ILBCF Policy Summit Lays Groundwork For Legislation


ILBCF Policy Summit Lays Groundwork For Legislation 

By Tia Carol Jones

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (ILBCF) recently held its Annual Policy Summit and Power Brunch. With the theme of the event being, “Where Policy & Power Unite; Relentlessly,” elected officials and other community stakeholders gathered to engage in discussion about policy issues that affect the Black community -- healthcare, economics, criminal justice, social justice, crime, gender equality, and voter suppression.

The ILBCF hadn’t hosted a conference in 18 years prior to 2022. The conference that took place on Oct. 3rd and 4th was the fourth annual conference since it was brought back. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation Executive Director Tiffany Hightower said the ILBCF is really proud of the work they have done to bring the conference back, in partnership with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. The Policy Summit aligns with the four pillars of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus that were passed: criminal justice; education and workforce development; economic access, equity and opportunity; and health care and human services.

Illinois State Senator Lakesia Collins (Dist. 5) is also the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Joint Chairwoman. Collins has been in the General Assembly for about five years. She said that having the legislators work with the Foundation is critically important because the Foundation serves as the education arm and helps get the legislators’ message out to the general population. The Foundation also helps the legislators get connected with other Black elected officials across the state of Illinois, which can help expand the legislators’ reach.

“They create these different environments where we’re able to engage and have some collaboration around policy, building community; opening up doors with those who have never really had the opportunity to sit at the table with us, they now have that avenue and they can take those tools back to their community,” Collins said. She added that because the legislators are doing their work in Springfield, a lot of people don’t have access to them. She said that is why we have the Foundation, to bridge the gap between the people and the legislators.

Collins said that a highlight for her at the summit was the Mayor’s Fireside Chat, which featured Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton and Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson II. She said the panel around safety net hospitals was also important because hearing from the experts about the role those hospitals play in the community was informative.

Collins said that there will be a concerted effort to take what was learned at the policy summit and turn it into policy. She said the hope is that the elected officials don’t just leave the summit without having action plans. She said she met with a group of not-for-profit leaders who began their work after last year’s summit and formed a not-for-profit and have grown their membership. She said they let her know they wanted to do more and want to get more people in the community involved in the summit. She said the legislators are looking at how to move strategically as a whole and bring back gains to the community.

Hightower said that she has received feedback from attendees about the number of national figures who were present and participated in the summit. She said the keynote luncheon was sold out and people still wanted to be in the room. She said it was a powerful event. She said the team at ILBCF records every session from the summit and turns it into a book of policy that is distributed to legislators. She said it has been a successful practice. The ILBCF has also developed a heatmap of not-for-profits that are doing work around addressing items from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ four pillars.

For more information about the ILBCF, visit www.ilbcf.org.


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