Carlotta Walls LaNier

Descendants of Enslaved Communities Virginia will celebrate its fifth anniversary with the organization’s annual Descendants Day Symposium on Sept. 13 at The Center at Belvedere in Charlottesville. 

The daylong event, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will bring together community members for programming focused on activism, education and community engagement. 

“We are so thrilled to welcome the community to our annual Descendants Day at The Center,” said Jessica Harris, president of the nonprofit. “As we mark our organization’s five-year anniversary, we are energized by the opportunity to share our stories, connect with one another and be inspired toward collective action.” 

The symposium will feature keynote speaker Carlotta Walls LaNier, an author and advocate who was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine — the group of Black students who first integrated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957. 

Interactive panels and workshops led by educators, historians and community organizers from across Virginia and beyond will cover topics including genealogy research and trauma-informed care as well as community education strategies. 

The event will include a continental breakfast, lunch and evening hors d’oeuvres accompanied by music from the Ivan Orr band. 

Tickets are available for $25 through Eventbrite.