CHICAGO- Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Chair Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) released the following statement following a guilty verdict in the trial of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke.

“My heart goes out to Laquan’s family as they continue to grieve his loss. This is only a drop of justice in a history full of injustices against Black people and people of color. We still have a lot of work ahead of us in reforming policing, criminal justice, human services and creating opportunities for underprivileged communities.

“Let us continue to organize, continue to let our voices be heard and participate in our democracy wherever and whenever we can.”

CHICAGO- Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Chair Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) released the following statement as the jury in the Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke Trial deliberates in the trial of the 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald.

“As we await a decision from the jury, I would like to make it clear how important this trial is to our communities throughout the state of Illinois. The last time a Chicago officer was convicted of murder was nearly 50 years ago, and there are many who feel justice has not been served time and time again in Chicago and across the country.

“I urge the public to react with solidarity regardless of the verdict. We need to come together and let our voices be heard for all of the times Black people missed out on their due justice. If you want to yell, yell. If you want to gather, gather. Let’s show how we feel in a peaceful and impactful manner.

“My hope is that we can take this moment to come together to heal Chicago and communities throughout Illinois that are longing for police officers that work for them and a criminal justice system that treats them fairly.

“Our work does not start or end here. We should not be deterred should this trial’s outcome not be in our favor.”

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Application Deadline: September 30, 2018

From https://urbanawarenessusa.org/:

The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood supports innovative, creative projects and programs with the potential to significantly enhance the development, health, safety, education, or quality of life of children from infancy through five years of age.

The foundation provides funding in the areas of early childhood welfare, early childhood education and play, and parenting education.

1) Early Childhood Welfare: Children can only reach their full potential when all aspects of their development — intellectual, emotional and physical —are optimally supported. Providing a safe and nurturing environment for infants and preschoolers is essential, as is imparting to them the skills of social living in a culturally diverse world. To that end, the foundation supports programs that research best child-rearing practices and identify models that  provide creative, caring environments that ensure all children thrive.

2) Early Childhood Education and Play: Research shows that children need to be stimulated as well as nurtured early in life if they are to succeed in school, work, and life. That preparation relates to every aspect of a child’s development, from birth to age five, and everywhere a child learns — at home, in childcare settings, and in preschool. The foundation seeks to improve the quality of both early childhood teaching and learning through the development of innovative curricula and research based pedagogical standards, as well as the design of imaginative play materials and learning environments.

3) Parenting Education: To help parents create nurturing environments for their children, the foundation supports programs that teach parents about developmental psychology, cultural child-rearing differences, pedagogy, issues of health, prenatal care and diet, and programs that provide both cognitive and emotional support to parents.

Upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application.

See the Caplan Foundation website for complete program guidelines and application procedures.

Begin Application

Additional Funding

SPRINGFIELD – While obtaining a college degree is increasingly vital to career advancement, low-income, racial minority and first-generation college students often struggle to transition into a college or university’s culture.

A plan led by Illinois Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) that was signed into law on Friday seeks to ease the transition into college by allowing Illinois’ public universities to establish bridge programs. These programs would provide access, academic support and financial aid to underrepresented students.

“Our universities should be equipped to ensure the success of all students,” Lightford said. “Bridge programs create an opportunity for students who may have a tougher time adjusting to college by offering them support in areas often overlooked.”