
Black Lives Matter SPI
Springfield, IL

Our
Team

Khoran Readus is a lifelong resident of Springfield, Illinois and has a Master's Degree in Social Work specializing in Leadership and Social Change from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She played an integral role in the Domestic Violence Division at the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office for over fifteen years. The majority of her tenure she supported and championed the rights of victims of violent crimes, as well as trained incoming domestic violence attorneys on criminal court processes while providing them with insight and guidance when working with community members who fall under historically marginalized populations and lower socioeconomic classes.
Readus’s job responsibilities at the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office ultimately gave her first-hand knowledge of how and why racial disparities transpire within the criminal justice system and is greatly responsible for her profound passion in the fight for criminal justice reform.
In 2016, Readus became the co-founder of Black Lives Matter-Springfield and has been active in engaging with Springfield’s Black community, becoming both a voice and protector of the unheard community. Readus is also the founder of the Brown Bag 217- Summer Food Program, created in 2016. The brown bag program collects breakfast and lunch food items from donors and delivers them directly to the homes of families with children in Springfield, IL during the summer months. Readus is very active in her community, wears many hats, and loves recruiting the assistance of her fellow community members to help those in need.
Sunshine Clemons is a lifelong community advocate, who has spent most of her life in Springfield, since moving from East St. Louis at an early age.
Sunshine co-founded the local Black Lives Matter SPI chapter in Springfield driven by the hurt and anger that the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile incited. These tragic events inspired a rally. That rally eventually led to the creation of the local chapter, with the goal of making a concentrated effort here in Springfield to implement changes to local law enforcement, the community at-large, and the day to day lives of Black people in the city of Springfield.
Sunshine's main objective is to help create a better relationship between the local community and those who are supposed to support them. Whether it be law enforcement, the judicial system, elected officials, business owners, or the everyday citizens who can help implement real and lasting change.
Sunshine is also a founding member of Springfield Call to Action, a coalition of organizations committed to justice, including racial, religious, gender, economic, social, & environmental.
Black Lives Matter SPI co-led by Sunshine, received the Humanitarian Service Award from The Greater Springfield Interfaith Association and won the readers poll category of “Best Affirmation that Black Lives Matter” from the Illinois Times, both in 2020.
Sunshine was a 2021 Black History Month Honoree recognized by Comptroller Susana Mendoza and was awarded the 2022 Bridge Builder Award from CORAL for her work to build bridges and support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Anna Schneider was born in the rural town of Quincy, Illinois and has a Master’s Degree in Social Work specializing in Leadership and Social Change from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
From 2008 – 2019, Anna lived in Springfield, Illinois where she developed expertise in advocacy and public policy specifically in the areas of education, youth development, and behavioral healthcare. She led a communication’s campaign at Advance Illinois for equitable school funding for Illinois’ public schools and executed a 5-year fundraising plan to expand programming at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois.
She currently works in public policy and Medicaid managed-care at the Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois where she advocates for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. Anna continues to dedicate her life to elevate the experiences of Black and Brown people as well as to advance equitable resources and opportunities for Black and Brown communities throughout Illinois.
She currently resides in Chicago with her daughter, where she enjoys weightlifting, playing piano and learning Spanish.

Tiffani Saunders has worked in health care since July 2021. Prior to that, she was lecturer of Sociology and African American Studies at University of Illinois Springfield for 10 years. There, she was a leading voice for DEI considerations in teaching and faculty recruitment; she also co-chaired the Chancellor's Anti-Racism and Social Justice Task Force. Tiffani is an avid volunteer, giving her time and expertise to organizations, boards, panels, and workshops. She is committed to making the world around her more equal, more just, and more accessible. Her career and volunteering work toward that goal.

Robbie Donaldson-Myles was born in Jackson, TN. and has resided in the city of Springfield, IL for over 30 years. Robbie has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Springfield (UIS) and just a few weeks away from obtaining a Master’s of Social Work Degree (MSW) from Aurora University. Robbie has always been a voice for the voiceless with a passion
for helping and advocating for people. Robbie’s mission in life has been ensuring that every community member has access to the opportunities available to be successful. Robbie has worked with Social Service Organizations for the last 30 years with the unhoused, mental health, substance abuse, elderly, youth and their families. Robbie is currently working in child welfare with the Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Welfare Specialist. Robbie believes in the mission of Black Lives Matters Springfield and is happy to be joining the Board of Directors. Robbie plans to help in any way possible to create positive change in places where a disproportionate number of people are underserved and underrepresented. Good trouble, as the late John Lewis would say, is what I hope to add to this amazing group of leaders.