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Concurrent Education Session

Equity and Inclusion

MON-A04: Lessons Learned: Cultural Landscapes that Honor African American Heritage and Legacy

Monday, October 13, 2025
8:30 AM – 9:45 AM CT
1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Discover how cultural landscapes can be powerful vehicles for truth-telling, reconciliation, and community empowerment through an exploration of three projects that honor African American heritage. Learn practical strategies for developing inclusive partnerships, preserving community narratives, and creating sustainable cultural spaces. The session will provide concrete tools that ensure lasting impact.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understanding Truth in Reconciliation: Learn how to acknowledge and present historically accurate narratives with sensitivity and respect, recognizing that genuine reconciliation requires confronting difficult truths.
  • Inclusive Engagement: Explore strategies for developing processes that effectively engage historically underrepresented communities in different project contexts and client types during all phases of the project.
  • Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer: Learn techniques for creating educational partnerships that connect legacy community members with youth to preserve local histories and cultivate the next generation of community advocates.
  • Explore methods for securing long-term funding for cultural landscape projects in changing political and social environments, while implementing economic sustainability programs that protect existing neighborhood businesses and avoid community displacement.