What is the Year of Unity?
The Year of Unity was launched in 2017 as a yearlong collaborative effort of programming and events hosted by Project Unity in partnership with all segments of our community which includes faith, business, civic, philanthropic, grass roots and government entities. Through dialogue, community building, education and empowerment, we believe that what unites us greater than what divides us.
Therefore, we seek to achieve our mission of building and sustaining a stronger, more unified community together through a series of events and programs entitle “Together We…”.
These community engagement programs build off the great success of Together We Ball and Together We Pray, both programs developed and hosted by Project Unity to begin bridging the divide in our community as a result of the racial tension highlighted with the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, August 9, 2014.
Year of Unity Programs
Together We Ball (2015)
Together We Heal
Together We Pray
Together We Worship
Together We Read
Together We Dine
Outcome
At the end of 2017, thousands of Dallas citizens had engaged in some tough and enlightening conversations on race; experienced hands on learning that allowed participants to learn how to act and react to law enforcement; watched pastors, police and community leaders play basketball together; prayed and worshiped with people from different faiths, neighborhoods, and backgrounds; remembered our officers who tragically died on 7/7/16; and engaged in the Year of Unity Challenge.
Beyond the 2017 Year of Unity initiative, it is our goal to continue to reach thousands of teens and adults through our “Together We” programs and promote the message that “what unites us is greater than what divides us” whether through worship, music, basketball, interaction with law enforcement or sharing a meal.
2017 HONORARY CHAIR
George W. Bush
43rd President of the United States
2017 HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
Arcilia Acosta
CEO, CARCON Industries & STL Engineers
Michelle Carter
2016 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist
Galileo Jumaoas
President, Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Almas Muscatwalla
Chair, Interfaith Council
Board Member, Thanks-giving Foundation
Mike Rawlings
Mayor, City of Dallas
Mike Sorrell
President, Paul Quinn College
Dr. Brian Williams, MD FACS
Medical Director of Parkland Community Health Institute
2017 AMBASSADORS
Bonner Allen
Junior League of Dallas
Malik Aziz
National Black Police Association
Ken Barth
CEO, Symphonic Sources, Inc.
Ty Bledsoe
Vice President, External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T
Froswa Booker-Drew
Director of Community Affairs, State Fair of Texas
Carrie Broussard
Chairman, Conscious Capitalism
Dave Brown
Executive VP and General Manager,
American Airlines Center
Bryan Carter
African American Pastors Coalition, Pastor Concord Church
Kelly Compton
Executive Director, The Hoglund Foundation
Rob Crain
President, Dallas Bar Association
Diana Einstein
Executive Director, Mayor’s Star Council
Kourtny Garrett
President and CEO, Downtown Dallas, Inc.
Cammy Gaston
District Superintendent,
North Texas Conference of United Methodist Church
Samantha Goldstein
Culture Ambassador, Interstate Batteries
Gary Griffith
President, Today Foundation
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
Superintendent, Dallas ISD
Susan Hoff
Chief Strategy, Impact & Operations Officer, United Way Dallas
Larry James
CEO, City Square
Susan Wells Jenevein
Director of Development, Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep
Charles F. Johnson
Executive Director for Pastors for Texas Children
Ron Kirk
Gibson and Dunn
Tomasz Kwiatkowski
Assistant Vice President, PlainsCapital Bank
Steve Letson
Senior Vice President of Operations, Dallas Mavericks
Bobby Lyle
President and CEO, Lyco Holdings Inc.
Eric McHenry
Sewell Lexus Dallas
Bishop Mike McKee
North Texas Conference of UMC
Linda McMahon
President and CEO, The Real Estate Council
Sarah Cotton Nelson
Chief Philanthropic Officer, Communities Foundation of Texas
Andrew Paley
Senior Rabbi, Temple Shalom
Sheron Patterson
Communications Director for the United Methodists of North Texas
Tim Powers
Managing Partner, Haynes and Boone
Paul Rasmussen
Senior Minister, Highland Park United Methodist Church
Jolie Robinson
Manager, Dallas Police Department (Office of Community Affairs & Employee Communications)
Matthew Ruffner
Senior Minister, Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church
Andres Ruzo
CEO and Chairman, LinkAmerica
Chris Slaughter
President, Thanks-Giving Foundation
Pamela Stein
Executive Director/North Texas District Council/Urban Land Institute
Andy Stoker
Senior Minister, First United Methodist Church
Robert B. Tapley
100 Black Men of Greater Dallas/Ft. Worth
Dr. R. Gerald Turner
President, Southern Methodist University
Dr. Jeff Warren
Senior Pastor, Park Cities Baptist Church