Katy Agans
Contributing Writer
Spring is in the air! Days are getting longer, and spring break is just around the corner. As February draws to a close, it’s time to look back and see how Dominican has and continues to, celebrate Black History Month.
Banners in support of Black History Month hang in the social hall, flags fill the staircase in the Rebecca Crown Library, and different departments have come together to create a packed event schedule, according to Jamal Patterson, the assistant director/African American and Black student coordinator for the CCL.
Some of the events put on this year include:
- Mobile Museum of Tolerance
- Sunday Family Dinner
- Equalitea
- Black and African American Affinity Circle for Students
- Kelwin Harris Our Road to Equality and Resilience
- Interfaith Panel on Black Joy
- Food and Music Festival for Black History Month
- Gospel Mass
- Hiplet Ballerinas
One of the biggest events happening on campus to celebrate Black History Month is the Keynote event featuring Chief Judge Timothy Evans of the Circuit Court of Cook County on Feb. 26, according to Nkuzi Nnam, philosophy professor and founding director of the Black World Studies department.
Evens was first elected Chief Judge of Cook County in 2001. As Chief Justice, Evans oversees over 400 judges throughout the Court’s 10 court divisions and six districts.
While serving as Chief Justice, Evans advocates for causes such as domestic violence, mental health, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and more.
Evans graduated from the University of Illinois in 1965 and received his J.D. from the John Marshal Law School in Chicago in 1969.
According to Nnam, Chief Judge Evans is selected as this year’s keynote speaker because he can bring a lot of insight, experience, and wisdom to the Dominican community.
Here’s what students can expect if they attend the event according to Nnam.
“Students can expect to hear from Chief Judge Timothy Evans on the practice of restorative justice and how the way our current criminal justice system is structured has created a disproportional impact on people of color,” Nnam said.
According to Yessenia Hernandez, the assistant director/undocumented student support coordinator for the Center of Cultural Liberation (CCL), the events put on for Black History Month would not have been possible without student involvement.
“We used student feedback from previous years and have worked alongside students in the planning of celebrations. Additionally, we have partnered with student organizations to create programming. This differs from the time when I was a student in previous years when organizations and departments would often work on programming on their own,” Hernandez said.
Patterson wants people to know that the CCL encourages all Dominican community members to celebrate Black History Month.
“I believe through these events; the CCL wants to celebrate Black History Month with students and staff at Dominican University. We continue to encourage educating our Dominican community about Black history, while students have opportunities to celebrate their African American and Black identities.”
kagans@my.dom.edu
