City of Kyle hosts dialogue, celebrating Juneteenth

KYLE, TEXAS – The community is invited to join the City of Kyle for the Dialogue for Peace and Progress 2021 – Celebrating Juneteenth on Friday, June 18, starting at 7 p.m.

The Dialogues for Peace and Progress are an event series that takes place in conjunction with Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Juneteenth and works to join community members and leaders for open and honest conversations to raise awareness and, if necessary, facilitate change in the City of Kyle.

“We started the Dialogues for Peace and Progress in 2020 as a platform for community members and local leaders to have honest conversations about the important issues impacting our community, but through the lens of people that we typically don’t get to hear from, and in concert with significant historical events like Juneteenth,” Kyle City Council Member Dex Ellison said. “Through an open dialogue, we are often able to educate ourselves while broadening the minds of others. I hope that people all over the city and area join us and then feel encouraged to have further discussions within their homes and amongst neighbors and friends.”

A group of panelists from a multitude of perspectives and backgrounds has been recruited to speak during the discussion, including Vanessa Westbrook of the Hays County Historical Commission,  Kyle Police Department Chaplain Marquet Curl, President of the Kyle Law Enforcement Association Officer Phillip Cleary, President of Vision in Progress at Texas State University Tyler Robinson, Assistant Director of the IMPACT Education Program Morgan Curl, University of Texas Student Government Director of Advocacy Mackenzie Smith, Lulling ISD Assistant Principal Donye Curry and Anthony Davis of the Hays County Historical Commission. Council Member Ellison will moderate the discussion.

The community is also invited to join the Kyle Public Library, 500 Scott St., on Saturday, June 19, between 10 a.m. and noon for a virtual tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Slavery and Freedom exhibit.

The tour is estimated to take 36 minutes and will be in Meeting Room B. This event is free and open to the public.

The City of Kyle is encouraging visitors who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to continue wearing a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside city buildings and facilities open to the public; or, when at city-owned outdoor public spaces and it is not feasible to maintain six feet of distance from someone outside of their household.

The Dialogues for Peace and Progress event will be held in-person at Kyle City Hall, 110 W. Center St., but other options for participation are encouraged, including streaming online through Kyle10, the City’s YouTube channel or the City of Kyle Facebook page.

For more information, go to CityofKyle.com/Dialogue.