Hello, everyone. On this National Day of Racial Healing, we come together to honor the transformative work of countless community members and advocates all across Chicago.
Each of you have dedicated time and energy to the ongoing journey for racial healing and justice.
While progress has been made thanks to you, we are still very much on this healing journey.
Throughout our nation's history, there has often been resistance to our voices being heard,
be it our personal and collective experiences with racism,
or the mere discussion of creating a more inclusive, multiracial democracy.
Resistance can feel overwhelming, but in the face of these pressing challenges,
we must stand firm and continue to push for true healing.
The city of Chicago's commitment must be more than verbal assurances, and that is why I am grateful that this past year we put healing words into action.
For example, we celebrated the city's Together We Heal Creative Place program, a six million dollar investment where artists, community leaders and organizations have activated spaces to promote healing and identify solutions to the challenges created by racial inequities.
We also concluded our Disrupting Segregation Bus Tours with Tanika Johnson's Folded Map Project and Sherman Dilla's Chicago Mahogany Tours, creating an immersive experience that promotes dialogue about the impact of segregation in Chicago and how we can move forward together.
We are supporting the Chicago Monuments Project with a $6.8 million grant to memorialize Chicago's history as it relates to racial justice.
And last year, the city of Chicago made a commitment to address the historical harms committed against black Chicagoans and their ancestors through the form of reparations.
Today, we reflect on our past while reimagining our future.
Tomorrow, the work continues.
I call on all of you to think about how we can collectively build partnerships to support communities and initiatives that promote healing.
Thank you again for your commitment to healing and unity throughout Chicago and our nation on National Day of Racial Healing.