:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/WCPBCDF7JBG2FEMJQJCDSBXXRE.jpg)
“Someday I am going to change the world.” Those words are the motivation to reconfigure relationships and reshape conversations based on the commonalities of citizenship rather than focusing on divisions by class and race.
Last year, on Sunday, June 19, which coincidentally fell on Father’s Day, we turned a page in which to write a different story that can be included in Joliet’s local history book. In line with this vision, the Joliet Area History Museum, led by Executive Director Greg Peerbolte, helped innumerably.
We joined forces to create an annual Juneteenth in Joliet celebration amid an atmosphere of nostalgia. The commitment will span a decade. Over the next nine years, supported by a range of stakeholders, we will develop programs designed to move beyond racial gridlock.
I thank Dennis Anderson, vice president of news for Shaw Media, which owns the Joliet Herald-News, and Tom Shaw, Shaw Media chief product officer, for the opportunity to keep you in the loop as we countdown the days to the second annual showcase. The format is the same this year. Every other week – beginning at the start of Black History Month – return here, to learn how you can help with the second annual Juneteenth in Joliet.
Last year was phenomenal. The participation from residents blew us away. The thing that was most empowering was the diversity in the audience. It cut across every demographic on the books. At one point, one of the entrepreneurial panelists paused to acknowledge and thank participants for caring.
The goal is to align with allies who want to take an active role in being the positive change that they want to see, here, in Joliet and by extension in every environment they enter. The goal is to align with allies, who will not point fingers at what is wrong. There are ample critics in the world. What the world needs, at the grassroots of community, is kind, positive, hopeful, optimistic individuals who will extend a hand to help however they can.
The next installment will recap last year. Until then, I want to leave you with this thought. It articulates the reason I am such a staunch advocate of Juneteenth in Joliet.
My desire is to:
• Leave something tangible and meaningful that withstands the test of time long after I’m gone.
• Leave something that illustrates while I was here my contribution was positive and enduring.
• Leave a footprint that was authentic, kind and driven by positive characters.
• Leave a blueprint for projects, programs and activities that improve local quality of life.
More than anything, to serve as an example of the way everyone can make an extraordinary difference working with a range of stakeholders at the grassroots of community.
I’m blogging daily on Medium.com. You can find my musings at tonithetalker. And I’m broadcasting weekly on WJOL 1340AM via my radio show “Toni Talks.” Tune in weekly at 10:05 a.m. on Sundays.
And save the date: Monday, June 19, for Juneteenth in Joliet 2023.
In the meantime, virtually flip through the Juneteenth in Joliet 2022 yearbook on our website: https://juneteenthwalkoflife.com/
• Toni Greathouse is an “Entrepreneurial Evangelist” whose purpose is spelled out in the letters of her first name – serving as a reminder to Take On Neighborhood Interaction and Try Out Novel Ideas.