Embrace Naperville Continues with Panel Discussion During Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Next Roundtable – The Power of Connection: AAPI Voices & Community – Takes Place May 13
NAPERVILLE, Ill. — As part of its mission to build an inclusive community that values diversity, the City of Naperville announces the next event in the Embrace Naperville series – The Power of Connection: AAPI Voices & Community – from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at the 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive, Naperville.
The event will include an interactive discussion featuring six panelists from the AAPI community. Panelists will discuss their individual and shared experiences in Naperville around subjects ranging from individual and family life to business ownership, inviting dialogue from the AAPI community and beyond. Registration is required for this free event. Find details and a link to register at naperville.il.us/embracenaperville.
Working alongside others, Dr. Geneace Williams, the City’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Manager, leads the Embrace Naperville series under this year’s focus, Empowering our Mission Through a Year of Learning. Williams is grateful to partners including the Naperville Public Library, Chinese American Women in Action, and panelists Durriya Gunja, Jacob Kadolph, Melvin Kim, Dr. Tracy P. Leung, Dr. Jennifer K. Shah and Will Wong for their shared commitment to building a community where all are seen, heard, included and valued.
“I am so pleased for this second Embrace Naperville community event,” Williams said. “The enthusiasm with which organizing participants and panelists have worked together for the success of this event is inspiring. It reinforces the value of inclusion. I am grateful for all who had a hand in getting us to this point. This event is all of our work.”
Embrace Naperville events are one way the City creates space for storytelling and conversations that foster a sense of belonging within our increasingly diverse community. These events follow the hiring of Williams as the City’s first DEI Manager in 2021 and City Council action in 2019 to add “creating an inclusive community that values diversity” to the City’s mission statement.
About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.