A racist incident at a local grocery store has prompted a new community-driven campaign in Croton-on-Hudson, as the IDEA Advisory Committee grappled with how to respond to discrimination within the constraints of village government. At the committee's January 9 meeting, member Millie shared that her children were the targets of a racist incident at Shoprite on December 11th. The event generated an outpouring of community support but also underscored persistent issues of racism in the village. In response, Millie proposed the "Croton Loves All" campaign, a grassroots effort designed to foster belonging through public visibility—such as lawn signs, decals, and apparel—alongside a digital presence and local business partnerships. Because the IDEA Committee operates as a village government body, it cannot directly run or finance the campaign. However, committee members agreed to support the initiative as private citizens, with members like Cara and Karen offering design and communications assistance. Millie aims to launch the initial phase of the campaign within two weeks. Additionally, committee member Faith will present the concept to the Village Board to seek an official support statement or proclamation. The meeting also highlighted the practical limitations the committee faces. With only $200 remaining in its budget for the fiscal year ending May 30th, any significant new programming requires future funding. The committee agreed to draft a comprehensive programming "wish list" and submit a formal budget request for fiscal year 2026/2027 by the end of February. Looking ahead to February, the committee is actively planning cultural celebrations. Faith will reach out to the Asian Arts New York Chinese Cultural Center to secure a lion dancer for a Lunar New Year event, which may require a special off-cycle budget request. Meanwhile, Vanessa, Romy, and Faith are coordinating a Black History Month celebration with the family resource center and the school district, exploring potential speakers including Jamia Wilson, Samino Makapadai, and Felicia Villanueva. In administrative news, the committee established a formal public comment protocol for future meetings, granting non-members three minutes to speak on agenda items. The committee is also exploring restarting ESL classes through the school district and developing translated village documents for Spanish speakers. The date of the next working session will be determined via a scheduling poll sent to members.