On January 15, 2024, the Association cohosted an event with the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. This event was a celebration of Martin Luther King Day, through a free professional development for educators. The weather was an obstacle that day, due to large amounts of snow. But there were still a number of people who attended the free event to learn and network.
The event included live musical and theatrical performances, lunch and breakfast, several choices for breakout sessions, and a keynote session. The live musical performances at the event were given by a youthful band called TripJ. The theatrical performances were given by an educational outreach program at the Frazier History Museum. Brian came and gave an informative historical performance on escape enslavement in Kentucky. This is a great resource that can be used in the classroom and community.
The breakout sessions were given by teacher education students, members of our fellowship program, the Kentucky Historical Society, and more! They all focused on incorporating Black History into the curriculum in Kentucky. All slides from these sessions can be accessed if you were unable to attend the event! Reach out to us and we will share!
The keynote speaker for the event was actress, author, and advocate Karyn Parsons. Karyn is known for her role as Hillary on Fresh Prince of Belair, but since her time on the show she founded a non-profit organization called Sweet Blackberry, that focuses on Black representation in literature, and telling the stories of Black heroes. She has authored several books and cares a lot about literacy for kids. In her keynote session, she also answered several questions from the crowd.
Overall, the collaborative event was a success. We are grateful to all of our speakers and to the Ali Center for all of their hard work. Tune in to our newsletters and social media for information about events in the future!