In partnership with the Michigan Transformation Collective and the National Day of Racial Healing, join a drop-in tour at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts on Sunday, January 19 from 1:30-2:30pm to explore and discuss art and artists who have used art for healing, to highlight resilience, promote community building, call attention to marginalization, showcase their voices, and more. Guests who join this interactive tour will be invited to share their experiences and perspectives as we work toward a brighter, more equitable future in Kalamazoo.

Upon your arrival at the KIA, please let the Information Desk staff know that you are attending the drop-in tour and your admission fee will be waived on this day.

Please note that this event will not be livestreamed or posted on YouTube.

This is the next installment of our Becoming Beloved Community series where we will have a conversation about the ways we can address the harm that racism has done in Amherst and how we can heal from it as a community. We will be located in the Amherst Regional Middle School cafeteria, food and beverages will be provided.

This 5-mile hike is about honoring both extraordinary and everyday individuals who have marched together to change the world and strive for equity. Reflecting on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and other freedom fighters, we’ll reflect on our common values, share stories of those who inspire us to work toward a more just and equitable world and explore ways to heal collectively from the impacts of racism.

Tour the BMAY2Y Beloved Community Art Installation and experience original art work that reflects diverse views of the journey to manifesting a Beloved Community thru the eyes of participants in our Beloved Community Academy. Participants will then be able to create their own unique recipes, with ingredients, to create a more diverse “Beloved Community” through their individual contribution. The evening will culminate with guests participating in a “Diversity Discuss, Dessert and Coffee” healing circle. All journey begin and continue towards the Beloved Community and the Train to Racial Healing! All Aboard!!!

Join us as community members tour our Beloved Community Art Installation, with art pieces that have been developed by individuals who participated in our Beloved Community Academy. Guests to the installation can then participate in creating their own customized recipes to create a Beloved Community. Participants will then be able to participate in a “Recipe Exchange” and discuss the ingredients they selected during a “Diversity Discuss, Dessert and Coffee” circle of healing. All expediences begin and continue on the Train to Racial Healing … destination “Beloved Community!” …
All Aboard!

The City of St. Louis Park, St. Louis Park Public Schools, St. Louis Park Community Education and Benilde-St. Margaret’s are partnering to host the third annual National Day of Racial Healing event. This event is an opportunity for children, teens, neighbors and community members to learn about each other’s diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and lived experiences. All are invited to participate in the community conversation. The event is free to attend and will include soup and light refreshments.

Keynote panelists:

Dr. Andrea Singh, chairperson of pediatrics, Health Partners/Park Nicollet

Dr. Patrick Duffy, director of teaching, learning, and leadership, St. Louis Park School District

Dr. Prince Corbett, director of racial equity, inclusion, and belonging, city of Minneapolis

Closing speaker:

Nadia Mohamed, St. Louis Park mayor

Music:

The Park Singers, St. Louis Park High School

I would love to see everyone I know working toward racial justice and racial healing. I am bringing small groups of people together around my dining room table to share their experiences with racism, to deepen awareness about individual racial biases, to listen to all experiences with respect and to remember that we are all impacted by racism. As white people we all have to be part of the conversation and practice speaking openly about ourselves and speaking out when we see injustice.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day of remembrance, celebration and action to honor his life and work. To ensure Dr. King’s vision remains at the forefront of our collective consciousness we are hosting a 12-hour prayer vigil on Monday, January 20, 2025 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET. The prayer vigil theme is “Praying Together, Acting Together: Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Justice, Unity, and Hope.” This initiative is part of a broader movement to promote justice, unity and hope.

Without empowerment, Racial Healing is not possible. At Raices del Saber Xinachtli Community School, children are empowered by constructing knowledge and participating in their identity formation. Over the week before Racial Healing Day, students and teachers will showcase examples of how this works, culminating on the 21st activities with parents, family, staff and community partners participating in a celebration morning and embracing diversity in a dialogue about decolonizing education.

This free program features inspirational speakers, musicians and performers. Local non-profit organizations will be on hand to provide information about their services. Per tradition, the program closes with local youth reading the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. We also plan to share information about the National Day of Racial Healing and it’s Conversation Guide.