Ellerese Topacio joined the Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) to learn how to effectively combat racial inequities in her hometown of Chicago. She lived in Chicago nearly her entire life and knows first-hand about the socio-economic effects caused by a citizen's racial identity. From overt racism to institutional barriers preventing minority groups from fulfilling their potential, she understands that there is an immense amount of work required to continue the momentum towards a more equitable society.
In concert with the RJI, she is collaborating with the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights (CLCCR) to promote voter protection. She is researching ways to make the state's election laws more robust and combat the dilution of voting power, particularly among racial minorities. Cliff Helm and Ami Gandhi, two of CLCCR's leaders in voting rights and civic empowerment, have guided her throughout this experience. Their passion for ensuring that not only every voice has a vote, but every vote has an impact, resonates strongly with her. By the end of the semester, she intends to achieve some level of contribution in the fight to guarantee that no matter what language or race an individual beholds, they have the power to influence our democracy through voting.