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Virtual convening of The People’s Gathering to facilitate timely conversations about race

Virtual convening of The People’s Gathering to facilitate timely conversations about race

Posted by:
April 6, 2021
By PLU Marketing and Communications

Pacific Lutheran University’s Campus Ministry and Center for Graduate and Continuing Education will co-host the spring virtual convening of The People's Gathering: A Revolution of Consciousness (TPG) conference on April 22, 2021 centered on the topic Anti-Racism, Advancement Advocacy: What is it AND how do we engage?

The People’s Gathering: A Revolution of Consciousness conference is a professional and personal development learning experience that provides a supportive space where participants can engage in frank and open dialogue about race and racial disparities systemically present in work, school, and everyday life. A host of local and national social justice scholars and leaders from Indigenous, Asian, Black, Latino, Multiracial, Pacific Islander and, white communities will lead small group discussions.

“This conference provides a platform for real talk to happen around the messy and murky issues of race that many people tend to avoid,” said Melannie Denise Cunningham, PLU’s Director of Multicultural Outreach and Engagement and TPG’s producer and host.  It offers a supportive space for participants to examine their mindset, confront their biases and develop an action plan to be anti-racist,” she said.

 Lua Pritchard, executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center and a race dialogue presenter on the conference program, believes TPG to be timely and necessary. “With the current rise of Asian hate, this long-established conference and the way it is designed offers our AAPI community an infrastructure and opportunity to gather for authentic dialogue, healing, and advocacy.”

 TPG is presenting an impressive line-up of featured speakers who include: Carmen Best, MSNBC analyst and retired Seattle Police Department chief; Sakara Remmu, founder and lead strategist for the Washington Black Lives Matter Alliance; the Honorable Justice G.Helen Whitener of the Washington State Supreme Court; and, Dr. Karen A. Johnson, director of the Washington State Office of Equity.

“If you are interested in living your legacy by doing your part in 2021 to dismantle systemic racism, you will want to register for this year’s People’s Gathering,” said Johnson.

 For more information about the April 22 convening of “The People’s Gathering: A Revolution of Consciousness,” visit the event webpage

Thank you to our generous sponsors: The Bamford Foundation, WSECU, Korsmo Construction, and Key Bank.

Melannie Denise Cunningham, PLU Director of Multicultural Outreach & Engagement
Melannie Denise Cunningham, PLU Director of Multicultural Outreach & Engagement