“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As the City of Bellevue honors Black History Month, we acknowledge that in numerous ways, this year’s work must do more than build an inclusive vision for the future. We must recognize the history of Race in America, speak to the ongoing impacts and needs of the community, and look to a future that centers Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color.

Panel Moderator

Kalika Curry is a Community Impact Manager with Eastside Pathways and a longtime resident of Washington. Her practice is rooted in Racial Equity, Adaptive Leadership, Trauma Informed Practices and is influenced by the many leaders who came before her. Kalika has dedicated her career to transforming systems and cultures of oppression, on behalf her three brilliant children, our children and the legacy of our collective ancestors.

Featured panelists

Delbert Richardson

Delbert Richardson is a community scholar, ethnomuseumologist, and second-generation storyteller, of the national award-winning American History Traveling Museum: The Unspoken Truths.

Dr. Megan Ming Francis

Dr. Megan Ming Francis is an Associate Professor of Political Science and an Adjunct Professor of Law, Societies, and Justice at the University of Washington. Francis specializes in the study of American politics, with broad interests in criminal punishment, Black political activism, philanthropy, and the post-civil war South.

James Curtis , JD

James Curtis is the principle attorney and founder of The Curtis Firm, LLC., and has received regional recognition in his field. Mr. Curtis is an advocate on issues of systemic racism, criminal law, and addressing the school-to-prison pipeline through his involvement in the community.

For alternate formats, interpreters, or reasonable accommodation requests please phone at least 48 hours in advance 425-452-7881 (voice) or email diversity@bellevuewa.gov. For complaints regarding accommodations, contact City of Bellevue ADA/Title VI Administrator at 425-452-6168 (voice). If you are deaf or hard of hearing dial 711.

Black History Month Panel: Reflecting on the Past, Moving Towards Healing

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