Author Heather McGhee delivers the keynote at Cincinnati’s 2nd Annual National Racial Healing Day

About 1,500 people across the country participated in events during Inaugural Cincinnati Racial Healing Day Last year. Organizers are now focused on setting up an interactive racial healing circle in the community on Tuesday for the second local celebration of the nationally recognized day.

“Racial Healing Circles are truly a central part of the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation framework,” said Denisha Porter, director of All-In Cincinnati.

She said they are designed to provide a space that empowers people to share their personal truth and compassion in a thoughtful way, by co-facilitators who were trained in the practice last summer.

“They can begin or continue the journey they have embarked on to change hearts and minds, regarding issues of racial inequality, racial injustice, as well as the role we all play in racial healing” , Porter said.

In addition to Circles, author Heather McGhee is this year’s keynote speaker. She wrote “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Thrive Together”.

Tia Sherèe Gaynor, founding director of the Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation at the University of Cincinnati, said, “Often we think of racism as something that only affects those who bear the brunt of it. But really, thinking about how critical racism has been in many of the economic and financial crises we’ve had, and what the cost of racism is to everyone, including white people. »

McGee will speak at noon, before a yoga and mindfulness break at 1 p.m.

Porter and Sherèe Gaynor said this year’s event is also unique because it features the premiere of a documentary focusing on inequality and racism in four Cincinnati neighborhoods: West End/Over-the-Rhine, Avondale, Lincoln Heights and Kennedy Heights.

“I think what’s so powerful about the stories that are brought to light in the documentary is that they are emblematic of the challenges unfolding across the country,” Sherèe Gaynor said. “And so, although he’s focused on these four communities here in Cincinnati, the issues he’s talking about are very relevant and very present in communities across the country.”

The day-long event also features music from local artists and, at 7:30 p.m., a virtual program called Healing Through Dance w/ DJ Vader.

Free event registrations are available at Cincinnati National Racial Healing Day website.