Skokie Vision 13

Skokie Vision #13: At bottom, "an environment of equality" is about love. We desire to live among, and be politically represented by, people who treat us – you and me – with respect rather than disdain; people who deeply care about us regardless of how much we earn, what we look like, how old we are, who we love, how we worship, or what part of town we live in.

It's also about celebrating and not hiding what makes each of us unique -- the traditions and experiences we each bring to the communal table. As the executive director of H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities and Maintenance for the Elderly), I know that to foster a welcoming and safe culture in our intergenerational residences takes intentionality, honesty, and mutual trust. But once a culture of community takes hold, people listen to each other, express curiosity and empathy, and fear melts away to be replaced by a sense of wellbeing and even joy. Visitors feel that sense of warmth.

It is all together that we bring about a Skokie in which mutual support is the reigning ethic.