Title
Special Recognition - Proclamation Recognizing National Day of Racial Healing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Proclaim January 20, 2026 as National Day of Racial Healing.
Report
Issue:
Whether to proclaim January 20, 2026 as National Day of Racial Healing.
Staff Contacts:
Olivia Salazar de Breaux, Culture and Belonging Manager, Parks, Arts and Recreation Department, 360.753.8343
Keli Drake, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator, Human Resources Department, 360.753.8478
Presenter(s):
Kyeshia Likely, Executive Director of Community Engagement, South Sound YMCA
Larry Jefferson, President, NAACP of Thurston County
Victoria Harmon, Regional Manager, Timberland Regional Library
Background and Analysis:
The National Day of Racial Healing is an annual observance held the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It brings people together to acknowledge our common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world. The City of Olympia began observing the day in 2023 in recognition of how racial healing restores individuals and communities to wholeness, repairs damage caused by racism and transforms societal structures into ones that affirm the inherent value of all people.
This year the City was awarded a grant from the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and W.K. Kellogg Foundation to host National Day of Racial Healing activities. The City invited community members to submit artwork for an art exhibit that explores the question, "What does racial healing look like?" It will be displayed at Olympia City Hall and The Olympia Center from January 15 through February 28, 2026. The City will also host a Community Conversation on Racial Healing January 17, 2026 at The Olympia Center. Partners include the South Sound YMCA and Olympia Timberland Library.
Climate Analysis:
This is not expected to impact carbon emissions.
Equity Analysis:
Thi...
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