Amid federal government efforts scaling back Black History Month activities and Trump administration attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, Governors State University will hold an inaugural Black History Education Symposium and unveil a special exhibition this week.

The Black History Month programs, which will showcase the successes and experiences of Governors State Black alumni, staff and community leaders, will be open to the public, become annual events and reflect the university’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The events will “amplify Black voices and highlight crucial perspectives on Black experiences through authentic reflections and successes, promoting an accurate portrayal of history and society,” said Governors State Chief Diversity Officer Joi Patterson.

“It’s about journey and access and thriving, and it’s not just for African Americans,” Patterson said.

It’s an opportunity for others to learn as well, she said.

The education symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m on Thursday, Feb. 20, at University Park-based Governors State, and include workshops, discussions and presentations at Engbretson Hall led by Black professionals.

One session will examine the historical and current challenges faced by Black employees in the workplace and how human resource practices can be adapted to promote equity and inclusion, Black talent development and career progression. Other topics will include how to capitalize on one’s talent and catapult one’s career.

There will be a session for minority vendors looking to do business with the university and government agencies that will cover how to become certified as a minority vendor. Attendees will be able to connect with department buyers, the university’s procurement team and senior leaders.

The exhibition, which opens Thursday and will be accessible throughout the month, showcases 28 individuals for each day during the month.

It includes Tonishea Mack, Governors State’s head women’s basketball coach and the winningest coach in the program’s history; Montgomery Proffit, the university’s inaugural Greek life administrator; Governors State alumni Lynwood Mayor Jada Curry, Lynwood’s first African American woman mayor; and Cheryl Green, the university’s first African American president.

The exhibition is an expansion of the first-ever Voices of Black Greatness digital calendar unveiled at the university this month. The calendar is accessible from the university’s website, www.govst.edu, and spotlights 20 of the 28 exhibition individuals. They share who among Black leaders inspired them, discuss the pressures of being a culture carrier when working as one of few Black people in their field and share other experiences.

Ahead of the events, Patterson expressed concern about the elimination of some federal government Black History Month activities and other cultural awareness events and about the negative rhetoric attached to and misrepresentation of DEI.

“I am very concerned about the rhetoric, the distraction and the division that it’s causing,” she said. “What I’m not concerned about is continuing to do the work that we do” at Governors State.

In January, the U.S. Department of Defense put out a news release titled “Identity Months Dead at DoD,” that stated, “Going forward, DoD Components and Military Departments will not use official resources, to include man-hours, to host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months, including National African American/Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National American Indian Heritage Month.”

The release noted “Efforts to divide the force — to put one group ahead of another — erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution.”

That followed executive orders issued by President Trump that called for ending DEI programs, policies, mandates and preferences in the federal government and for encouraging the private sector to also end DEI programs.

Meanwhile in recent years, the teaching of Black history has come under attack. During the past year, lawmakers in 30 states have proposed new restrictions on what schools can teach about the nation’s racial history, according to an Axios analysis of National Conference of State Legislatures data. From 2021 to 2024, 18 states passed laws or took state action to limit how teachers can discuss racism, sexism and issues of systemic inequality in the United States, reports Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform.

Besides Black History Month events, cultural awareness events at Governors State have included a Women’s History Month tea, a symposium focused on Palestinians and activities focused on the Holocaust. The university sends out more than two dozen cultural eblasts each year celebrating a variety of cultures, said Patterson.

“It’s about education, about growing in our knowledge,” she said. “It’s about acceptance, belonging, inclusion exposure. I’m not shying away from that. The university is not shying away from that.”

It’s embedded in the university’s mission, she stressed.

“I think anyone who is anti-DEI they are uninformed,” she said. “Having multiculturalism, having cultural values and pluralism benefits everyone. We want everyone to be able to thrive and to have a sense of belonging.”

For more information on the symposium, to register for workshops and access the calendar, visit www.govst.edu/dei-events/. No registration is required to view the exhibition.

Francine Knowles is a freelance columnist for the Daily Southtown.