History Heals is a community conve rsation to bridge the gap between historical racism and issues that Fort W ayne residents experience today. The forum will provide education and a Q&\;A with local experts. Ideally\, it will serve as an agent fo r enlightenment and healing\, as well as an opportunity for questions and discussion.
\nThe History Heals concept emerged from the healing pow er that author Sharon Tubbs felt after researching a traumatic episode in her family&rsquo\;s history and processing her own experiences involving r ace for her latest book\, They Got Daddy: One Family&rsquo\;s Reckonin g with Racism and Faith. Sharon wanted to find a way that history\, e ven the ugly parts\, might be used to bring racial healing and unity acros s diverse groups. She contacted local experts on modern topics with which Fort Wayne has grappled\, and the first History Heals Conversation was bor n.
\nPresenting Partners:
\nPanelists:
\nSharon Tubbs\, Moderator: Organizer of &ldquo\;Histo ry Heals&rdquo\; Conversations. Sharon is the author of several books\, in cluding her latest: They Got Daddy: One Family&rsquo\;s Reckoning with Rac ism and Faith. She is a former newspaper reporter and editor who now wears several additional hats: inspirational speaker\, community advocate\, fou nder of Move Forward Communications\, and director of HealthVisions Midwes t of Fort Wayne\, a local nonprofit that empowers underserved residents to live healthy lives.
\nChris Lahr\, Panelist: Movem ent to rename Calhoun Street: Chris is Chair of the Calhoun Project for th e Martin Luther King\, Jr. Club. In this role\, he educates residents abou t the history of John Calhoun in hopes of gaining support to change the na me of Calhoun Street to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. He is co-aut hor of the book Playing for the City and has written blogs for various web sites about race and white privilege. By day\, Chris is the Community Educ ation Coordinator for Alive Community Outreach\, which strives to alleviat e violence in Fort Wayne.
\nRoberta Ridley\, Panelist: The history of blackface: Roberta is the founding chairwoman of the Af rican American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne\, which promotes genealo gy research to preserve the history of Black families. She is a retired em ployee of the Allen County Public Library\, a faculty member of the Midwes t African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI)\, and an independent resear cher. She remains active in the community\, always working toward cultural understanding with diversity and historic awareness.
\nQuin ton L. Ellis\, Panelist: Racism\, incarceration\, and jail reform . Quinton is a criminal defense attorney with three decades of experience in Fort Wayne. Aside from criminal law\, he also has practiced in the area s of civil rights\, employment\, housing\, education\, and public accommod ation. He has served various roles in community leadership\, including a t erm on the city&rsquo\;s Economic Development Commission and as a former a ttorney and board member for Fort Wayne&rsquo\;s Metropolitan Human Relati ons Commission. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and is committ ed to community service.
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