Washington, D.C. (January 22, 2020) — It’s no secret that talking about racism and how to combat it remains a tough discussion.  But how do you really drill down and get to the root of the problem and find a place for healing? The W.K. Kellogg Foundation hosted a daylong program Monday at the Kennedy Center designed to get people to share their truth and build on a platform that can lead to racial healing.  It was all part of the 4th Annual Celebration of the National Day of Racial  Healing.

The program, which was streamed and included a live audience, featured Kellogg Foundation President and CEO La June Montgomery Tabron, actress Storm Reid, the Exonerated Five’s Raymond Santana, Baratunde Thurston, and Jamilah Lemieux, and many others.  They all discussed their experiences and ways to lead to a more just and equitable future for all.

Photo Courtesy of: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

“That’s the first step: it’s acknowledging that marginalized people, and specifically black and brown people, have been disproportionately penalized for countless years and it still continues to happen. But with conversations like this, in safe spaces like this, we’re able to progress,” said actress Storm Reid of Euphoria and A Wrinkle In Time. “The way we can make change is the willingness to be uncomfortable.”

Photo Courtesy of: W.K. Kellogg Foundation

“We’re able to move forward because we understand the narrative and control the narrative. The narrative is to talk to our young people and tell them how much power they have, how they can occupy these spaces of importance, and how they can make systematic change from within,” said the Exonerated Five’s Raymond Santana.

The event also highlighted work done by grantees in several communities across the U.S. implementing the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) process.

“We believe before we can work together to improve education, transform the criminal justice system, expand access to healthcare, create jobs, or make our communities more equitable overall, we have to confront how racism affects our shared history and our daily experiences,” said La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “We have to overcome differences. We have to bridge divides and heal relationships so we can work together, first and foremost. And that’s what we mean by healing.”

Among other topics, panelists discussed the power of youth, building trust between communities, and the upcoming 2020 census.

The event corresponded with a week of events across the country including in Chicago; Los Angeles; Dallas; Cincinnati; Jackson, MS; New York City; Selma, AL; Little Rock, AR; Detroit, MI; Versailles, KY, and more. Visit www.dayofracialhealing.org for a complete list of events and join the conversation online using the hashtag #HowWeHeal.

To watch the live stream of the event, see the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt_QjS6QcEk&feature=youtu.be