Observer Conversations: Organizers of new panel series explain importance of hard discussions

KENOSHA ⸺ The Kenosha County Dems and Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families are partnering for a panel series, hoping to further important conversations.

The point of the panel series, called “Building Hope: Your Voice Matters,” is to get more voices heard. The series especially focuses on encouraging those from communities that have felt stifled to speak up.

Kenosha County Democratic Party Chair Lori Hawkins states that many residents “have excellent ideas.”

And Kenoshans having safe and happy families is also a common goal among different groups.

However, historically, officials have overlooked input from certain segments of the population.

The first panel, taking place 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, will focus on the topic “The Impact of Community Activism,” with panelists Billy Violet, Proche Bennett-Bey and Alvin D. Owens.

The Kenosha County Democratic Party will livestream the panel on its Facebook page.

Note: Please watch the video embedded above for the full conversation between the Observer, Robinson and Hawkins on the panel series. 

A platform for the unheard

“LIHF and the KCDP decided to partner on this project in order to provide a platform for people in the Kenosha community who are working to address systemic racism and to also create a heightened awareness of the lifelong effects of racism,” a joint released statement from the two entities stated.

‘We all want peace’

For Robinson, it’s clear that “we all want peace”.

“So when we sit down and you talk to the people with different points of view, we all have that same goal, and matter,” Robinson said.

Bring those who have been silent into conversations and “you have a new synergy and new strategies or approach.”

“Sometimes we’ve been in Kenosha doing the same things over and over, and then they are fighting about why we haven’t seen change,” Robinson said.

Strong solutions can come from bringing more people to the table.

Hawkins added that the series will be a “safe space” for people to come with ideas.