On January 21 at 1:45 pm, as part of the National Day of Racial Healing 2025, the museum and WSU’s English Department will host a reading and open mic program in response to the theme of the day, “Keep on Pushing: Building Bridges to Sustainability.” Readers will include WSU Campus Civic Poets & finalists, creative writing students and faculty, and student editors of WSU creative writing publications. All students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to bring a poem to read during the open mic portion. Poems may be original compositions or selected from the work of another author, though they should engage with the themes of the day. Before and after the program, visitors are encouraged to view current museum exhibitions, including “The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation” and “Your Collection: Faculty Remix”.

In collaboration with the Holland Terrell Library’s Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC), the event will be accompanied by a letterpress printing of a relevant poem. This program takes place live in the museum’s Pavilion Gallery and will be livestreamed on the WSU Global Campus YouTube channel.

LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus.

You are invited to join Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) & Little Black Pearl for a day filled with creativity and healing vibes. Engage your imagination as we explore the power of art in bringing love, peace and human connection to our lives. This event is all about exploring creative outlets and social platforms as vital tools for sharing our narratives and sustaining our stories for future generations. Collectively, we will lean into our shared humanity – listening deeply, sharing authentically, and holding space for healing. We earnestly believe that art, as a powerful tool for storytelling and narrative change, has the ability to transform policies toward racial equity, helping to close the persistent wealth and health gaps in Chicago and beyond. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to nurture your heart space and express yourself through various art forms, in community at the heart & soul of Bronzeville.

One Day, TWO community events:

Sun Up: (Free Event)
2pm – 4pm: Creative Arts Open House: Podcast studio, Customization Art lab, TRHT documentary viewing, Healing Art Exhibition and more!
4pm – 6pm: Panel & Community Discussion w/LeeAnn Trotter, NBC5: BE with us, stand with us and share your voice!

Sun Down: (Paid Event)
7pm – 9pm: BLACK UNPLUGGED: A Concert for Peace & Social Justice

Join MSU Libraries and WKAR for a screening of the award-winning documentary, Fannie Lou Hamer’s America as part of the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration. Fannie Lou Hamer was a leader in the civil rights movement, founder of the Freedom Democratic Party in Mississippi and the organizer of Freedom Summer, a volunteer-based campaign launched in the summer of 1964 in order to register as many Black voters in Mississippi as possible. FANNIE LOU HAMER’S AMERICA, a documentary produced by her grand-niece Monica Land and winner of Best TV Feature Documentary or miniseries at the IDA Awards, is a portrait of a civil rights activist and the injustices in America that made her work essential. Through public speeches, personal interviews and powerful songs of the fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist, Fannie Lou Hamer’s America explores and celebrates the lesser-known life of one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A featuring Tamera Carter (Lansing City Council), Trini Pehlivanoglu (Lansing City Council) and Cindy Villarreal-Medina (Student, MSU College of Social Science), moderated by Erika Vallejo (PhD Candidate, Political Science). The panel will reflect on Hamer’s impact on today’s social justice movements and explore the ongoing fight for equity in the United States.

The event is open and free to the public. Registration is encouraged. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

For its observance of the National Day of Racial Healing, the City of Olympia’s Committee on Diversity & Equity is hosting a lunch and learn about NDRH on January 16th for our workforce and has created a community-art project in City Hall exploring the following question: What would racial healing look like to you?

Imagine a world where everyone feels safe, respected and included, no matter what they look like or where they come from. What would that world look like to you? How would people treat each other, and what could we do to make that happen in our schools, neighborhoods or families?

The invitation has gone out to our community and the Olympia School District and includes our workforce.

To Participate
Create a piece of artwork in any form that can fit on a small piece of paper. It can be an image like a drawing or painting or in written form like a poem on a 3.5” x 5” or 4”x6” card. Drop off your art at City Hall anytime before the end of the month (By January 17th to be included on the NDRH) or email to DEI@ci.olympia.wa.us to be considered for inclusion in the display.

