Over 300 parents, grandparents and children enjoyed a beautiful spring day in the park at the 10th Annual Celebration of Hope held June 12th on Chicago’s south side.

Families got to know each other across communities – sharing barbecues and picnic food, relay races, dancing and celebrating their accomplishments from a year of community action and campaigns.

Highlights of the year included passing the bill to mandate recess out of the State Senate, completing environmental audits in five schools on Chicago’s westside, identifying barriers to access of quality early learning opportunities for many families and presenting recommendations for change to the Governor’s Early Learning Council and advocates, and winning funding to launch new restorative justice pilots in Chicago’s elementary schools.