DARTT Participants: Sharings
These columns have appeared in the Paint Branch Branches newsletter.
by Mary "Tyrtle" Rooker
Ever wonder why racism is still so alive and thriving, despite the work of so many over so long a time to right this wrong? Yes, yes, I acknowledge the many hard-won changes since I was born in 1952. Much desegregation has occurred in the Armed Forces, lunch counters, water fountains, and schools, and so on. Some would point out that we just elected a bi-racial, African-American president! Isn’t that something? Yes, these things are good. But these—and more—are all things we should be able to take for granted. For me, it’s a bit like an abusive partner who agrees to stop beating me up; I’m grateful, but I don’t give out points for that. And that change alone isn’t reason enough for me to stay in the relationship, and it doesn’t mean we’re done and everything’s okay now.
Racism in my lifetime has seemed like a balloon that you press down on one part of; that part may look smaller, but the air has merely gone to the other part of the balloon. The air is somewhere else, but it’s still in the balloon. It looks like things have changed, but have they? One of the leaders at the UU Jubilee II antiracism workshop in August expressed my view beautifully when he said that racism hasn’t really changed, it has just mutated. Mutated! Yes, I thought, that’s the feeling that has nagged me for so long.
But why has it mutated instead of delivering real change? At the weekend workshop, the answer became clearer to me. Most of the antiracism work has focused on people of color: working for equal access to jobs, housing, schools, and so on. This is certainly part of the work, and so much remains to be done! But that’s not the heart of the issue. My insight from the workshop is that the part of racism that has barely begun is the dismantling of white privilege, and that dismantling is the missing link that’s needed to keep racism from simply mutating again.
The Jubilee II facilitators reminded us to keep our lens focused on white privilege and on white-dominated institutions, not on people of color. White people increasing their awareness of and coming to terms with white privilege is the responsibility of white people. As Jubilee II facilitator Jyaphia Christos-Rodgers said, "part of being anti-racist is to never forget that I am white. If I don’t remember that reality, I’m not trustworthy or self-aware, and I can hurt people." This is the "unpacking the invisible knapsack" of white privilege that Peggy McIntosh so aptly describes and that we’ve worked with in various "soul work" and antiracism trainings (see UnpackingTheKnapsack.pdf).
At the workshop, I was stunned to hear the denial from so many of my fellow white UUs. Many understand that race is a biological illusion but fail to see that every bit of our society is racialized anyway and not color-blind. Many spent the weekend parading their "good liberal" credentials: work with underprivileged Black children in the inner city, adoption of a child of another skin color, or marriage to a person of color. For many, this appeared to mean that they weren’t really white and didn’t need to do anything else about the mutated racism that’s alive and well today. Yet, no job, adoption, or marriage makes any white person an "honorary person of color." It doesn’t erase the life-long socialization that gave whites a white identity. And it doesn’t erase the continued white privilege that comes our way each day, whether we see it or not. Instead of blaming someone even more racist than we are, white liberals need to look in the mirror and take their own work to the next level.
Our new minister, Diane Teichert, has spoken about her first anti-racism training in 1971. One big message she got from that training is that you can’t be anti-racist if you’re passive about it. You must be actively engaged in the work of antiracism. The question isn’t "what is that other white person doing to end white privilege" but what am I doing now. And we can’t get off the hook by pointing to what we’ve already done. I identify as a radical, not a liberal, but I also need to take out my white knapsack again, make it visible to me, and unpack some more. I will gladly join my white UU liberals and other white UUs as we compare our knapsack contents and continue this essential work. I have my own blind spots, and I know that other UUs can help me see mine. Working and learning together, we’ll get there.
