Black History Month Discussion Panel Challenges Audience to Step Up
On Saturday, February 22, The Neighborhood Bridge presented a panel discussion at St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church, titled “Justice and Injustice: Voices from the West Side,” in celebration of Black History Month.
The discussion, which was free to the public, focused on systemic inequities, community resilience, and the transformative power of art, faith, and advocacy.
Prentice Butler, executive director of The Neighborhood Bridge, explains that the goal of the discussion was “to inspire dialogue and action by featuring dynamic West Side leaders who bring expertise and lived experience to these important themes.”
The three-person panel was moderated by Xavier Ramey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Justice Informed, and included:
Haman Cross III, a distinguished artist and Founder of Freedom House Studios.
Father Larry Dowling, retired pastor of St. Simon of Cyrene, who helped establish the Encompassing Center on the West Side as well as the first Restoritive Justice Community Court in Cook County.
Tanya Woods, Executive Director of the Westside Justice Center, Mediator and Trainer at the Center for Conflict Resolution, mediator for the Circuit Court of Cook County, and adjunct professor at Loyola University, Chicago School of Law.
Over 60 people from both Oak Park and Chicago attended the event, including Oak Park Board President Vicki Scaman and former 4th Ward Alderwoman Sophia D. King.
Here are just a few of the thought-provoking comments by our impressive group of panelists.
Xavier Ramey: "When we look at opportunity, in the land of opportunity, the West Side exists as it does. . . (because) there is a strategy and a design in the ways in which inequity perpetuates our city and our world. And if it is a function of design, then it’s something that we can interrupt. If we can design for inequity, then we can design for equity.”
Haman Cross III: "We’ve got to step up. It’s an opportunity to be conscious, to be creators, to come together and talk to each other and share with each other and strategize and come up with new ways and learn and become wise and get vulnerable and get dirty . . . and come up with new ways to write the laws. All of that is available today. Quit waiting for somebody else to do so.”
Father Larry Dowling: “I want to relate. I want you to understand what my hopes and dreams are for you and for others. But we can’t realize that together unless we get to know each other, unless we deal with the prejudices within ourselves and the societal barriers that continue to haunt us and say ‘oh no, don’t get close, don’t cross that border.’ Faith calls us to take risks for love.”
Tanya Woods: “We already have the power in our communities and within ourselves because of this divinity that we all embody and my challenge to all of us is to have intentionality and purpose around your interactions with each other, whether in creating your art, in your faith walk, in your donations, where you spend your time, where you work, how you vote, how you raise your voice, how you stay quiet, whether or not you choose to join an organization, or whether you come to church or not. . . I challenge you to find one small organization that’s black and get to know it and find out what they do.”
The Neighborhood Bridge plans to make this an annual event. Plans for Black History Month 2026 will be announced this fall.