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Olympians are invited to participate in community healing by submitting an art or poetry piece that will contribute to a large window display at City Hall or The Olympia Center.
Your submission can be an image like a drawing or painting or in written form like a poem. To participate, put your submission on a 3.5" x 5" card. Then, share it in one of three ways:
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Scan and email it to [email protected]
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Mail it to Olympia City Hall - ATTN: Keli Drake, P.O. Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507
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Drop it off at Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Ave E, ATTN: Keli Drake
The deadline for your contribution to be included is noon on Jan. 12, 2026.
Your submission and the display asks us to imagine a world where everyone feels safe, respected and included, no matter what they look like or where they come from. What would that world look like to you? How would people treat each other, and what could we do to make that happen in our schools, neighborhoods or families?
The displays will be available for public viewing from Jan. 15 through Feb. 28, 2026. Its presence will also contribute to a City-hosted community conversation on racial healing planned from 1:30 - 4 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2026, also at The Olympia Center (multipurpose rooms).
The National Day of Racial Healing is an annual observance held the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day that brings people together to acknowledge our common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world.
The City of Olympia began observing the day in 2023 in recognition of how racial healing restores individuals and communities to wholeness, repairs damage caused by racism and transforms societal structures into ones that affirm the inherent value of all people. The City partners with the South Sound YMCA on the annual effort to further community reach and engagement.
The National Day of Racial Healing community conversation is possible this year thanks to the support of a grant from the National Recreation and Parks Association. The time together on Jan. 17 will include light refreshments, activities and speakers; including a children's story time with Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne. The Olympia Center is located at 222 Columbia St. NW, Olympia. There is no cost to attend the event, and pre-registration is not needed. All Olympia community members are invited and welcome to attend.
Can't make the City event? Host your own conversation, either one-on-one or with a small group, in your neighborhood, community space or organization using the conversation guide and resources at https://www.DayofRacialHealing.org.
Learn about similar opportunities by signing up to receive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion enews updates from the City's website.
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