Society For History And Racial Equity

TO RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND PROMOTE RACIAL EQUITY

THE SUMMIT ON RACISM AND YOUTH SUMMIT ARE ANNUAL EVENTS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. BOTH SUMMITS WERE VIRTUAL FOR 2021, ALLOWING FOR ROBUST ATTENDANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE YOUTH SUMMIT WAS MODERATED BY FORMER STUDENT INTERNS OF SHARE. OUR PANELIST WERE FROM FOUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION. THE PANEL FOCUSED ON UNADDRESSED RACISM IN THE CURRICULUM AND CLASSROOMS. STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT STEREOTYPES AND MYTHS THAT ARE SPOKEN ABOUT IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION SCHOOL DISTRICTS ABOUT STUDENTS OF COLOR AND HOW WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN COMBAT THAT. THIS CONVERSATION WAS A WAY TO HELP STUDENTS REFLECT ON THE IMPACTS ON RACISM AND PUBLICLY SPEAK TO THE GAPS AND DISPARITIES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE SUMMIT ON RACISM WAS FORMATTED INTO SIX SESSIONS. SPEAKERS WERE ASKED TO FOCUS ON KEY SPECIALTY AREAS: RACIAL EQUITY IN HOUSING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL COMPETENCIES, AND MOBILIZATION AND ACTION STEPS TO ELIMINATING RACISM IN KALAMAZOO. THE CONVERSATIONS WERE DESIGNED TO BUILD AWARENESS OF RACIAL DISPARITIES AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUED DISCUSSION, NETWORKING, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

RACIAL HEALING ORGANIZATIONAL WORK - SHARE WORKED WITH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE KALAMAZOO AREA TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT AS PART OF A COLLABORATIVE RACIAL HEALING PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDED ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT INVENTORY FOR PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS' EMPLOYEES, WORKSHOPS ON RACE, IMPLICIT BIAS, CULTURE COMPETENCY, AND EVALUATIONS AND ASSESSMENT. THIS PROGRAM HELPS ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY EVALUATE HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO WORK TOWARD ELIMINATING RACISM HERE IN KALAMAZOO.

ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS - WE CONCENTRATED ON ARCHIVING INTERVIEWS WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR OFFICE WORKED TO TRANSCRIBE AND RESEARCH THE BACKGROUND OF INDIVIDUAL SUBJECTS THAT WILL PROVIDE MATERIAL FOR PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS. WE BEGAN OFFERING A NEW PROGRAM IN 2021, TRIVIA NIGHT BINGO, WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN COME TOGETHER AND LEARN FACTS IN A FUN WAY. THIS EVENT GAINED TRACTION AND WE ARE NOW OFFERING IT AS A SERVICE TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE THROUGH THE POWER OF EDUCATION ON AFRICAN AMERICANS IN OUR COMMUNITY WE WILL THRIVE.

OTHER - WE ALSO WORK TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE ACKNOWLEDGED JUNETEENTH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY. WE WORKED TO PLAN AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND LEARN MORE ABOUT SHARE AND WHAT WE OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY.