Pizza & Social Justice, conceived around a local couple's dining table, is now incorporated as an Illinois 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under IRS rules.
In 2012, Adrian and Nancy McKee began inviting a few friends to their home for Saturday potluck dinners, fellowship, and conversations about current events.
Viral videos of police killings of people of color, civil unrest, and an upsurge in toxic rhetoric led to recurring questions:
• How did we come to this?
• How can we replace divisiveness with unity?
• What are the roots of racial inequality and injustice in the U.S.?
• Why do some believe racial inequity still exists here while others don't?
By 2017, Saturday potlucks were traded for Friday delivered pizza (thus the name).
The purpose: To learn about and discuss racial injustice in a safe, judgement-free, and -- most important -- nonpartisan environment using a simple format:
• Pizza;
• Introductions and discussion guidelines;
• A short video to frame the discussion;
• Candid conversation about issues the video raised.
In 2018, P&SJ hosted a screening of "The Long Shadow," a documentary by filmmaker Frances Causey. The film, which traces slavery's legacy, white privilege, and white supremacy from a historical perspective, served as a catalyst for deeper ongoing conversations.