D. 204 hosts 3 virtual events for Black History Month

Joliet Township High School District 204 is hosting three events this week as part of its commemoration of Black History Month.

The events are part of District 204′s “commitment to cultivating an inclusive community that values and embraces diversity and respects the humanity of all people,” District 204 said in a news release.

Here are the events:

Tonight

The 8th Annual African American Read-In will be held 6 p.m. tonight on Zoom. It is presented by JTHS and the National Hook-Up of Black Women and hosted by Rev. Curtis Bryant Jr., senior pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Joliet.

Community members will contribute to the virtual celebration by reading short passages of work by African American authors.

To attend the event, visit jths-org.zoom.us/s/84149029437.

Thursday

Join JTHS Superintendent Karla Guseman at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on Zoom as she participates as a panelist in Rainbow Push Coalition’s free virtual event: “Shaping America’s Education Agenda – Furthering the Legacies of Historical Black Education.”

Guseman is one of six leaders in the educational community discussing opportunities for equity and equality in American’s Education System.

Sonya Whitaker, national educational policy director for Push Excel, will moderate the event.

To register for the event, visit bit.ly/3kchhVi.

Friday

Joliet Central’s Black Student Union and Joliet West’s Black Lives Matter Club will present “Being Black in America.” at 3 p.m. Friday.

The virtual panel discussion features attorney Gregory Reeder (Joliet West alumnus) of Reeder & Brown P.C.; realtor Carmen Carter (Joliet Central alumna) of Carter Realty Group; Dan Cochran, professor at Loyola University; and Christina Billy, a pediatric nurse specializing in neonatal care.

Joliet West alumnus, Ellis Wright, a saxophonist with Big Lagniappe, will provide the music.

The program will be held on Zoom. The webinar ID is 859 1563 0985. The passcode is 905587.