The Rev. Traci Blackmon is the associate general minister of justice and local ministries for the United Church of Christ. Her life’s work focuses on communal resistance to systemic injustice through the redemptive power of love, and she is a sought-after voice for her insights on congregational and community engagement.
Rev. Blackmon is Elmhurst University’s 2021 national UCC Visiting Scholar. On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the University and the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ will host Blackmon for the virtual lecture and conversation “After the Elections: Our Common Work as a Society.”
Blackmon’s work has been featured in documentaries and print publications, and she is a frequent contributor to national and international media outlets. Her faith leadership in the aftermath of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown Jr., in Ferguson, Mo., led to her appointment to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships for the White House, under President Barack Obama. She is a recipient of the NAACP Rosa Parks Award, and was named one of the 15 Faith Leaders to Watch in 2020 by the Center for American Progress.
Her virtual lecture will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Admission is free but registration is required. An access link to the virtual event will be provided closer to the event date. The DuPage NAACP and the president of Chicago Theological Seminary are co-sponsors of this event. For more information, please contact the Rev. H. Scott Matheney, Office of the Chaplain, at (630) 617-3025 or hscottm@elmhurst.edu.