There are other events happening throughout the community. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to CDEadministration@ci.olympia.wa.us.

The National Day of Racial Healing is also a good opportunity to open up spaces for conversation, either one-on-one or with small groups in your neighborhoods, community spaces and organizations. A conversation guide and other resources can be found at www.DayofRacialHealing.org.

The University of Michigan School of Social Work Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is hosting The National Day of Racial Healing. Join us as we observe The National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH), a day dedicated to fostering understanding, truth-telling and collective action for racial healing and justice. Held annually on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, this event provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and communities to come together in pursuit of a more just and equitable world.

This year, we will explore the historical context of NDORH and engage in a powerful interactive experience: The 1,000 Cut Journey, developed by the Cogburn Research Group. Achieving racial justice requires a deeper understanding of racism and this immersive virtual reality (IVR) project allows participants to step into the “virtual shoes” of an avatar who encounters various forms of racism. By viscerally experiencing these moments, participants gain insights into the lived realities of racism and the urgent need for systemic change.

We invite community members to join us in this transformative experience as we continue our commitment to racial healing and equity.

Join the Truth, Racial Healing and TransformationTM (TRHT) Initiative at Emory University for the 9th Annual National Day of Racial Healing, January 21–23, 2025. Events begin with opening remarks by Dr. Gail Christopher, Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and architect of the TRHT framework, followed by a panel exploring healing-centered approaches to bridging divides and building inclusive communities.

Before the Jane Elliot lecture, we invite you to participate in Rx Racial Healing Circles from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. with virtual and in-person options. These circles aim to help us reflect on our shared values and create a blueprint for #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism.

Racial healing circles are an experiential process by which, through story-telling and deep listening, we can engage with perceived others to build trust and deepen relationships, enabling self-reflection and acknowledgment of one’s previously unquestioned assumptions and biases.

Sign up through RSVP link.

Attorney Gerald Griggs will educate and inspire as he explores the intersections of resistance, hope, and education. His talk will challenge us to reflect on our roles in bending the arc of the universe toward justice while equipping us with tools to overcome barriers. “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”- Martin Luther King, Jr.

The National Day of Racial Healing – always held the Tuesday after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – centers around experiences rooted in truth-telling, offering people, organizations and communities a day set aside for racial healing, bringing people together to take collective action for a more just and equitable world.

This event is a hybrid option and will be held in person and over Zoom.

Seeds of Healing: The Opening Event for the National Day of Racial Healing 5-Day Series

Begin an extraordinary journey of collective healing and transformation with Seeds of Healing, a racial healing circle and food fellowship that launches our 5-day series honoring the National Day of Racial Healing 2025. This immersive gathering sets the tone for a week dedicated to reflection, growth and community empowerment as we explore the theme of How We Heal.

Seeds of Healing: The Opening Event

Guided by skilled facilitators, this sacred racial healing circle invites you into a sacred space of storytelling, connection and truth-telling. Together, we’ll break through barriers, honor our shared humanity and uncover the strength to heal racial wounds. This is a moment to embrace vulnerability, ignite courage and reimagine what’s possible when communities commit to transformation.

The 5-Day Series: How We Heal
Aligned with the goals of the National Day of Racial Healing 2025, this transformative series offers daily opportunities to engage in healing and justice through:

Reflection: Guided moments to pause, process and deepen understanding of personal and collective healing.
Education: Workshops and dialogues exploring racial equity, community resilience and actionable steps toward justice.
Art: Creative expressions like painting, poetry and performance as pathways to healing and transformation.
Storytelling: Sharing and amplifying diverse narratives that honor truth, resilience and cultural richness.
Connection: Interactive events that build meaningful relationships and foster a shared commitment to equity and unity.

This is more than an event—it’s a movement toward healing, equity and transformation. Let Seeds of Healing inspire and energize you to carry this spirit into 5 days of profound experiences as we honor the National Day of Racial Healing 2025.