A National Day of
Racial Healing
By Lenice C. Emanuel, MLA
Executive Director
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Knowledge is
Power
is a bi-weekly blog by the Alabama Institute for Social Justice offering information, stories, and thoughts to inspire, educate, and empower.
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On the heels of the 2016 presidential election came a heightened level of unrest and uncertainty for many American people, especially people of color. As much as we’d like to believe that equality and justice prevail for each and every one of us, the last year has been a constant reminder that, although we have come far, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all Americans benefit from the opportunities, freedoms, and justices which only some have been privileged to receive.
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To provide a platform that promotes racial equality and the celebration of our unique differences, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation established the National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH). NDORH takes place on the Tuesday following the observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and works to continue the conversation and efforts towards healing the racially charged past, and often tense present, of the country. “Racial healing is a process we can undertake as individuals, in communities, and across society,” says Kellogg Foundation president and CEO La June Montgomery Tabron. “At the Kellogg Foundation, we are committed to racial healing in order to create vibrant futures for children. The National Day of Racial Healing is a powerful platform for highlighting the healing work already underway and widening the circle of leaders committed to transforming their communities through this essential work.”
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The inaugural NDORH in January of 2017 was birthed as a collaboration among more than 550 U.S. leaders. It is important to not only recognize communities of various racial, ethnic, and religious cultures, but to also provide safe, creative spaces to foster celebrations of those differences. The more people who are actively involved in erasing racial barriers and participating in conversations that call for more thoughtful engagement with others of different backgrounds, the sooner the country will start to heal. Accordingly, we at Alabama Institute for Social Justice are making plans to commemorate NDORH and want to enable you to do the same.
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So what can you do in support of NDORH? You can participate in any number of events that will take place in cities across the United States, including panel discussions, museum tours, service activities, concerts, and more. To find out about NDORH celebrations, please visit
www.healourcommunities.org
. If you decide to participate in activities in your community, be sure to let everyone know by using the hashtag #NDORH on all of your social media platforms.
Working together, we can truly make a difference!
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