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Proclamation declaring January 18, 2022 to be National Day of Racial Healing in Allegheny County.
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WHEREAS, in 2017, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States, established the National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) as part of its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) process; and
WHEREAS, NDORH is an opportunity for people, organizations and communities across the United States to call for racial healing, bring people together in their common humanity, and take collective action to create a more just and equitable world; and
WHEREAS, every year, NDORH is celebrated on the Tuesday after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, with this year marking the Sixth Annual NDORH; and
WHEREAS, the process of healing is different for everyone and it can happen on a personal, cultural, and systemic level. For communities to heal we must lead with justice, working toward systemic change and transformation as well as engaging with others from different backgrounds. Everyone has a role to play in this transformation; and
WHEREAS, our region has been served by the efforts of many who have dedicated their time, talents, efforts, and experience to help us heal as a community. Locally, Dr. Jerome Taylor, PhD in Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh has been a leader in this effort; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor was instrumental in putting a group of talented individuals together in writing “No Justice and no Freedom in American Society and its Schools: Can Churches Enable Reversals of These Trends?” This group was made up of: Tommie Nell, MAPS Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Michael Tillotson, PhD in Africana Studies, State University of New York - Cortland, Lenall Thomas, MSW, PhD at Center for Family Excellence, Inc., Eugene Tull, DrPH, Inter-American Center for Public Health Improvement, Inc. in the Virgin Islands, and Willa Doswell, PhD, FAAN in the School of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh. The study was published in Black Theology: An International Journal; and
WHEREAS, additionally, Dr. Taylor founded Commission for Justice Works. The Commission will be led by faith-based organizations joined together with justice-minded leaders, associations, and institutions. Together, they will be trained and certified in methods for (a) uniting, rallying, and sustaining community commitment to nothing less than full achievement and maintenance of educational and social justice; and
WHEREAS, the following faith-based Commissioners are committed to the pursuit, achievement, and maintenance of educational and social justice in high-to-moderate-risk neighborhoods and communities: Rev. Dr. James McLemore, Chair, Rev. Dr. Darryl Canady, Rev. John Cook, Rev. Brenda Gregg, Rev. Stan Hood, Rev. Wade Jones, Elder Lee Michaels, Rev. Dr. Ronald Peters, Rev. Alec K. Piper, Abdur Rahman Shareef, Rev. LaWanna Simmons, Dr. Greta Stokes Tucker, and Rev. Yolanda Wright.
WHEREAS, another leader in racial healing studies was Larry Davis, former Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Mr Davis has sadly passed away but his work carries on; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was greatly involved in the “Parable of the Stool: Enabling Justice and Freedom - Even in Highly Challenged Neighborhoods, Communities and Nations.” Mr. Davis was part of a talented team of University of Pittsburgh academia in writing this document which focused on how four legs of a stool are interconnected and dependent on one another, like social justice and freedom; and
WHEREAS, besides Mr. Davis, this talented team was made up of: Pamela Connelly, Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, Waverly Duck, Director of Urban Studies in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Vincent O. Johnson, Director of Equity in the School of Law, Naudia Jonassaint, Vice Chair of Diversity for Department of Medicine in School of Medicine, Macrina Chelagat Lelei, Associate Director of the African Studies Program in the University Center for International Studies Department, Noble A-W Maseru, Director of Health Equity, Associate Dean for Diversity in School of Public Health, Leigh Patel, Associate Dean of Equity and Justice in the School of Education, and Jerome Taylor, Convener, Africana Studies in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that I, Allegheny County Council Member Olivia Bennett, do hereby recognize and declare January 18, 2022 to be National Day of Racial Healing in Allegheny County.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto caused the Seal of the County of Allegheny to be affixed this 18th day of January 2022.