"Healing is the Way Forward"
-La June Montgomery Tabron
The National Day of Racial Healing
On January 17th, 2017, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation launched the first National Day of Racial Healing. As an extension of year-round TRHT work, this day is a time for communities and institutions to gather and take collective action against racial inequality. Since 2017, the day has been observed annually on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
The fifth annual National Day of Racial Healing took place on January 19th, 2021 and included over 90 virtual events featuring guest appearances from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Amanda Gorman, Hasan Minhaj, Yara Shahidi, Michael Eric Dyson, and John Legend.
2021 was also the first year that UMBC celebrated the day. The UMBC TRHT Campus Center hosted a campus-wide Letter Writing Campaign in support of the TRHT Congressional Resolution (S. Con. Res. 50), facilitated the signing of an additional letter of support for S. Con.Res.50 by UMBC leadership, and co-lead a Healing Circle with Spelman College.
Letter Writing Campaign
In recognition of The National Day of Racial Healing, UMBC hosted a campus-wide Letter Writing Campaign in support of the TRHT Congressional Resolution (S.Con.Res.50). Introduced by Senator Cory Booker, this concurrent resolution urges for the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation to acknowledge the country’s history of racism and work towards change. UMBC community members were invited to learn more about the resolution and craft letters to send to their local members of Congress.
UMBC leadership, including university president, Freeman Hrabowski, also signed a letter in support of the resolution, which received a positive response from Maryland Senator, Ben Cardin.
“Having university leadership sign on in support of this resolution is a big step...By taking this step, UMBC is sending a message to the campus community that inclusive excellence is not just a slogan but a virtue we live by.”
-Eric Ford
UMBC leaders and community support congressional resolution for national racial healing work