Public radio from Western Michigan University 102.1 NPR News | 89.9 Classical WMUK
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Celebration is Focus of Kalamazoo's National Day of Racial Healing

NOTE: The Jan. 22nd event is canceled due to inclement weather. The new date will be announced on kalfound.org.

Lanna Lewis of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and activist-rapper Ed Genesis provide an update on an on-going racial healing project in Kalamazoo, as well as discuss the local observance of the third annual National Day of Racial Healing set for Jan. 22, timed for the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Credit Earlene McMichael | WMUK
Activist Ed Genesis & Lanna Lewis of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation

They say people will enjoy music, poetry, dance, the sharing of stories and food while learning more about the project at "The National Day of Racial Healing: Celebrating How We Heal" celebration planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Girl Scouts building, located at 601 W. Maple St. in Kalamazoo. The free event is open to the public and pre-registration is not required. Genesis will be the master of ceremony.

Lewis and Genesis were interviewed for WMUK's WestSouthwest podcast, where you hear a longer version of this interview (click here). You can subscribe to the podcast through Apple iTunes and Google.

The National Day of Racial Healing is the brainchild of the Battle Creek-based W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It was first observed in 2017 to kick off the foundation's Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation long-term initiative designed to combat structural racism. It's called TRHT for short.

Kalamazoo is one of 14 cities participating in the initiative. It's now one and half years into a five-year grant from the Kellogg Foundation.

Related Content