BELONGING BEGINS WITH US - ROCKFORD
BELONGING BEGINS WITH US – ROCKFORD
About the Belonging Initiative
Mission and Purpose of the Belonging Initiative: Working together to build a culture of belonging to ensure that all people are seen, heard, and valued, visitors feel welcome, and residents and employees know they will be accepted, included, and provided opportunity and voice.
What is a Culture of Belonging in Rockford? A city that embraces the differences of all residents, employees, and visitors and works to build a community where everyone knows they are welcome and has a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and opportunity.
What is Belonging? Being seen, understood, and accepted as yourself, recognizing our shared humanity, even when surrounded by people who are “different” than you.
Current Work: The Belonging Task Force
The Belonging Begins with Us: Rockford Initiative is a movement convened by NICNE and led by a Task Force of more than 30 individuals and organizations working to build a culture of Belonging in Rockford where everyone is seen, heard, and valued. The work being done is based on the philosophy of Othering and Belonging developed by john a. powell, Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at University of California, Berkeley. The Task Force meets monthly to engage in work around:
- Co-Creating Systems and Structures – So that all people prosper and thrive.
- Strengthening Community Life – Building a sense of community for all neighbors, uplifting and empowering residents, and building trust and relationships between community members and our city.
- Opening Doors – Providing opportunities for engagement in the belonging movement, opportunities for leadership for diverse individuals throughout the community, and speaking up for reform.
- Building Deeper Relationships – Working to build relationships that are meaningful and trust-filled across our community and within the Belonging Initiative workgroups.
Belonging Task Force Meetings
In August of 2023, the Belonging Task Force members acknowledged that they were each deeply engaged in ongoing work related to Belonging. Members decided to transform the work of the Task Force into a structure where individual members lead monthly sessions and facilitate conversations around specific topics. Subject-matter experts and those engaged in the work are called in to share their expertise and discuss how Belonging is woven in to contribute towards building a culture of Belonging.
Each presentation follows a similar outline and are facilitated or organized by Task Force volunteers. Group members and attendees learn about a variety of topics each month, enabling them to be ambassadors and connectors in the community to advance the work being done through a Belonging lens. Meetings also provide an avenue to be engaged in future work around specific topics. Please email Billie Callahan at bcallahan@niu.edu for upcoming meeting details.
August 31: Food Insecurity
A panel of presenters, including Alberta Walker of Voices of Inspiration, Carol Erickson of U of I Extension, Leslie Varisco of Rock River Valley Pantry, and Yvette Sellers of Northern Illinois Food Bank was moderated by Kim Adams Bakke, retired Executive Director of Rock River Valley Pantry.
More than 30 people were in attendance. Presenters shared local data and research on food insecurity and the extent of the impact of food insecurity in the Rockford area. Information was also shared about how organizations engage lived experience and ensure the dignity of their consumers, best practices of how to permanently address hunger, systemic and structural barriers that prevent food security, and how we might work together towards long-term solutions to food insecurity. Alberta Walker and Kim Adams Bakke will facilitate ongoing meetings with a variety of stakeholders on food insecurity and their initial meeting will be held on October 25.
Watch the meeting recording here. View the presentation slides here.
September 21: Housing Insecurity
Keri Asevedo and Caitlyn Baylor of Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity and Ron Clewer from Gorman and Co. presented on housing insecurity in the Rockford region. More than 20 people were in attendance. Presenters shared local data on housing quality and access, how organizations engage lived experience and ensure the dignity of their consumers, best practices on how to permanently address housing insecurity, systemic and structural barriers that prevent housing security, and how we might work together towards long-term solutions. Keri Asevedo and Caitlyn Baylor will engage a follow-up meeting with stakeholders who wish to engage more deeply in the work around housing.
Watch the meeting recording here. View the presentation slides here.
October 19: 2023 – 2024 planning meeting at NICNE at NIU Rockford
The Task Force and engaged community members gathered to plan 2024 conversation topics and to refine the model for moving forward.