Yes, many of us, as individuals and as a church, have done much good work in past decades to ensure gains in civil rights. But this is simply what I would demand of me and of you and of my church: I expect no less! The question is, "What are we doing today?" The DART Team’s efforts of the past two years are terrific, and I hope that you, too, are engaged in this pivotal work. We cannot rest on any proverbial laurels. We who believe in freedom cannot rest, as the song by Sweet Honey in the Rock reminds us. A final message from the Jubilee II training was that if UUs change, the whole country will change. What are we waiting for? Let’s make a change—real change.
by Theresa Brown Shute
"It’s not black and white, it’s shades of grey." This common expression is used to indicate those tricky topics that have no right or wrong answer, or where each point of view has a solid foundation. Ironically, discussions of race easily fall into that grey area but it really is about "Black" and "White." Even now my thoughts are a muddled mess of grey because in today’s multi-cultural society, it’s not just about African Americans and Caucasians, but the numerous races and cultures found in America. However, I think the greatest racial divisions in the U.S. still run along the lines of Black and White.
I am grateful for the activities offered through DARTT that have allowed me the chance to expand my understanding of race relations in the U.S.; the Journey Toward Wholeness film series in particular has been my greatest educator. I am of a generation that learned about the Civil Rights movement through text books, and while I took college courses on African American history, films such as The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow opened my eyes to the limited paradigm I had been remembering Black history in. Too often we may limit ourselves to the "Black and White" view of history—Whites were rich slave holders and cruel masters while the Black slaves were brutalized and poor. Our knowledge (or ignorance) of history jumps from slavery to civil rights and images of "White Only" signs and fire hoses. Too often such historical images, while meant to educate, unintentionally serve as propaganda. Continuous images of impoverished Black families, Black men being intimidated by White police start to serve as the primary images of Blacks in America.
The different films shown by DARTT have reminded me of the rest of Black America’s history. There were all-Black towns where African Americans had schools and government, peace and pride. There were Black doctors and lawyers and prominent Black women! The founding of Fisk University in 1866. It was so refreshing to see pictures of well-dressed families of color in the 1800’s instead of ever repeating images of slavery. At the same time, there were horrific images of too many lynchings and all of a sudden it was very clear why having a noose hung on your office door in the 21st century was such a big deal. DARTT has found a fascinating range of movies that review not just the past, but also offer a glimpse at how America is still processing race issues and how the next generation views race.
Renewing and adding to my understanding of racial issues through the DARTT film series has added to what I can bring to Diversity Dialogues conversations and expands the context in which I evaluate news stories. Racial issues usually are shades of grey, but thanks to DARTT, I am better at understanding where the black and white coloring is coming from. I can’t wait to see what is offered next!
by Tricia Most
On June 5-7 the Joseph Priestley District (JPD) hosted a weekend retreat at Murray Grove to provide inspiration for the Journey Toward Wholeness (JTW). Carol Carter Walker and Tricia Most represented Paint Branch. Suzanne Crocket-Jones planned the weekend with mindfulness that lay leaders who are engaged in raising congregational awareness and designing programs to promote transformation in regard to white privilege, racism, and oppression need self-care. Thus, the weekend’s activities focused on re-charging our batteries.
We met in small groups of people from different-sized congregations to share ideas about anti-racism efforts, experiences and programs. Congregations listed needs such as ministerial support, JPD training for board members and staff, better publicity of anti-racism activities, sharing film lists, etc. In order to establish more consistent standards, it was decided that a Journey Toward Wholeness Resource Guide will be developed in the next year that will include 1) a history of the Joseph Priestley District’s Journey Toward Wholeness movement, 2) an annual calendar of the JTW activities, 3) how-to guidelines for organizing meetings, the annual retreat, and the annual October Racial Justice Conference and 4) Guidelines for programs, resources, and problem-solving ideas for congregations of different sizes and situations.
Chuck Wooldridge, our UUA Board trustee, led an interactive workshop to encourage us to balance our individual, relational, and external time in order to be more intentional about living our deepest values. We all need individual time to clarify our values and personal life goals, relational time during which we are fully present as we engage with another person, and external time during which we live our values and work on our goals. He talked about noticing when we occupy ourselves with busy activities that distract us from engaging in mindful individual, relational, or external time.
