National Day of Racial Healing is on January 16 and Elon will have an event to honor the day.
The Office of Inclusive Excellence Education and Development is collaborating with the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education to celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing on Tuesday, Jan. 16, with a “How We Heal” community dinner and dialogue.
“Engaging in dialogue allows us to listen, reflect and strategize action steps to move towards Elon’s vision for Inclusive Excellence,” said Carla Fullwood, director of inclusive excellence education and development. “These activities can be impactful during the current social climate and align closely with some of our Elon values – fostering respect for human difference and emphasis on relationship rich education.”
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation began its annual observation of the Tuesday following Martin Luther King Jr. Day as National Day of Racial Healing in 2017. The event is a call to action that works with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s national Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation effort, which is a community-based process that seeks to bring transformational and sustainable change. This process helps individuals learn how to build relationships, understand community and trust.
Elon University first hosted an event for the National Day of Racial Healing in 2022. Elon has been celebrating and hosting events since.
“The purpose of National Day of Racial Healing is to promote racial healing by offering space for individuals who experience racial inequity to share their truths and to strengthen relationships across all racial identities,” Fullwood said.
The National Day of Racial Healing also serves as a time for people to reflect on the past year and to regroup for the current year. This day is a time for coming together and working on this healing journey.
“It is important to learn about National Day of Racial Healing because this day promotes building strong relationships across racial and other identity differences through reflection and storytelling,” Fullwood said.
National Day of Racial Healing Community Dinner & Dialogue
Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. McKinnon Hall
The National Day of Racial Healing serves as a moment for reflecting on our shared values and collaboratively crafting the blueprint for #HowWeHeal; a chance to unite all individuals in their shared humanity and create action toward building a more just and equitable world. Spots are limited. Registration is required.