Youth reflection on racial healing

by Cianna Hobson, age 10

EDITOR’S NOTE: Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Kalamazoo celebrated the 4th annual National Day of Racial Healing on Jan. 21, 2020. Racial healing is a process we can undertake as individuals, in communities and across society as a whole. In healing, we recognize our common humanity, acknowledge the truth of past wrongs and build the authentic relationships capable of transforming communities and shifting our national discourse.

This year’s celebration focused on youth and the important role they play in healing and transforming our community now and in the future. During the program, TRHT debuted Truth Talk, a series of intimate conversations with community members that center truth-telling and relationship building. Cianna Hobson, a student at Arcadia Elementary, participated in Truth Talk and National Day of Racial Healing and shared her thoughts with us.

I went to the Public Media Network for a podcast called Truth Talk with Ed Genesis and I had a spectacular experience. It really taught me about other people’s ideas and opinions about the question “What is Racial Healing to you?” It got me thinking that there is really more than just my idea or opinion on this question. Everyone has their own ideas to what racial healing means.

I also loved the idea of them showing the podcast at National Day of Racial Healing. I thought it was cool to show that kids can be interested in racial healing and not just toys, video games and phones.

When I was in the podcast, we mostly talked about coming together and bonding and when we showed people our conversation, I think we accomplished bringing people together. I really thought that this was a good idea to have Truth Talk with younger kids because some kids need to learn about this type of stuff. Some people have had to deal with racial harm and people need to know how to recover from it.

Cianna Hobson, age 10, attends Arcadia Elementary.

I would like to thank TRHT Kalamazoo for giving me this opportunity to share my thoughts about racial healing and I would also like to thank the Public Media Network for supporting and giving us a space to talk about this and promote racial healing and give young people a chance to talk together.

TRHT Kalamazoo, hosted by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, is a community-based movement to bring about transformational and sustainable change to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. Learn more at trhtkzoo.org.