Juneteenth building bridges of understanding

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president emeritus of the Children’s Defense Fund, said it best, “It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.”

Event coordination for the second annual Juneteenth in Joliet reflects Edelman’s sentiment. Compassionate action is set in motion by a grassroots group of supporters. The Joliet Area History Museum offers an appropriate venue to raise awareness about uncomfortable truths.

During these polarized times listening to and empathizing with stories of African Americans goes a long way in building bridges of understanding. The day introduces the concept of ARTivism, which will be explained in the next installment.

Juneteenth extends an “edutainment” framework as the mechanism to bridge gaps. It paves a path that individuals can continue to travel to form inclusive, productive and tolerant relationships.

The introduction of the Black History Bingo meets Jeopardy game, helps us achieve that goal. In essence it is a thought provoking, conversation starter. The game is not designed as a tool to rehash past injustices or seek retribution from egregious sins. It’s designed to raise awareness about the crucial role African Americans have and continue to play in shaping U.S. history and culture.

This is the reason why Juneteenth offers the perfect opportunity to intentionally build bridges of understanding. The purpose is to engage diverse people with true stories. Magic happens when people of differing backgrounds agree to step outside their silos.

True citizen engagement, in an atmosphere that promotes listening, learning and the civil exchange of ideas helps attendees realize as community members we have far more in common to unite rather than divide us.

The Juneteenth program mirrors the efforts of past abolitionists, and activists who’ve increasingly inched the nation forward, which expanded the scope of democracy. We encourage people to explore and question incongruencies that do not support the narrative of democracy.

The vision is to extend a rich learning environment that bridges gaps created by willful ignorance or miscommunication. The mission tasks us to share, true and non-triggering historical accounts via entertaining and educational snippets.

Those snippets illustrate the unwavering commitment of African Americans whose individual determination and perseverance allowed them to face adversity, conquer obstacles and ascend to unimaginable heights.

The struggle for democracy is ongoing. It’s the common thread that’s woven throughout the fabric of this country. It’s the saving grace that has inevitably strengthened the nation’s tapestry.

We follow in the footsteps of centuries of citizen-led initiatives that have expanded the scope of democracy to create a more inclusive multiracial and multicultural society. I and a team of peers are answering the call for ordinary citizens to organize and take on the complex task of building bridges of understanding.

Locally, to keep hope alive toward creating real solutions to bridge the ever-widening gap, we must act on the complex task of finding common ground. Civil civic action is a step in the right direction.

It empowers diverse people to move one giant step forward. Each tiny effort aligns citizens in support a unified national agenda. That agenda extends, equally to all people. It prioritizes the alleviation of suffering, protects civil liberties and personal privacy, sustains economic and social justice.

Most importantly, support of a unified American agenda illustrates a commitment as global citizens to collaborate with countries worldwide to preserve peace.

• Toni Greathouse, who leads Juneteenth in Joliet, 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 & Try Out Novel Ideas.