WAUKEGAN – Over 26,000 lives have been lost to gun violence in the U.S. so far in 2021, a shocking statistic that motivated State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) and her Youth Leadership Advisory Panel to take action.

Together, Johnson and the student-run panel will host a Gun Violence Awareness Roundtable on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Jane Addams Center in Bowen Park, located at 95 Jack Benny Drive in Waukegan.

Clearview Park, located at 1523 N. McAree Road in Waukegan.

“This year is on pace to be America’s deadliest year of gun violence in decades,” Johnson said. “To put a stop to the tragedy, we have to come together as a community to find solutions and make change.”

The roundtable will feature presentations from religious and community leaders, including Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg; Pastor Wade Stevenson with the Gideon Missionary Baptist Church in Waukegan; Oji Eggleston, executive director of Chicago Survivors; and Maria Pike, a Senior Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network and volunteer with the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action, who also serves on the Chicago Survivors board of directors.

Johnson’s Youth Leadership Advisory Panel will lead a discussion with featured speakers about the effects of gun violence on the Lake County community, followed by a Q&A.

At the end of the event, audience members will walk away with a better understanding of gun violence prevention resources and support networks to empower them to continue their advocacy and save lives.

This roundtable is the second event spearheaded by Johnson’s 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel, a student-run panel that works alongside Johnson’s district office staff to help put together youth-centered community events and amplify young voices in the Lake County area.

“I am proud to be a member of the senator’s Youth Leadership Advisory Panel because I can help to educate my peers on what they can do to promote gun violence prevention awareness,” said Ellie Baden, a rising junior at Michigan State University and co-chair of the 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel. “Together, we can work as a community to empower students to call for meaningful action.”

Register for the event at www.SenatorAdrianeJohnson.com/GVRoundtable.

BUFFALO GROVE – Starting Aug. 2, residents of the 30th District can enjoy free admission to over a dozen Chicago-area museums and other attractions with the Constituent Education Resource Card, available through the office of State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“This card makes it possible for anyone in the district to access the outstanding educational resources Chicago offers at no cost,” said Johnson. “I want to help as many families as possible take advantage of this cost-saving opportunity.”

During the month of August, the card will be available for checkout from Johnson’s district office, located at 149 S. Genesee St. in Waukegan. To make it more convenient for residents across the community to take advantage of the program, the card will then rotate to local public libraries for checkout, starting with Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling in September.

To check out the card, residents must email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at least 48 hours in advance of their visit. A member of staff will respond to coordinate a plan for checkout and return of the card. Residents may keep the card for up to two days before returning it to the checkout site.

Museums in the Park, a coalition of Chicago museums, sponsors the program in collaboration with the State. The card provides free entry for up to four people at 16 Chicago-area institutions, including the Chicago Botanic Garden, the DuSable Museum of African American History, and the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Any resident of the 30th District may reserve the card on a first-come, first-served basis. People with questions are encouraged to contact Johnson’s office at 847-672-6201.

NORTH CHICAGO – To protect the picturesque natural spaces and diverse wildlife of Lake County, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) and her Youth Leadership Advisory Panel will host a community park cleanup in partnership with Clean Power Lake County.

The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 7 from 8-10 a.m. in Foss Park, located at 1901 Foss Park Ave. in North Chicago.

“This park cleanup is a hands-on way for people of all ages to get involved in the effort to preserve our natural spaces,” Johnson said. “The environmental crisis can sometimes feel overwhelming, but we all have the power to make a difference in our own communities.”

Children and families are invited to participate in the cleanup. Students in National Honor Society and other service-oriented clubs can count hours spent at the cleanup toward required volunteer hours—a representative from Johnson’s office will be on hand to sign log sheets.

Johnson’s 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel spearheaded the event. The student-run panel works alongside Johnson’s district office staff to help put together youth-centered community events and amplify young voices in the Lake County area.

“With this panel and our events, I hope to inspire younger generations to get more involved with pressing societal issues and advocate for their own beliefs within their community,” said Maddie Wang, a junior at Stevenson High School and co-chair of the 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel.

Registration is not required, but interested participants are encouraged to sign up for updates at bit.ly/VolunteerBeachCleanup.

BUFFALO GROVE – Out of a pool of 187 nominees from all levels of government, nonprofit organizations and the business world, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) has been selected to be part of the ninth annual Edgar Fellows Program.

“It is my great honor to participate in this year’s Edgar Fellows Program,” Johnson said. “I look forward to engaging with brilliant and experienced individuals from across the state, and I hope to return to the 30^th District energized and inspired.”

The fellows will gather at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign next week for an intense executive training program, featuring more than two dozen policy experts and experienced practitioners. They will also have the opportunity to learn from each other in discussions of issues such as workforce development, climate change, public safety, disaster planning and intergovernmental cooperation.

The Edgar Fellows Program is an initiative designed by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs to inspire respectful and collaborative leadership to address the state's major challenges.

Senator Johnson is one of 40 participants selected for the program this year.

“I’m both excited and humbled to be rubbing shoulders with so many respected community leaders,” Johnson said. “I am ready to listen and learn, and I can’t wait to make the most of our week in Champaign.”

More information about the Edgar Fellows Program is available here.