November 16: Higher Education facilitated by Keith Barnes of Rock Valley College
December 14: Community Cultural Plan presented by Mary McNamara Bernsten of Rockford Area Arts Council
Background & History
Background & History
The Task Force was first convened in November of 2019 by NICNE to begin conversation around john a. powell’s work on Othering and some new to the work, gathered for deep discussion around Othering and Belonging, and our shared hopes for our community. The Belonging. More than 30 individuals, some who have been working in the community on similar or related causes for many years, and following spring, the group invited john a. powell, Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, to Rockford to hold a community discussion around Othering and Belonging. john visited Rockford virtually on October 23, 2020, meeting with a small group of belonging in our community; watch the Community Conversation on Othering and Belonging on NICNE’s YouTube Channel HERE. This diverse community members committed to moving the work on belonging forward to discuss how we can better understand and promote conversation was shared via livestream and Facebook Live by media partner WREX for the greater community to view and learn how to engage in the work on belonging in our community. More than 8,500 people watched the live event and recording.
Past Activities
Past Activities
11.2019 – Initial meeting of the Belonging Task Force. In the Fall of 2019, as our country reacted to social injustice and deepening division, the group began to chart a course to co-create a culture of belonging in Rockford – where everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual we gathered to discuss how we could foster healing among divided groups in the Rockford community. Using a collective impact approach, identity, gender, age, physical ability, or religion – feels they belong. Initial Task Force members included representatives from the broader community, Eliminate Racism 815, Rockford NAACP, Rockford Public Library, Liam Foundation, Center for Nonviolence and Conflict Transformation (CNCT), City of Rockford, Unitarian Universalist Church, Transform Rockford, and several other organizations.
10.23.20 – Community Conversation on Othering and Belonging with john a. powell, Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley. Recording and summary presented with support from the Kjellstrom Family Foundation, Transform Rockford, and media partner WREX.
8.05.20 – A Year on Belonging: NW IL Regional Volunteerism Conference (August 2020 through August 2021) Recordings and summary presented with support from the NICNE Exchange on Volunteerism and Serve Illinois Commission.
2.05.21 – Foundations of DEI: Definitions, Concepts, Theories, and Exercises with Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, presented in partnership with UWNI as part of the Healing Illinois Initiative Recording and summary and toolkit for February through May workshop series.
2021 DEI for Nonprofits – Workshop Series
3.05.21 – Equity-Mindedness with Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, presented in partnership with UWNI as part of the Healing Illinois Initiative Recording and summary.
3.19.21 – Courageous Conversations Facilitator Training series with Traci D. Ellis, JD of Candid Conversations Matter, LLC Recording and summary and Toolkit. Presented with support from the Healing Illinois Initiative in partnership with United Way of Northwest Illinois.
4.09.21 Cultural Competence with Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, presented in partnership with UWNI as part of the Healing Illinois Initiative Recording and summary. Presented with support from the Healing Illinois Initiative in partnership with United Way of Northwest Illinois.
5.07.21 Anti-Racism with Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, presented in partnership with UWNI as part of the Healing Illinois Initiative Recording and summary. Presented with support from the Healing Illinois Initiative in partnership with United Way of Northwest Illinois.
5.19.21 – Targeted Universalism: Changing Education Outcomes with john a. powell, Director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley Recording and summary. Presented with support from the United Way of Northwest Illinois, United Way of Rock River Valley, and Regional Office of Education #4.
6.21.21 – Mental Health Providers – Professional Development, Workshop 1 of 4: Cultural Humility & Anti-Oppression for Mental Health Providers with Jessica Oladapo, Diversity to Inclusion, Inc. to help support mental health professionals supporting youth with mental health needs. Recording 1, Recording 2, and summary. Presented by Rosecrance in partnership with NICNE, with funding from the Children’s Healthcare Foundation of Illinois via the Youth Mental Health System of Care planning group.
5.09.22 – Building Racial Equity and Belonging into Your Board Culture with Candid Conversations Matter, LLC. Program summary. Presented with support from grant funds received from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to aid NICNE in delivering capacity building supports and services to organizations in northern Illinois.
10.18.22 – Belonging Model Employer Event and Keynote from john a. powell – See Events page for details.
