Dinner and dialogue in celebration of the National Day of Racial Healing

CARBONDALE, Ill., (KBSI) – Truth, healing, and transformation – three things people are embracing as a part of the National Day of Racial Healing.

At the Carbondale Civic Center people celebrated the day with dinner and dialogue. Event coordinator Dianah McGreehan said Martin Luther King Jr. Day followed by the National Day of Racial Healing can bring up a lot of feelings for people.

“There’s a lot of passion,” she said, “but also a lot of healing that needs to happen from the impact of racism throughout our history and today.”

The event is a part of a series of community discussions called “At the Table” funded by the Healing Illinois grant. Equity and Engagement Coordinator Sharonda Cawthon said these events help people understand other points of view.

“It’s very eye opening to be able to hear someone’s experiences and their wins and what they’ve experienced in their lifetime,” she said, “what their memories are — their first recollection of race or gender identity.”

Clo Johnson said attending these discussions has also taught her about herself.

“I learned a lot about me and I was able to just kind of think back and reflect on my own history — on racial reconciliation and just being involved in cross-cultural relations,” she said.

The theme of Tuesday night’s discussion was, forgiveness as a part of racial healing.

Cawthon spoke to everyone in the room and shared a quote about forgiveness.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, we must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.”

Johnson said forgiving others helps her, personally.

“Forgiveness is something that is healthy for us, even if that person never asks us to forgive them,” she said. “That is a debt that I will erase for someone, even if they don’t come to me and ask because it purges my soul. I don’t need to keep carrying that around with me.”