that they have been reaching for in Evanston have inspired the nation.
“Since we passed reparations in 2019, there have been over 100 initiations of local reparations as we’re seeing it from a legislative perspective,” Rue Simmons said to applause.
Faith leaders went on to read a commitment statement and signed the large poster. First United Methodist Church of Evanston Senior Pastor and Rev. Grace Imathiu participated in reading the statement aloud to attendees. As the signing took place, a choral group performed.
Event emcee Eileen Wiviott of Skokie, senior minister of the Unitarian Church of Evanston, wished more people would have attended but stated that for a Monday afternoon, the crowd size was good.
“I’m really happy that everybody’s here,” said Wiviott.
Sarah Petersen of Evanston attended the event holding bright handmade signage that read, “First Congregational Church of Evanston supports reparations,” and “Economic justice now.”
“Reparations are long overdue,” Petersen said. “And I think there’s a real role for the interfaith community to play in repairing historic and current injustices by telling the truth and doing our part to put our money where our mouth and our values are,” Petersen said
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss appeared in person to speak.
“We welcome all the help that we can get,” Biss said. “Because the magnitude of the task is such that help is going to be needed. Now we’ve got to pay it back. Now we have a moral responsibility to pay it back.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
