MSU, City of Lansing, One Love Global Inc. and Capital Region Community Foundation will come together for a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation engagement over the next five years in metro Lansing, thanks to support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The Council of Michigan Foundations will receive $4.2 million over five years from the foundation for TRHT work in Michigan, with MSU receiving $1.35 million over that period to host the work in metro Lansing. A portion of the WKKF funds includes a challenge grant to develop an endowment fund at the Capital Region Community Foundation for this work.
TRHT is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism.
“This university-community partnership is one of the most important ways we can examine and address the timely topic of fairness, respect and equity for every person in metro Lansing,” said Hiram Fitzgerald, associate provost for university outreach and engagement at MSU. “MSU is committed to an inclusive atmosphere that takes us beyond our various points of view, and when we work with communities, we utilize our collective resources effectively and inspire each other to reach a higher level of understanding. These collaborations can create stronger bonds that lead to transformative change.”
The Kellogg Foundation initiated TRHT in January 2016 with a yearlong design phase, advancing and complementing the foundation’s decades-long commitment to advancing racial equity and racial healing throughout the United States.
Now in its implementation phase, Lansing is one of 14 places throughout the country receiving support to implement this work, building on the TRHT process and framework co-developed in the 2016 design phase.
Today, at the Lansing Center, 100 people representing multiple sectors will convene for the One Lansing Community Launch of TRHT. Lansing Mayor Virg Benero, who organized a local team to support TRHT, will provide remarks, along with Fitzgerald.
One Love Global Inc. was tapped by Bernero to develop the TRHT proposal and organize five transformation teams to implement the plan. MSU accepted responsibility for grant administration as well as evaluation of TRHT. The Capital Region Community Foundation will take the lead in raising a $250,000 match of a separate growth fund grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The TRHT framework and Implementation Guidebook is available for download here: http://www.racialequityresourceguide.org/TRHTSummit.