The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) launched the National Day of Racial Healing eight years ago. This year, the organization—led by La June Montgomery Tabron, the organization’s first African American and female President/CEO—has partnered with Academy Award-nominated actor Colman Domingo to amplify the movement to share personal stories and encourage individuals to practice racial healing daily.
Colman Domingo’s Role in the Racial Healing Movement
Domingo, widely known for his powerful storytelling, is lending his voice and influence to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s ongoing work. The actor believes in the transformative power of racial healing and is using his platform to share stories that empower individuals and communities to take action. Through personal reflection and fostering empathy, Domingo and WKKF hope to demonstrate that racial healing isn’t a one-day event but a continuous process.
“Just as working out or eating well, I think that you have to take personal responsibility to do the work, and it doesn’t have to be scary work. It feels like– I think sometimes, there could be something about racial healing that feels like it’s going to make me feel bad,” Domingo explained to BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“I actually think it’ll make you feel much better because you’re actively taking part of racial healing every single day.”
Domingo’s passion for racial equity stems from his own experiences. As a Black Latino man in America, he
has witnessed the profound impact that systemic racism has on marginalized communities. His partnership with WKKF is driven by a desire to inspire others to practice racial healing in their everyday lives—whether through self-reflection, recognizing our shared humanity, or building trusting relationships.“Racial healing is as simple as the connection you make with someone that you thought you had nothing in common with just having a conversation and getting to know them and them getting to know you to be curious about someone else. That’s what racial healing actually looks like to me,” the Euphoria star says.
The prolific multi-hyphenate emphasized that incorporating these habits can address the systemic challenges children, families, and communities of color face.
Domingo also shared a touching story of how stepping outside of himself triggered an endearing interaction with a stranger.
“You know, I recently engaged with someone literally. We were at Martha’s Vineyard, and I went and sat by the water. I sat next to this gentleman who eventually told me about himself. We just got to know each other organically. It was related to the water and then our coffee. And he couldn’t have been more different in background and experience, but also politically, all those things. But we sat with such civility, talked to get to know each other, and asked questions. ‘Well, why? Why do you think that way? Or why do you feel that way?’ Great.”
When asked about incorporating racial healing as a daily practice, the Fear of The Walking Dead star said, “It feels like a daily practice and not just something that happens truly one day a year. But it’s something that gets kick-started one day a year, which is what I love about our partnership. It’s letting you know that it’s something that can become a daily practice and something that is helpful for the evolution of society, especially our society in America.”
As the first African American and first female President-CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Tabron has played an integral role in leading WKKF’s racial healing initiatives. Under her leadership, WKKF remains dedicated to implementing long-term changes, particularly in communities facing high poverty and racial inequities..
“I’m the first woman to lead this philanthropic organization, whose mission was to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children in the world. And I do that with purpose. It’s not from anger. It’s from a sense that children deserve the absolute best, and we, as adults, deserve to create the conditions for them to thrive.
“So, never anger,” she adds. “Our work around racial equity and racial healing is not about shaming or blaming but about connecting people to pursue equity.”
What does that work entail?
“I think part of the work is about connecting our humanity. And then the other part is very specifically addressing these racialized structures and being very truthful and honest about how they hurt people and how they oppress people,” Tabron told BE. “And so the work starts to look the same. And it’s about, you know, our history of systems that have oppressed people and the pursuit to dismantle these systems and to build new systems that allow everyone opportunities to thrive. And again, it’s about the conversation that you have there.”
How to Practice Racial Healing Year-Round
While the National Day of Racial Healing serves as an annual reminder of the work needed, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Tabron, and Domingo want individuals to understand that racial healing is an ongoing practice. Some key strategies to incorporate racial healing into everyday life include:
- Personal Reflection. Reflect on how racial biases might shape your worldview and interactions. Honest self-assessment is critical in identifying and addressing these internalized beliefs.
- Cultivating Empathy. Build empathy by listening to the experiences of others, especially those who have faced racial discrimination. Empathy helps bridge divides and foster more profound connections between communities.
- Recognizing Common Humanity. Acknowledge the shared struggles, hopes, and dreams that unite all people, regardless of race. This mindset fosters unity and creates space for understanding.
- Building Trust. Invest in relationships with people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Trust grows through shared experiences and open dialogue, which is essential for lasting racial healing.
The Foundation’s efforts span the United States and internationally, with priority places in Michigan (Battle Creek, Detroit, Grand Rapids), Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans. Additionally, WKKF has global initiatives in Mexico and Haiti aiming to address the systemic barriers that prevent children from thriving.
Through its partnership with Domingo and ongoing commitment to racial equity, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation inspires individuals and communities to embrace racial healing as a daily practice. By fostering empathy, reflecting on biases, and building trusting relationships, Tabron and the actor substantiated that collectively, we can work toward overcoming the systemic challenges that affect marginalized groups.
To learn more about how to get involved, visit the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
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