About Us
​
Mission:
​
Serving Williamsburg, James City County and Yorktown, we offer a safe place to have open and honest dialogue about race, and to work towards healing ourselves and our community.
​
Coming to the Table
Virginia's Historic Triangle
The Historic Triangle of Virginia is a beautiful historic community that holds the distinction of being the "birthplace of America." Yet, below the surface, the community we call home is the place where seeds of racial division were planted 400 years ago. Today our nation is choking on the bitter fruit these seeds produced.
​
​
We create opportunities for people to come together, and to get to know each other by respectfully listening to each other’s truths. We also plan educational programs and community initiatives to repair the harm from racial inequities and injustices.
​
​
Meet us at the table by joining our community meetings held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month or participating in one of the programs offered by the Virginia Racial Healing Institute.
​
​
​
Our History
Virginia’s Historic Triangle is the 30th chapter of Coming to the Table (CTTT), a national racial reconciliation organization. Our story begins in 2019, a historic year, as the United States and Virginia commemorated the 400th anniversary of the First Africans in Virginia.
​
In Virginia, 2019 was recognized as the “Year of Reconciliation and Civility” and all Virginians were encouraged to “observe the year by raising awareness and taking steps to promote a more equal, just, and civil society in America.”
Founded on April 4, 2019 by Laura Hill, Coming to the Table - Virginia's Historic Triangle Region was established to usher in racial reconciliation at the root of America -- Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Virginia.
​
Milestones:
​
* August 20, 2019, we sponsored Coming to the Table's Commemorative Gathering to recognize the 400th Anniversary of the First Africans in Virginia. More than 40 leaders and members from Coming to the Table chapters nationwide attended including co-founder William Hunt Hairston, who was the keynote speaker for the weekend event.
​
* January 21, 2020, we organized Williamsburg's first-ever National Day of Racial Healing observance, now an annual community event.​
​
* February 22, 2020, we partnered with James City County’s Freedom Park to sponsor a successful Black History Month program featuring local authors Colonel Lafayette Jones and Bill Sizemore. This event highlighted the lives of slaves, slave owners and freedmen with special focus on the lives of descendants from the three groups.
​
* October 3, 2020, we served as the lead organizer of Heal Williamsburg, Heal the Nation Rally, held at the Capitol Building in Colonial Williamsburg. This event has evolved into an annual Community Day to foster racial healing.
​
* July 8, 2021, our leaders partnered with Williamsburg City leaders to create the first-ever Williamsburg Truth and Reconciliation ​Committee, which was unanimously approved by Williamsburg City Council.
​
* June 11, 2022, we launched the Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, to "expand our table" by offering trauma,​ educational and faith-based racial reconciliation programs.
​
​
​