My name is Sheila Radford-Hill. I am the former chief diversity officer at Dominican University and a current adjunct professor who teaches at Dominican in the First Year Seminar and the Applied Social Justice PhD program. For the last five years, I’ve worked with the River Forest Juneteenth Committee to raise the Juneteenth flag in front of village hall and the library.
Our community hosts many celebrations of culture, heritage, and identities. It’s part of what makes us who we are. But at this time, the Juneteenth flag-raising is more than a “feel good” event. The celebration is evidence of our community’s determination to remember the sacrifices of those who came before us and who left a legacy of commitment for future generations.
The Juneteenth flag-raising is a partnership between the village of River Forest, the River Forest Public Library, women and minority-owned vendors, and people of goodwill. Its origin story and impact deserve to be shared throughout the OPRF communities. Juneteenth calls us to understand the need to educate neighbors to fortify our resistance to a divisive political culture.
As we celebrate 250 years of nationhood, events like Juneteenth remind us of who we really are as Americans and inspire our children to become leaders of America’s promise of liberty and justice for all.
I hope you will join us for the event.
Sheila Radford-Hill
River Forest