Wheaton church hosts forum on National Day of Racial Healing
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, Bethel New Life Church in Wheaton is hosting a “Faith and Action Forum: National Day of Racial Healing.” It will be held at 7 p.m. at the church, 1771 Wiesbrook Road, on the corner of Wiesbrook and Durfee.
A panel of prominent individuals will discuss current issues related to racial healing.
Panelists include: Byran Stewart, president of The Stewart Group and former treasurer of the Village of Maywood; Simeon Henderson, actor, producer, and director; Jhovanny Jimenez, educator and recent new arrival from Venezuela; Kymberlie Mills, Ph.D. student in forensic psychology and advocate for marginalized individuals; Imelda Salazar, community organizer, Southwest Organizing Project; and Cortez Watson Jr., director of innovative initiatives and evaluation, The Black Star Project.
The moderator for the evening will be Kenneth Phelps, president of Progressive Baptist State Convention of Illinois and pastor at Concord M.B. Church, Chicago.
The panelists will explore needs related to racial healing, possible action steps, and how the faith community can be involved.
The National Day of Racial Healing was created in 2017 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to bring people together to contemplate shared values, create a blueprint for healing from racism, inspire collective action, and create a more just and equitable world. The day, observed annually on the Tuesday after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, was established to promote racial healing as a way to end racial bias.
Co-sponsors for the event are the Progressive Baptist State Convention of Illinois, Concord Community Organization, and The Black Star Project.
The event is free to the public. For registration or questions, call (708) 856-7498.