Black History Month kicks off at MWRD with Pan-African flag raising
WHO: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners, staff and special guests.
WHAT: Fourth Annual Pan-African flag raising ceremony
WHERE: MWRD Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie St., Chicago
WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, at 10 a.m.
Beginning with a flag raising ceremony, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) will celebrate Black History Month throughout February to highlight the MWRD’s commitment to diversity, to support the Black community and to honor the achievements of African Americans.
The fourth annual raising of the Pan-African Flag will take place at the MWRD’s Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie Street on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. At the same time, all seven MWRD water reclamation plants will also raise the flag.
The design of the Pan-African flag has special meaning:
- The red represents the blood of African people shed for liberation.
- The black represents people of African descent.
- The green represents the continent of Africa and all of its natural wealth, the land from which African people descended.
On Feb. 16, the MWRD will host a Black History Month celebration at the McGowan Main Office Building boardroom. MWRD Vice President Kimberly Du Buclet will moderate a panel of guests invited to discuss environmental justice issues and how community leaders and others advocate for equity. Presenters include: Alden Lowry, Data Projects Editor, WBEZ; Naomi Davis, Founder/CEO, Blacks in Green™; Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director, People for Community Recovery; Greg Kelley, President, SEIU Healthcare; Pastor Scott Onque’, Policy/Advocacy Director, Faith in Place; and Lolita Thompson, P.E., Principal Civil Engineer, MWRD, Environmental Justice Section. Former Gary, Ind. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, now President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, will also be on hand to provide remarks.
The MWRD will also participate in the Black Creativity Science Café at the Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Du Sable Lake Shore Drive, to engage students in STEM careers and shed light on the important work of the MWRD protecting the region’s water environment.