(from left): Elmhurst Art Museum executive director John McKinnon was joined by U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (11th District) and Sean Casten (6th District) recently for a tour of the Museum’s “In Focus” exhibit about fair housing in Chicagoland. Last week, they were joined virtually by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Mike Quigley for a discussion of fair housing, racial and economic segregation. There is still time to see this impressive exhibition, but its last day is Sunday, June 20.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Congressman Sean Casten, Congressman Bill Foster, Congressman Mike Quigley, and local housing leaders held a virtual conversation on fair housing about the Elmhurst Art Museum’s exhibit “In Focus: The Chicago Freedom Movement and the Fight for Fair Housing.” The exhibit highlights historical and contemporary responses to fair housing in the Chicagoland area, beginning with the crucial Chicago Freedom Movement. Elmhurst Art Museum released a video of the conversation on Friday, June 11, which is available at elmhurstartmuseum.org.
Joining Casten, Durbin, Foster, and Quigley in the conversation Kenneth Coles, executive director of DuPage/Kendall County Housing Authority, Bernard Kleina, photographer, activist, and retired director of HOPE Fair Housing Center, and John Petruszak, executive director of South Suburban Housing Center. The discussion was moderated by Natalie Moore of WBEZ.
“As incidents of hate crimes and housing discrimination are on the rise, this exhibit serves as a reminder that, while we might have come a long way, we have not come nearly far enough,” Durbin said. “Thanks to the Elmhurst Art Museum for helping put together an exhibit that underscores not just the need for fair housing policies, but the need to push for a more fair and equitable nation, and an economy that works for all. I’ll continue working to provide state and local housing agencies with much-needed additional resources to administer fair housing laws and ensure that families across Illinois have equal access to housing.”
“If we want to fully address the housing crisis and the racial disparities at its core, we’ve got to educate ourselves on the policy choices that caused it–past and present.” said Rep. Sean Casten. “The exhibit from the Elmhurst Art Museum highlights the long way we have left to go to achieve the dream that Dr. Martin Luther King had for our country. We must continue to have a dialogue about the structural barriers currently in place and fight for equitable housing policy.”
“As the son of a civil rights lawyer, I can attest that understanding the true history of housing discrimination– in Chicagoland and across the country– is an important part of informing the discussion on how to repair the intergenerational damage rendered to people of color by blatantly racist policies,” said Rep. Bill Foster. “I encourage everyone to take the time to educate themselves on the history of housing discrimination in the region: The “In Focus” exhibit and corresponding discussion demonstrate how far we have come towards achieving a more equitable future, and provide a template for the work we have yet to do. I would like to thank the Elmhurst Museum, Natalie Moore, and local activists for moving this important conversation forward.”
In February, Casten held a live community conversation and Q&A with Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law and community leaders, Tandra Rutledge and Carvel Massengale to unpack the history of U.S. housing policy and facilitate an honest dialogue about systemic racism and structural inequalities that persist today. You can watch a video from this event on Congressman Sean Casten’s facebook page.
