The Power of Our Story: A Symposium about Place-Based Storytelling and the Black Freedom Struggle

The Power of Our Story: A Symposium about Place-Based Storytelling and the Black Freedom Struggle was a partnership between NKU’s Black Studies program, Black and Brown Educators of Excellence, the College of Education and National Geographic hosted in the University Center ballroom. The event was the launch of the inaugural 2892 Miles to Go program in Cincinnati/northern Kentucky supported by the National Geographic Society. There are 2892 miles across the contiguous United States.

Each of these miles symbolizes stories of the relationship between people and land that have been mistold, misrepresented, or omitted. Founded by National Geographic Explorer Ashley Lamb Sinclair, 2892 is a place-based education program that connects young people with educators and leaders to co-create solutions to address environmental, social, and cultural issues impacting their communities.

The program provides opportunities for youth storytellers to collaborate with experts and change-makers to reclaim community histories and stories together. Ultimately, 2892 Miles to Go aims to generate more informed, inclusive and empathic communities across the United States.

The program was hosted by Aleah Hordges of Channel 12 News. Opening remarks were given by a representative from the Cincinnati City Council, NKU student Ainsley Lindberg and Dean Ginni Fair of the College of Education. 

As the 2892 Cincinnati program lead, Dr. David Childs spearheaded a two-day symposium featuring dynamic speakers and experts from various regions of the United States. The speakers included Kristi Williams from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Williams is a National Geographic Explorer with expertise in the Tulsa massacre and Black Wall Street. She is a descendent of the Muscogee Creek Nation and also has ancestral ties to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Williams gave one of the keynote addresses, discussing her current work in the Tulsa community surrounding economic, social and educational empowerment. She founded a program called Black History Saturdays.

Other keynote speakers included author, educator and business leader Dr. Kimberly Mack (The principal at John P. Parker Elementary in Cincinnati Public Schools) and Karyn Parsons (children’s book author and actor from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). Dr. Mack presented on the work of Black abolitionist John P. Parker, who worked primarily in the Ohio and Northern Kentucky region. Parsons teamed up with Dr. Childs and conducted a workshop centered on writing Black history children’s literature and the importance of teaching African American history in our schools and community.

Students were also dispersed into break-out sessions spread out over two days and had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with experts in the field of social studies, history, Black studies, geography and civic education.Additional symposium speakers included NKU’s Dr. Eric Jackson (Professor and Associate Dean), Craig Rush (Cincinnati Public Schools), Alundra Childs (Northwest Local Schools), Jennifer Williams (NKU grad student) and National Geographic’s Ashley Lamb-Sinclair. Several other representatives of National Geographic were also in attendance.

The next phase of the 2892 Cincinnati/NKY project will include an animated Black history film produced by Dr. David Childs in collaboration with the National Geographic Society and the Sweet Blackberry Foundation.

Dr. Eileen Shanahan

Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Teacher Preparation and Educational Studies
College of Education

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