Building Relationships in Different Generations Everyday (also known as BRIDGE Lake County) is a left-of-center grassroots activism and community organization in Lake County, Illinois tied to the Black Lives Matter movement that operates events and protests in Lake County.

The organization was founded by local high schooler Machi Perrin and his parents to support hosting Black Lives Matter protests led by high schoolers throughout the county in 2020. The group has since become a formal nonprofit and hosts a variety of events and programs. The organization is primarily funded by small local businesses and individuals, but it also received a grant from Walmart Giving in 2022. It operates out of donated office space. ^{1 2 3}

Background

BRIDGE Lake County was founded in June 2020 during the proliferation of Black Lives Matter protests throughout the United States. The group was founded when then-16-year-old Machi Perrin organized a protest in downtown Antioch, Illinois that was ultimately attended by hundreds of protestors. The protest included chanting phrases such as “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “No justice, no peace, no racist police.” Perrin’s parents both spoke at the event including his mother Sabrina, who had coordinated Black Lives Matter protests previously. The protestors circled downtown Antioch several times before kneeling to observe eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence in recognition of the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer fatally knelt on George Floyd’s neck. ⁴

Following the protest, Machi Perrin stated that he and his parents, William and Sabrina Perrin, were planning to form an initiative called B.R.I.D.G.E., Building Relationships in Different Generations Everyday, which was designed to create programs and events to promote “meaningful conversations” around racial and economic topics. The group had 34 members upon its founding in 2020. ⁵

Activities

Following its participation in Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, BRIDGE Lake County was established as a formal nonprofit organization and began hosting a variety of community events and panel discussions centered on race, education, and community service. ⁶

Sabrina Perrin took on leadership of the group and organizes events led by the organization. The group began operating out of office space that was gifted to the organization and moved to a larger office space to hosts community events in 2022. ⁷

Events hosted by BRIDGE Lake County annual backpack and clothing drives, financial planning and tax seminars, an annual Juneteenth Celebration, and roundtable discussions around the Black Lives Matter movement titled “What That Phrase Means and Represents” and “the Way Forward.” ⁸

Funding

BRIDGE Lake County received a grant from Walmart Giving in 2022, and most of its other funding comes from local businesses or small donors in Lake County, Illinois. Other listed donors to the group include STUDYS Ministries Christian Academy, Get Eyed Boutique, Holiathlete Academy, Firenza Pizza, the Solbrig Insurance Agency, Drink Water Family Services, and the African Life. ^{9 10}

1. “Bridge.” Facebook Post. October 5, 2022. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/BridgeLakeCounty/posts/pfbid0yuPXxGNsCTDLWU1poXo79Exbz6b15PBQkp17NjuxqSzxdJKm73YPutL2K8rznAFAl
2. “About BRIDGE.” BRIDGE Lake County. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.bridgelakecounty2020.com/about-b-r-i-d-g-e
3. Kunzer, Jamie. “Family Draws Demonstrators to Antioch to start ‘meaningful conversations.’”Shaw Local News Network. June 11, 2020. Accessed December 2, 2022.  https://www.shawlocal.com/2020/06/09/family-draws-demonstrators-to-antioch-to-start-meaningful-conversations/ariq6xn/
4. Kunzer, Jamie. “Family Draws Demonstrators to Antioch to start ‘meaningful conversations.’”Shaw Local News Network. June 11, 2020. Accessed December 2, 2022.  https://www.shawlocal.com/2020/06/09/family-draws-demonstrators-to-antioch-to-start-meaningful-conversations/ariq6xn/
5. Kunzer, Jamie. “Family Draws Demonstrators to Antioch to start ‘meaningful conversations.’”Shaw Local News Network. June 11, 2020. Accessed December 2, 2022.  https://www.shawlocal.com/2020/06/09/family-draws-demonstrators-to-antioch-to-start-meaningful-conversations/ariq6xn/
6.  “About BRIDGE.” BRIDGE Lake County. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.bridgelakecounty2020.com/about-b-r-i-d-g-e
7. “About BRIDGE.” BRIDGE Lake County. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.bridgelakecounty2020.com/about-b-r-i-d-g-e
8. “Accomplishments.” BRIDGE Lake County. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.bridgelakecounty2020.com/accomplishments
9. “Bridge.” Facebook Post. October 5, 2022. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/BridgeLakeCounty/posts/pfbid0yuPXxGNsCTDLWU1poXo79Exbz6b15PBQkp17NjuxqSzxdJKm73YPutL2K8rznAFAl
10. “Partners and Participants.” BRIDGE Lake County. Accessed December 2, 2022. https://www.bridgelakecounty2020.com/partners-participants