A diverse panel will explore cultural, economic, and strategic concerns during the City of Bloomington’s annual “Citizen Summit,” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 20, at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.
Since 2009, the summit, described as "a focused budget discussion" open to the public, has helped Bloomington’s mayor and City Council pinpoint grassroots needs and issues for the year ahead. Willie Holton Halbert, a Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal leader who has been asked by Ward 3 Alderman Mboka Mwilambwe to provide input at the summit, sees the potential to improve the community by identifying priorities for the city's diverse populations and neighborhoods.
"I believe we have an obligation to allow our system to work when an injustice has been done but if the people within the system appears to have failed us, we must actively get involved to help bring about a positive change in our system for the community and nation for which we live,” Holton maintained.
“We can do this by the power of our pens, sharing our thoughts in a constructive manner, being informed and taking a stand with a plan. It starts with one person, one group/organization, and/or one community and it is amazing how it becomes contiguous."
Check out past summit comments and findings at http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=428.