Om Prakish, the District’s Director for Racial and Social Justice, talked about the inner work needed to overcome internalized oppression. He discussed emotional systems theory and emphasized that personal responsibility must be exercised to cancel out systemic racism. Here are some of his inspiring words from his recent monthly column:
"It is time for the human family to move toward the Beloved Community. Now is the hour. It is not time to leave it to the next generation. We have to move... Working to promote social justice and racial justice is the way this striving looks. It is daring to try to create the world which our parents and their parents parent's worked, struggled and died for so that our children can live in a world where the majority of the people actually feel happy to open their eyes in the morning to meet the new workday... It is time for us to finally come out of the dark ages of fighting, violence, and narrow-minded fundamentalism, into the light of day where there is liberty and justice for all."
by Carol Carter Walker
The Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team(DARTT) is approaching its second birthday! It’s a good time to look back before going forward to take note of our accomplishments.
At its June 2007 Annual Meeting, the Congregation voted to make anti-racism its major social justice initiative for the year. In August 2007, Marge Owens, Social Action Chair (SAC) and Jaco ten Hove, Co-Minister, convened the first meeting of DARTT. Leo Jones was its first Chair. In September 2007 the Board sent a letter in support of the initiative to the entire congregation. Tricia Most and Carol Carter Walker became DARTT co-chairs in early 2008. The Board approved DARTT’s charter as a separate committee in March 2008.
DARTT and SAC co-sponsored a book reading/discussion of Sundown Towns by author James Loewen. Mike Stark led an Enrichment Hour book discussion group based on Charles Barkley’s Who’s Afraid of a Large, Black Man?
DARTT formed two six-week covenant groups led by Tricia Most and Evangline Wells which created a safe space for a diverse group of members and friends to talk candidly about their experiences at the church. John Bartoli and Carol Carter Walker led a 9-week discussion group, based on Soul Work. DARTT sponsored a theater trip to The Woman Of Brewster Place. Leo Jones, Barbara Wells ten Hove, Tricia Most, Carol Carter Walker, Marj Donn and Judy 'Shannon' Grady facilitated a series of Journey Toward Wholeness (JTW) Film Festival sessions.
DARTT and SAC co-sponsored Voter Registrar Volunteer training conducted by the Prince George’s County NAACP Chapter. Thirteen PBUUCers were certified by the State of Maryland. DARTT members also prepared a summer service, Gathering Around The Chalice, which included Emma Gaines-Gerson, Muriel Morisey, Tricia Most, Bob Rand, Carol Carter Walker and Peter Wathen-Dunn and Bruce Baker as the skillful Worship Associate. The service attracted a large number of PBUUCers to Reverberations afterwards.
Muriel Morisey’s idea informed the October Ethnic Dinner, with a ‘bring a dish, bring a story theme as an acknowledgement/celebration of Paint Branch’s diversity..
Two other summer services rersonated multi-cultural themes. The Interim Co-Ministers called on DARTT members to provide readings and other contributions to several worship services throughout the year.
In October, DARTT hosted a continental breakfast for Suitland Visual and Performing Arts School students, their family and friends before they participated in our annual Education Sunday service.
In January 2009, 10 DARTT members filled a table at an annual Martin Luther King, Jr, Holiday Breakfast Program, sponsored by the Financial Management Service, Department of the Treasury, with keynote speaker Marian Wright Edelman..
In February, DARTT began a new initiative, Diversity Dialogues, an Enrichment Hour drop-in discussion on race and ethnicity, facilitated by Theresa Brown Shute and Cynthia Robinson. In February, DARTT hosted Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison Reed and a discussion of his book, In Between for about 70 attendees. In April, Renee Katz and Carol Carter Walker organized a theater party to see Crowns.
In May, DARTT was notified that it had received a $500 Legacy Fund grant to help make the Fall 2009 Ysaye Barnwell Vocal Workshop affordable.
All of our events have been publicized by our DARTT webmaster, Bob Rand.
DARTT has been active denominationally, with Tricia Most serving on the Journey Toward Wholeness Committee of the Joseph Priestley District (JPD). Tricia and Carol have attended the annual Racial Justice Conferences of the UUA and JPD. They plan to attend the JPD Antic-Racism/Diversity Retreat in early June..
