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Binghamton University's First National Day of Racial Healing Event
Registration
Registration is now closed (this event already took place).
Details
http://bit.ly/4h4wx32
Binghamton University is proud to observe the National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH) on January 21,2025, in University Union Mandela Room, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This event offers individuals, organizations, and communities an opportunity to come together to reflect on the importance of equity, unity, and justice. The day will feature activities designed to promote education, self-reflection through healing circles, roundtable discussions, community networking, and participation in various art forms, inspiring participants to take meaningful action.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all invited to join this full-day event. Registration is required for the morning sessions, noontime lunch, and the Witness to Injustice exercise and will take place on the B-Engaged Platform.
OPENING SESSION:
Please join us for a continental breakfast and opening ceremony in the Mandela Room as we launch a full day of engaging events to observe our inaugural National Day of Racial Healing. In this session you will learn about the purpose of racial healing, its importance for building authentic relationships and ways to make small changes in your community so that healing can occur beyond this event. Invite friends, students, and colleagues to this gathering to partake in this experience. We will have opening words by the Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON), a welcome message from our campus leaders, and a musical selection from the Binghamton University Gospel Choir followed by information on our day of events planned!
BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
Art Exhibit: UU124
Join the Binghamton University Art Museum and explore how art can be used to bridge racial divides and help spark conversations about healing. Featuring works by Ed Wilson, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Chiura Obata, and Tony Ganye, participants will be able to create their own mini exhibitions and have meaningful discussions about how art can be used as a prompt for deep talks about race and racial healing. Guests will also have the opportunity to have hands-on experiences with two works of art.
Intercultural Story Telling Circle: UU122 & UU121
We invite you to join us to learn about and experience UNESCO Story Circles, an approach to intercultural learning which is applicable to many community and educational settings. Story Circles is based on the time honored tradition of storytelling. In the UNESCO-designed methodology, participants gather in small groups to share stories of their personal experience with difference, listening to each other to understand the meanings in each other's narratives.
Restorative Community Building Circle: UU123
We invite you to join us for a structured and inclusive gathering designed to foster trust, understanding, and relationships within a group. Participants sit in a circle, emphasizing equality and connection, and engage in open dialogue guided by a facilitator who uses intentional prompts or questions. The process encourages active listening, empathy, and mutual respect, creating a safe space for individuals to share their experiences, perspectives, and feelings. By promoting collaboration and understanding, these circles help build stronger, more cohesive communities while addressing challenges constructively and fostering a culture of belonging and accountability.
Faculty Panel: Advancing Equity Through Research, Teaching and PracticeFaculty: UU111
panelists will share how they advance unity, equity and justice through their teaching, research and practice. Panelists will highlight unique approaches to peacebuilding, addressing racism on college campuses, reconciliation and dialogue, and youth engagement. Panelists will also offer action steps for attendees.
NOONTIME SESSION:
Please join us for a community dining experience in the Mandela Room. This is an opportunity to meet community members while sharing how the morning events impacted you. During this time community members will engage in Spoken Word, we will have a recap on the morning sessions, and enjoy music from local talent. Following this session, registered participants will move to the Witness to Injustice session next door.
WITNESS TO INJUSTICE SESSION:
This unique, three-hour interactive circle exercise uses participatory education to share the troubling history of colonization experienced by Indigenous Peoples. The program fosters truth, understanding, and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants, particularly within the territory stewarded by the Onondaga Nation and other Haudenosaunee peoples. Learn more here.
Important Note: Participants in the Witness to Injustice exercise must commit to the full three hours (1pm-4pm) to minimize disruptions and to ensure a supportive environment is provided for all involved.
About The National Day of Racial Healing
The National Day of Racial Healing was established in 2017 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as part of its Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) initiative. The day emphasizes the collective responsibility of individuals, institutions, and communities to dismantle systemic racism and build a society rooted in equity and mutual respect. Learn more here.
Binghamton University is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please contact Dr. Ada Robinson-Perez, (arobins@binghamton.edu, 607-777-3660) to request accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.