Leading Civil Rights & Racial Justice Organizations Observe the National Day of Racial Healing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       
January 19, 2021

CONTACT
Elana Needle, 201.248.9724
eneedle@unidosus.org

New York, NY – America faces a critical juncture in our history. The events of the past two weeks have highlighted the insidious nature of white supremacy, and the damage it causes to our democracy, national institutions, systems, psyche, policies, and infrastructure. In the shadow of a violent Capitol riot, leading racial equity organizations will pause to participate in the National Day of Racial Healing (#NDORH) on January 19 – a day recognizing the critical need to achieve racial equity and restore faith in our fellow citizens and our ability to move forward as a nation. Without healing, we cannot transform broken systems, mend fractured relationships, and ensure equitable COVID-19 relief and recovery.

But without accountability, we cannot have healing. Healing from this moment requires both acknowledging America’s racist history and calling for justice and accountability for the actions of white supremacist insurrectionists on January 6, 2021.

On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, communities, organizations, and individuals, across the country will take collective action during the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s fifth annual National Day of Racial Healing to celebrate our racial diversity and to reinforce and honor our common humanity. Among these organizations are the Racial Equity Anchor Institutions (“The Anchors”) supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The Anchors will create space to explore our common humanity and build the relationships necessary to create a more just and equitable world.

The purpose of the National Day of Racial Healing is to:

1. Reinforce and honor our common humanity, while noting and celebrating the distinct differences of our various communities.
2. Acknowledge the deep racial divisions in America that must be overcome and healed.
3. Commit to engaging people from all racial and ethnic groups in genuine efforts to increase understanding, communication, caring and respect.

The Anchors sustain a formal partnership that has seen them work collaboratively over the past nine years to clear barriers to a racially inclusive democracy, champion the humanity of undocumented communities and communities of color, organize to stop mass incarceration, and end the criminalization of Native, Black, Latino, and Asian communities.

The racial equity organizations have participated in the National Day of Racial Healing since its inception in 2017. The day was established by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation grantees and partners. The day is a call to action to mobilize communities, organizations, and individuals across the United States in support of truth, racial healing, and transformation. To participate in local events, please check the National Day of Racial Healing’s website. Participate online by following the hashtag #HowWeHeal or joining the national livestream.

Please feel free to participate in the below Racial Equity Anchor hosted #NDORH events:

• Advancement Project National Office will host a panel discussion Where Do We Go From Here? Racial Healing in 2021 – Join Advancement Project National Office on January 19 from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. EST for a conversation with leaders from the NAACP, UnidosUS, and the National Congress of American Indians as they discuss the meaning of racial healing in 2021 and how the nation can advance justice and begin the healing process in the wake of white supremacist violence. Register: https://bit.ly/3bFn1or
• UnidosUS’ blog will post a story on Jan. 19 showcasing two Affiliates that have been part of the W.K. Kellogg’s Truth, Racial, Healing, and Transformation (THRT) Gads Hill Center and Northwest Side Housing Center, in Chicago, Illinois, will discuss their experiences and their journey to heal.

Advancement Project National Office, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Demos, Faith in Action, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Urban League, Race Forward and UnidosUS are a collaborative of nine leading national racial equity anchor organizations supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Together, we work to promote racial equity, advance racial healing, and ensure that all children, families, and communities  — no matter the color of their skin or national origin — have genuine opportunities to reach their full potential.

###