One of the proudest accomplishments of DARTT has been to model diverse and shared leadership. Each activity has spawned fresh ideas and new leaders. Thanks to all who participated in a lead capacity during these two years! John Bartoli, Marj Donn, Emma Sue Gaines-Gerson, Judy ‘Shannon’ Grady, Leo Jones, Renee Katz, Muriel Morisey, Tricia Most, Marge Owens, Bob Rand, Cynthia Robinson, Theresa Brown Shute, Mike Stark, Carol Carter Walker, Peter Wathen-Dunn and Evangeline Wells.
A very special thank you to our interim co-ministers, Phyllis Hubbell and John Manwell for their consistent and strong support of DARTT’s mission. We look forward to building a strong bond with our new minister Diane Teichert.
by Tricia Most
Last month, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) sponsored the "Leading Congregations into a Multiracial, Multicultural Future" conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. UUs from all over the country were encouraged to think about diversity in ever-widening circles of inclusion and practice.
Dr. Mark Hicks, faculty consultant at Meadville Lombard Theological School and author of "Building the World We Dream About: A Welcoming Congregation Curriculum on Race and Ethnicity" (which will be available to Paint Branch this Fall), talked about "dancing on the edge of our comfort zones." He emphasized how cultural norms are shaped by our frames of reference, by our perspectives and habitual ways of thinking and behaving. Mark defined Transformation as "a process by which we transform our taken-for-granted frames of reference to make them more inclusive, discriminating, open, emotionally-capable-of-change, and reflective so that they may generate beliefs and opinions that will prove more true or justified to guide action."
Open-mindedness is basic to transforming and improving institutional culture and allows for greater quality in decision-making. To me, the paradigm shift toward inclusion is more respectful and spiritual than the standard ‘White’ American business-as-usual approach. Mark defined six inter-related multi-culturally inclusive norms for institutions, the first of which will sound very familiar to Paint Branchers. Our former ministers, Barbara and Jaco ten Hove encouraged us away from either-or thinking toward Both-And Thinking, which is the foundation for institutional inclusion.
The second characteristic of the new paradigm is the spiritual concept of Abundance, an optimistic and appreciative worldview that enhances the possibility for change and welcomes creativity. Abundance contrasts sharply with the anxiety-orientation of rejecting change, focusing on what will be "given up" and dismissing new possibilities in favor of doing things ‘the way we have always done them.’
Thirdly, the new paradigm focuses on Transparent Communication, rather than intentional or unintentional secrecy. At Paint Branch we are endeavoring to make processes and procedures, volunteer and staff job descriptions and committee charters transparent.
The fourth principle of inclusion is Collaboration and Cooperation. A culture of collaboration, cooperation, and inclusion guards against unilateral decision-making, closed, elitist, or individualistic leadership, a sense of competition and gate-keeping. Collaboration, cooperation and our UU principle promoting respect for interdependence all contradict the American ‘ideals’ of rugged individualism and the promotion of competition. Philosophically, competition includes a belief in scarcity, that winning is everything, that perfection must be achieved, and that some must fail for others to succeed. Speaking only to people with whom we are most familiar and inviting only them into committees, leadership, and social events is a subtle method of limiting inclusion.
A fifth characteristic of inclusive excellence is a focus on Effectiveness and Faithfulness. Eschewing a rivalry between Universalism and Unitarianism leads us to move beyond a head orientation to engage the heart, spirit, and emotions, to allow for a ‘big-tent’ approach of caring and love. We need to bring our best selves to the table. Accepting diversity in communication styles helps us understand that comfortable, confident people need to listen and uncomfortable, quiet people need to speak up. Mark recommended saying "Ouch, that hurt" followed by education and "Oops, I didn’t mean to sound that way" as we increase our awareness and faithfulness to inclusivity. Personal growth needs may range from informative materials to psychotherapy. Courage, compassion, forgiveness, willingness to learn from others and engage in self-examination and process-examination are effective and faithful practices.
