MUSLIM COMMUNITY LEADER RECEIVES AWARD FROM CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS ORDER

CHICAGO, IL Debra DePalma Youssef, Chairwoman of the Northbrook Community Relations Commission, has been chosen to receive the BridgeBuilder Award from the Justice & Peace Commission of the Chicago Province of the Society of the Divine Word.

The BridgeBuilder Award will be presented to DePalma Yousseff at a dinner in her honor March 27 at Divine Word International, 2001 Waukegan Road, Techny (in Northbrook, IL). The award recognizes individuals who live and do outstanding work to build bridges of dialogue, cooperation and understanding among the diverse racial, ethnic, religious and cultural groups in the Chicago North Shore suburbs. By instituting the award, the Divine Word Peace & Justice Commission is seeking to raise up models of success that represent bridges of communication and hope, and to demonstrate to young people “heroes” of today who are taking a stand, making a difference and building bridges for the good of all.

Coworkers and neighbors in Northbrook’s civic and religious communities who nominated De Palma Youssef for the award praised her as a bridgebuilder, a doer and a healer. In 200, she was instrumental in the creation of 2000 Fest: A multicultural Block Party. She organized the highly successful Inter-Faith Walk as part of Northbrook’s Centennial in 2001, which drew more than 300 people to visit 20 houses of worship and learn about one another’s faith expressions. She organized a series of inter-religious dialogues between the Islamic Cultural Center of Greater ChIcago and Congregation Beth Shalom of Northbrook.

Illinois State Representative Elaine Nekritz wrote that DePalma Youssef “continues to work for cultural diversity in Northbrook. Currently, the Community Relations Commission is focusing on providing housing opportunities in Northbrook to people of all backgrounds. The work she has done and continues to do in bringing people of all faiths and cultures together truly reflects the values of the BridgeBuilder Award.”

Contact : Kathleen Morgan
847-753-7406