YWCA Evanston/North Shore’s Equity Institute presents Racial Healing Week
Join us for Racial Healing Week, presented by YWCA Evanston/North Shore, in support of the National Day of Racial Healing. Taking place from January 15-19, 2024, this week-long event is dedicated to ending systemic inequity, restoring wholeness, and repairing the damage caused by racism.
Inspired by the National Day of Racial Healing launched on January 17, 2017, Racial Healing Week aims to bring people together, inspire collective action, and create a more just and equitable world. Through a series of events and reflections, we will shift mindsets and expand our understanding and imagination of the communities we want to live in.
See our highlighted YWCA event below:
January 17: Talk on Racial Healing with Esther A. Armah
In January, YWCA Evanston/North Shore’s Equity Institute will present Racial Healing Week – a week-long commemoration that can bring people together and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world.
On Wednesday, January 17, Esther A. Armah—acclaimed author of ‘Emotional Justice: A Roadmap for Racial Healing’—will walk participants through her racial healing roadmap. Participants will learn about Emotional Justice, its global origins and how it can shape one’s world and work. Together we will explore the question: what is your emotional work to do in pursuit of humanity-centered healing and justice? The event will open with a poem from Chicago-area based artist and author Atena O. Danner.
This event is funded with support from Healing Illinois, a grant from the IL Dept of Human Services.
Events to Know About:
January 11: Realizing MLK’s Dream on the North Shore: The Past, Present, and Future of Fair Housing
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood St, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
Join Open Communities and the Evanston History Center for an in-person presentation and discussion about the past, present, and future of fair housing in Evanston and the North Shore.
January 13: City of Evanston MLK Day Event
12:00 PM
Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.Evanston, IL, USA
The City of Evanston and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre invite members of the community to attend the ‘Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration’ on Saturday, January 13. The celebration will feature community performances while celebrating Dr. King’s legacy:
• Matthew Hunter, *MC
• Evanston Children’s Choir
• Faith Temple Combined Choir
• Family Singing Group MC4
• 1619: The Journey of a People
• ETHS Student Gracie Puricelli
• Pastor Carlis L. Moody, Jr., Faith Temple Evanston, *keynote speaker”
This is a free Evanston Community Sharing event.
January 14: FREE Concert at the Music Institute of Chicago, An MLK Celebration
3:00 PM
Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL, USA
Featuring award-winning MIC alumna violinist, Hannah White; a newly commissioned work from Nyandeng Juag through the Hearing in Color Young Composer Residency; young performers from Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative and Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play program; and performances from Music Institute of Chicago Academy, violist Neena Agrawal and the Music Institute Choral conducted by Daniel Wallenberg.
Plus: remarks from guest speaker Dr. Marcus Campbell, superintendent of Evanston Township High School District and Evanston Art Center exhibit, curated by Fran Joy.
January 15: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
A day to honor and celebrate the radical work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and, commit to systemic change, struggle, and reimagination. Keep an eye out for local community events that align with that mission.
January 16: National Day of Racial Healing
Visit the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s website for lots of information and events!
January 19: Reflection and Healing Workshop
We encourage you to engage in tools, resources, and activities that capture the work of the week and create actionable steps and commitments for moving forward. We recommend reading Esther A. Armah’s book, “Emotional Justice”.
We look forward to your participation in Racial Healing Week 2024 as we come together to heal, learn, and take action towards a more equitable future. Together, we can make a more equitable, compassionate world for all!