Finally, Outward Focus and Accountable Relationships promote multicultural norms. We need to hold ourselves and each other accountable when we slip into either/or thinking, a scarcity mentality, secrecy, individualistic action, an inward focus, a bias toward the status quo for the sake of ‘efficiency’ and gate-keeping habits.
The ideals of multi-culturally inclusive institutional norms are embedded in our UU principles. The emphasis on democratic, inclusive practices of acceptance, inclusion, and mutual encouragement of each other’s pursuit of meaning and spiritual growth form the core of our faith. The invitation to enter anti-racism, anti-oppression work through many doors is an ongoing goal of the Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team at Paint Branch. Engaging in the transformation is an act of faith.
By Renee Katz
In examining racism and why it is important to take an active
role in combating it, a person might start by looking at his or her own life and how it is affected by race. In my own case, I have found that the more obvious and blatant injustices are played out in news stories, and that the race issues I personally encounter on a daily basis tend to be of a subtler, more insidious nature. I know the KKK is still active in our country, and that racial profiling, excessive use of police violence, and endless other incidences involving race occur daily. I believe, though, that racism works and survives on many levels, and sometimes it's not so clear-cut. Racism hides within seemingly innocuous situations, or situations that appear too complicated to examine whether racism is even playing a factor. I think of this as one of racism's many survival techniques.
A couple of examples come to mind. I live about halfway between two grocery stores. I've always done my grocery shopping at the Giant, which is in a shopping center where the percentage of white patrons is noticeably higher than that of the shopping center where the Safeway is located. Whenever I do go to the Safeway, I always leave wondering why I don't do my regular shopping there. I enjoy the ambience more, I've found they have better and more varied produce, there is a Starbucks in the store, shopping carts with cup holders and better child safety belts, the list goes on. I go through this list in my head, and then sort of shrug and think, well, I'm used to the Giant. I've gotten so familiar with it. I just don't feel like adjusting to a new situation. I tell myself maybe I'll start going to the Safeway more often… but I haven't yet. I know there is a race difference, but I'm not sure if that's playing a factor, and I can explain it away by saying it's just a matter of habit that I go to the Giant. I suspect we all make decisions every day about where we do our business, and don't always examine whether race is, subconsciously or knowingly, involved in that decision-making process.
Then there was the issue of the fence. A long-disputed issue in my homeowner's association has been the desire by the board to build a fence between my community and a neighboring community. At one association meeting, a board member's speech went something like this: "They are a different community. They have a different zip code and a different police force," always stressing the word "different." My community is pretty racially diverse, but this other community has a higher percentage of African-Americans, and the fence plan came across to many people as a thinly veiled reaction to racially based fear. After all, much of the recent crime in our neighborhood involved perpetrators who lived in our community, not outside of it. So many other reasons (or excuses) for wanting the fence could be given that it is very difficult to really prove a racial connection, even if, stepping back from the situation, it seems obvious to many of those involved. The same board member once confided in me privately what a shame it was how much the neighborhood "has changed" since he moved in. Again, very subtle, but I had the distinct feeling I was being spoken to in code.
The challenge I think we all face is to notice and question these cases of hidden racism. It is too easy to settle for excuses in order to avoid uncomfortable conversations or moments of self-reflection. I hope to continue to improve my understanding and recognition of the role that race plays in my life and the lives of those around me.
Inauguration Day
By Margaret Morrison
See Margaret's Inauguration Day column as published in Branches.
By Tricia Most
Adapted from 12/28/08 Uniting Past and Present worship service
Unitarian Universalists worship together, not because we all necessarily agree to the exact same set of beliefs, but because we share a deep respect for each other's pursuit of meaning. Though we don't necessarily all share similar ancestry nor early life religious experiences, we unite in our covenant to encourage each others' spiritual development. Rather than adhering to rigid dogma, we find inspiration from an infinity of sources. We value diverse music, customs, and worship practices that expand our understanding of life and our appreciation of each other. Together, we seek wholeness.
