She graduated with a Master’s of Science in Sociology from Illinois State University in 2009, and went on to teach at Illinois State University, Heartland Community College, and Illinois Central College before joining Parkland College in 2010. In the Fall of 2015, Evelyn co-founded Black Lives Matter: Champaign-Urbana, a chapter of the national #Blacklivesmatter organization. She is also a member of the community group Build Programs, Not Jails, which has been working in opposition to the construction of new jails in Champaign County. Recently, Evelyn became a Board member for the Independent Media Center.