“Together We Heal” launches and invites residents to take action in building racial healing

Mayor Lori Lightfoot

“Together We Heal” (TWA) – a campaign aimed at building racial healing across Chicago was launched by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice today, Mon. Dec. 7.

The goals of the initiative are to empower all Chicagoans to engage in activities fostering connection, restoration and learning at this time of racial reckoning for both the city and the nation. 

Residents from every Chicago neighborhood are challenge to initiate and participate in candid conversations, healing circles and other activities. The initiative will culminate at the end of January with a virtual healing summit that will reflect on progress made and envision a path forward for the coming year.   

“Whether it be the on-going health crisis or protests that have erupted in response to racial inequality, the events of this year have urged us to fully acknowledge how racism continues to drive systemic inequity both in our city and across our country," said Mayor Lightfoot. 

"Through the ‘Together We Heal’ initiative, we will turn this acknowledgement into action—constructing discursive spaces for our residents to listen to one another, heal and work together to create a Chicago free from the scourges of racial injustice. By building bridges to one another through this racial healing work, we will not only be more united as a city but develop the empathy we need in order to holistically recover from the challenges of this unprecedented year."  

The TWH initiative is defined as an all-encompassing project to address the nation’s current racial climate – exacerbated by COVID-19; the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others; and the civic unrest that followed, loss of jobs and businesses, and destruction of community assets – as well as the decades of racial inequities in Chicago. 

“This past year has shown us that we cannot afford to ignore historical trauma, racism, and inequality,” said Candace Moore, Chief Equity Officer for the City of Chicago. “We must take steps forward in communion with one another, in recognition of our mutual humanity. We must commit to heal ourselves, our communities and our city."  

A key component of the new initiative is the community challenge, calling on Chicagoans from now until the end of January to:  

• Organize a virtual healing event with friends, neighbors, colleagues, family members, and other social networks, 
• Share their experience through an online form that populates an interactive “Healing Map” that showcases reported events throughout the city; and 
• Champion efforts throughout the next several weeks through community and social media activations.     

Residents are encouraged to visit the online site to share their experiences, follow the map and learn more about the initiative.  

TWH is syncing up some existing efforts, already underway in Chicago, including those of their anchor partners: Truth Racial Healing and Transformation Chicago, Chicago Community Trust, American Jewish Committee, YWCA of Chicago, the Racial Equity Rapid Response Team, and the Equity Advisory Committee. 

Thus it is an opportunity for residents to support these efforts, develop their own creative engagements, and encourage broader civic unity that will advance racial healing across Chicago.