Earlier this month, the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce voted unanimously to support the Pledge for Unity, the campaign started by Oak Park and River Forest High School teacher Anthony Clark over the summer.
On Monday, Cathy Yen, the chamber’s executive director, wrote that, in supporting the pledge, the chamber acknowledges “the problems and state publicly that the business community wants to be part of the solution.”
The chamber represents at least 500 retailers, professionals, community organizations and businesses in Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park and the surrounding suburbs. This is the pledge the chamber signed:
“I hereby agree to hold myself accountable and not remain neutral in the fight for equity. I recognize that while progress has been made, various forms of discrimination still negatively impact my community. I pledge to treat others how I would want to be treated and utilize my group membership to create empathy and collaboration. I recognize the overall goal of this group is to use collaborations to create communities where equity is a reality.”
Michael Romain
