City hosts “A Conversation on Race” as part of its 31st Annual MLK Commemoration

This post was written for the Aurora Independent.

To celebrate the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the City of Aurora has events scheduled throughout the month of January.  This year’s highlights included two sessions of a presentation and discussion titled ‘A Conversation on Race’ led by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Russell-Brown is the Chesterfield Smith Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law.

The first session was held at the Aurora Municipal Center at 2 pm in the afternoon, while a second was held at the Community College of Aurora in the evening on Wednesday, Jan 11 2017. Audience members included city staff and local residents.

Russell-Brown’s presentation, titled “fostering racial dialogue,” started with an interactive exercise where audience members were asked to conjure up images when certain racial groups were mentioned. She used this exercise on perception to point out how much of how we view these groups is based on media representation. She went on to talk about the idea of a post-racial society and how it assumes that conversations around race are no longer needed, when in reality informed dialogue is necessary to creating a more just society. She urged the audience to approach race-related discussions with caution and to not limit these conversations to dysfunctions and stereotypes of racial groups.

Her presentation included a brief look at how federal data on race is classified, including methodology used by the United States census to characterize race over time. She then talked about racial hoaxes, which are fabricated crimes and blame placed on a person because of their race. Russell-Brown noted that while the majority of such claims have been brought forward by whites, there is a small percentage of those from minority groups. She also noted that the media tends to portray the accused differently based on race, where if white – the accused is claimed to have committed a random act of senselessness and if black, the crime is portrayed as a hate crime. Russell-Brown noted that the lack of interaction between groups is what ultimately leads the public to believe such narratives.

She ended her presentation with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King’s lecture on the Quest for Peace and Justice. Dr. King noted that while mankind built bridges to span the seas and gargantuan buildings to kiss the sky, it lacked something basic - a sort of poverty of the spirit.

The audience was then able engage in a frank conversation around race, bringing up personal concerns about approaching the topic. Russell-Brown encouraged audience members to get tighter in small groups and have conversations on the topic, and to avoid painting groups of people with a broad brush. Parrish Gibson, a City employee who attended, noted the importance of “having frank, uncomfortable conversations” and said they are “the first step to dismantling the systemic problems we face every day. One of the great things about events like this is that everybody can walk away more knowledgeable. If each of us were to tell just one additional person what we learned, that’s progress.”

Malcolm Hankins, Director of Neighborhood Services at the City of Aurora, said “the discussion encouraged attendees to simply begin the dialogue and be open to others having differing views and level of understanding” and that “if the goal is unity among races (to walk together) we must first agree that walking together is ultimately good and be willing to start by having a conversation.” He said that the event was valuable in part because it gave permission to discuss race without the often-requisite focus on solving “problems” or the negative aspects of race. 

The celebration of Dr. King’s legacy continues this weekend. The following events will be held around the city:

Saturday, Jan 14th
Aurora Celebrates More Love & Kindness
5 pm, Heritage Event Center, 14401 E. Exposition Ave,
An evening of musical and cultural performances

Sunday, Jan 15th
Interfaith Service
4 pm, New National Church, 2001 Jamaica St.

Monday, Jan 16th
Motorcade, Wreath-laying and Marade
7:30 am, Meet at Aurora Municipal Center to drive collectively to Fletcher Plaza, 9898 E. Colfax Ave. for wreath-laying and then continuing to the state Marade at Denver City Park

African American Heritage Rodeo of Champions
6 pm, Denver Coliseum, National Western Stock Show (Tickets required for this event)

Monday, January 25th
MLK Dedication Luncheon
12 pm, Community College of Aurora, Centretech Rotunda (RSVP required for this event)