Is Mutual Aid Now In The Mainstream?
A volunteer of Lakeview Pantry listens to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speak at a news conference in front of Wrigley Field in Chicago, Thursday, April 16, 2020. The Chicago Cubs are coordinating with the pantry to utilize the field's concourse as a satellite food packing and distribution center to support COVID-19 relief efforts. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
In the past year, the pandemic has wreaked havoc across families and communities. Many lost loved ones, employment and access to essential items. Amidst a summer filled with rising cases of COVID-19 and political unrest, networks across Illinois sprung up to provide resources and services for those in need of them. This voluntary act of solidarity within communities has been coined as “mutual aid,” and the concept has long existed before the pandemic.
To talk more about mutual aid networks in Illinois and how to get started within your community, The 21st was joined by
Guests:
Mary Zerkel, Organizer with American Friends Service Committee and a member of the PO Box Collective, a cultural and mutual aid hub in Chicago
Katharine P. Eastvold, Volunteer Administrator for the Springfield Families Helping Families Facebook Group
Martha Mills, Volunteer Administrator for CU COVID-19 Mutual Aid Facebook Group
Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi
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