A panel of African-American women will offer personal stories and solutions for healing the wounds caused by slavery when DePaul University’s Cultural Center presents “Another American Story: Repairing the Damage,” on Oct. 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont St., on the Lincoln Park Campus.

     Ald. Dorothy Tillman (3rd) will address the topic of “The Responsibility of America’s Local and National Governments.” The 15-year alderman claimed a major victory in June when she pushed a resolution through the city council with a vote of 46-1 in favor of urging Congress to consider slavery reparations.

     Laurel Stradford, currently the arts development specialist at Chicago State University, will focus on her own family’s history in her talk entitled, “An American Tragedy – The True Story of Tulsa, Oklahoma.” Her great-great-grandfather, John B. Stradford, was a flourishing businessman and attorney, who along with scores of other successful blacks, was run out of Tulsa by angry white mobs during the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 that left more than 300 people dead.

     Artist Fani Cahill will use samples of her paintings to tell her story of “Prisoners of an Economic War and Africa’s Influence on American Culture.”

     “Part of reparations is repairing damage, examining the positive influences that have been negated,” explained Harvette Grey, director of DePaul’s Cultural Center. “That’s what the women on this panel will present to their audience.”

     “Another American Story: Repairing the Damage” is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the panel discussion. To reserve seating, call 773/325-7759.

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