About 40 people gathered at Niles’ Wildwood Tavern on Jan. 20, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year, to share a meal and discern what King’s legacy means in their communities today.
Unity in Community, a nonprofit group, organized its fourth annual MLK dinner with the theme of “A Single Garment of Destiny,” and readings from King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” guided the discussions.
Unity in Community Founder Jac Charlier said the dinner began in 2016 as a way to give people in the Northwest suburbs and Northwest Chicago opportunities to focus on equity, especially racial equity.
Charlier, of Chicago, said he’s been involved in civic work for about 30 years including in Chicago and suburban communities such as Niles and Park Ridge.
“The moment every year that stands out is when people realize that on the Northwest side and Northwest suburbs there is an MLK Day dinner event,” Charlier said.
He thanked event supporters, including the family-owned Wildwood Tavern, which has hosted each year.
Michael Rabbitt, a racial justice organizer and activist, said he has been involved in each dinner. This year, he helped pick the event’s title and theme.
Rabbitt, of Chicago, said that while both King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” were written in 1963, “I Have a Dream” might be more familiar to people.
“‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ has lessons that really endure to today and provide guidance to racial and social justice leaders,” Rabbitt said, describing it as “a blueprint for the Civil Rights Movement.”
Attendees sat at long tables, and formed smaller groups within each table to discuss the themes in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” These themes included interdependence, racism, justice versus charity, extremism versus moderation, organized religion, civil disobedience and urgency.
Before each group considered one of the seven themes, facilitator Jennifer DeLeon described guidelines for respectful communication, such as listening empathetically and trusting ambiguity.
DeLeon is experienced in advocacy work. She serves as director of justice for Women of the ELCA, a Lutheran faith-based organization.
For Rabbitt, the most important part of the discussions was talking about how each theme was relevant today. He acknowledged that confronting injustice can involve tension and pushback from others.
After the discussions, attendees shared a word that described how they felt about talking with others. Descriptive words included “animated” and “inspiring.”
Charlier said this year’s theme focuses on urgency and having a sense of purpose; combining knowledge with action. “The starting line for everybody is not the same. The finish line is not the same,” he said. “We need to know that, and correct that.”
Each participant could choose an action item, such as “vote” or “invite people in” that they would choose to do beyond the dinner’s conversation.
DeLeon described the steps for people to write their action items on differently-colored ribbons, attaching them to an object, such as a heart, in a way that they chose.
Near the end of the dinner, attendees could speak about an organization they believed in. For example, one person presented on Action Ridge, a social activism group based in Park Ridge, according to their website, www.actionridgepr.com.
Others spoke of their desire to lead as elected officials, or of how they strive for social justice in an elected position.
Mary Claire Peceny of Chicago, who said she knows Charlier from Northside Democracy for America, was a first-time attendee.
“The main group I work with is Northside Democracy for America,” Peceny said. “We are looking at candidates who will promote social justice. Because of that, it’s an ‘always’ thing; not just a moment.”
Charlier said he’s already looking forward to next year’s dinner—the fifth annual—on Jan. 18, 2021. “We’re going to go big for that,” Charlier said.
For more information about Unity in Community, Charlier said he recommends visiting their Facebook page, Unity in Community Northwest Chicagoland.
