Join us on Thursday, October 29th at Morgan Manufacturing for our 2026 Annual Gala. Our premier fundraising event is truly a Justice Innovation Celebration highlighting LCLC’s measurable impact and strategic growth. The evening will feature a cocktail reception, plated dinner, program and award ceremony, and an exciting live auction. Also, for all our sponsors and VIP ticket holders, there will be a VIP dessert reception to close out the evening.
We’re excited to welcome State Senator Lakesia Collins of Illinois’ 5th district as our distinguished Keynote Speaker. We’re also pleased to honor Paula Ketcham, Partner & Deputy General Counsel on behalf of ArentFox Schiff with our Partner in Justice Award, and Tyrone Stallworth, Residential Outreach Worker at Lawndale Christian Legal Center with our Emerging Leader Award. We hope you will come and celebrate our honorees and be a part of our community for a very special night.
We have a variety of sponsorships to fit your priorities and budget. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact DanaMarie Carreon at dcarreon@lclc.net or 773-893-5455
Born and raised in the heart of Chicago, State Senator Lekisha Collins’ life has been defined by resilience, deep community roots, and an unyielding commitment to justice. As a proud mother of three sons, her fight for a more equitable future is profoundly personal. She knows firsthand the hurdles and systemic barriers faced by everyday families because she has walked that path herself.
Before stepping into the halls of power, Senator Collins built her foundation on the front lines of care and labor. As a former youth in care and a dedicated healthcare worker, she spent years serving her community in local nursing homes and proudly carrying her card as a rank-and-file member of SEIU Healthcare Illinois. Those formative experiences as a caregiver and a labor advocate instilled in her a lifelong ethos: that true progress is achieved only when we uplift and protect our most vulnerable workers and citizens.
Senator Collins’ journey into public office broke barriers and set a new standard for fearless, community-centered representation. Her trailblazing legislative record and legislative leadership focuses on systemic change, restorative justice, housing and human dignity, and transforming healthcare, birth equity, and mental health.
Senator Collins’ work is not merely about passing bills; it is about dismantling oppressive structures and building a liberated, thriving Illinois from the ground up. She brings the revolutionary spirit of a grassroots organizer directly to the seat of government.
Her motto is simple, yet revolutionary: Whatever door you walk through, leave it open for the next generation to rise up.
Each year we present awards to a Partner in Justice and an Emerging Leader. We’re excited to announce this year’s recipients.
Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s Partner in Justice Award is presented to extraordinary individuals or organizations who demonstrate commitment and passion to pursuing justice, equity, and opportunity for young people. These remarkable individuals understand the collective responsibility we all share to live in ways that shape our society to be more open, equitable, and accessible for all of our youth. Our Partners in Justice lean into the moral arc of the universe described by Dr. King to ensure that it bends toward justice.
Partner & Deputy General Counsel at ArentFox Schiff
The attorneys at ArentFox Schiff know that being smart isn’t just about having great legal skills. It means knowing the business, industry, and goals of their clients and using their insights to solve challenges creatively and efficiently—bringing their clients “across the finish line”—whatever their goal may be. They apply this same approach to their pro bono work. Lawndale Christian Legal Center has been privileged to receive the firm’s expert and thoughtful support since our founding 16 years ago. ArentFox Schiff also shares LCLC’s passion for innovation in our respective fields, which has allowed them to grow with us in our commitment to the fair and equitable administration of justice.
For more than 10 years, Paula Ketcham has advised LCLC’s executive leadership and Board regarding employment matters. Together, Paula and her colleagues at ArentFox Schiff have dedicated thousands of pro bono hours across numerous areas of practice, including representing LCLC in the acquisition of our original site, providing criminal defense and appellate representation for LCLC clients, supporting LCLC attorneys by mooting trials with them before going to trial, providing workshops for our clients in our Mock Trial program, and advising us on non-profit governance and compliance matters. In addition to supporting LCLC with their time and talent, they have perennially supported us with their treasure, both as Annual Gala sponsors and contributors.
Paula and ArentFox Schiff are truly our Partners in Justice, and we share our greatest gratitude for their services to LCLC and our community.
This award goes to a current or previous Lawndale Christian Legal Center client who has demonstrated exceptional progress in self-development. Our Annual Emerging Leader Award is given to an LCLC young person who models leadership, courage, and success. Every year, we are challenged to select one person out of many that are leading by example and striving to improve not only their life, but our community as well.
Residential Outreach Worker & Former Client at Lawndale Christian Legal Center
Tyrone Stallworth’s relationship with Lawndale Christian Legal Center began in 2010, when he was incarcerated at age 15 and facing a potentially life-altering sentence. Without the resources to hire an attorney, and with little hope for his future, Tyrone was connected to LCLC through the church.
His attorney, our very own CEO & President, Cliff Nellis, helped him recognize that his circumstances did not have to define the rest of his life. Their relationship extended beyond Tyrone’s legal case, as Cliff connected him with employment opportunities and encouraged him to become a leader and advocate for himself and others.
Tyrone went on to work with a community action team addressing neighborhood violence, recruiting friends to join the effort. With continued guidance from LCLC team members, including his mentor Carli Taylor, he earned his GED, pursued his commercial driver’s license, secured stable housing, participated in therapy, and continued building an independent life.
Today, Tyrone works at LCLC, where his lived experience allows him to build meaningful relationships with residents and serve as a trusted mentor. Whether offering encouragement, sharing his story, or providing clothing and shoes to someone in need, Tyrone consistently finds ways to support others. He hopes to continue building his future through real estate and business education, homeownership, and helping his family achieve greater stability.