On the last Sunday of 2008, our worship service briefly considered a somewhat new holiday called Kwanzaa that was developed in Los Angeles by Dr. Maulena Karenga in 1966 during the civil rights and black power movements. These movements tried to address segregation and discrimination in education, housing and employment opportunities for people of color. Dr. Karenga used Swahili, a language of East and Central Africa to name seven core principles that unite African traditions with American customs. He suggested that each of the seven Kwanzaa days between December 26 and January 1 should be a day to tell ancient and modern stories that illustrate one of the seven values represented by one of seven Kinara candles. Thus, Kwanzaa is intended to unite the past and present and to encourage a sense of wholeness for African American people.
When I first heard about the values of Kwanzaa I resonated with them immediately. The practice of honoring old and current examples of inspiring behaviors reinforces healthy philosophical ideas about social structure, political organization and economic fairness. The specific Kwanzaa principles are universal. Keith Mayes, assistant professor in the Dept. of African-American and African Studies at the University of Minnesota says "The holiday represents the best of African-American culture, U.S. society, and humanity; [Kwanzaa is] unique, experimental, creative, improvisational, and put together from many parts."
During the past two years as I have deliberately engaged in conversations about race, I've become more aware of my need to become more aware. Part of my journey toward wholeness, my work to confront my own white privilege is appreciating the experiences of others. The little I've learned about Kwanzaa points to this as a holiday about learning, appreciating, goal-setting and meaning-making.
The principles encourage umoja — unity (developing of a sense of belonging in our families and our communities), kujichagulia — self-determination (defining ourselves and our goals), jima — work and responsibility (Connecting with each other in mutual endeavors that build and strengthen our community), ujammaa — economic cooperation (the reality of interdependence), nia — purpose (staying focused on our goals and maintaining high personal standards and a positive outlook in order to succeed), kuumba — creativity (thinking of ways to make our community and world a better place), and imani — faith (believing in ourselves, our communities and the people around us. Faith is about love: self-acceptance, and accepting others. The imani principle advises that we speak words with feeling, life, and meaning because our words give body to our thoughts. Paint Branch's current process of re-defining and re-stating our vision and mission requires us to choose words with feeling, life and meaning.
Likewise, the Unitarian Universalist Association Leadership Council recently chose words for their vision statement that embody the values of unity, self-definition, an acknowledgement of work and responsibility, interdependence, purpose, the creation of strong community, and faithful love: "With humility and courage born of our history, we are called as Unitarian Universalists to build the Beloved Community where all souls are welcome as blessing, and the human family lives whole and reconciled."
Considering the Kwanzaa values any time of year reinforces Unitarian Universalist goals of expanding our understanding and our appreciation of each other in order to continue our journey toward wholeness and the creation of beloved community.
By Evangeline Wells
Imagine! An African -American President of these United States. When Barack Obama was declared the projected winner on election night, November 4th, I was almost delirious with joy. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. So many African-Americans, young and old, had believed it would never happen in their lifetimes. But here we are, at the beginning of a new day.
When Obama first announced his candidacy, my first thought was: "Yes, we need to have an African-American running for President, to pave the way, so that eventually that break-through will be possible." My next thought was: "I hope nobody tries to assassinate him." That second thought stayed in the back of my mind. In February 2008, I went to the Barack Obama rally at UM and I spoke with others while waiting in line. One was an "elderly" Black woman ("elderly" in quotes because she was a very fit, very limber 81-year old). I told her that I was afraid some one would try to shoot Obama, and she said she had heard several others express that fear. Then she said, "But, you know, we cannot be afraid. We cannot! We must move on to the future. We cannot let fear hold us back." I can still hear her voice. After talking with her, I tried to put those fears away.
When Barack Obama won the hard-fought Democratic nomination, I began to think: "Maybe this will really happen." In the last few weeks before November 4th, I dared to hope that the polls were right - but I was still wary of Election Day problems coming into play, such as we saw in 2000 and 2004. Fortunately, those did not materialize this time.
Now Barack Obama is our President-Elect. During the time since he announced, I believe he has proved to be a man of keen intelligence and compassion, a man of substance and grace. With his decisive victory - a huge win for African-Americans and everyone - some folks are saying that Dr. King's dream has been realized. But, if Dr. King were here with us today, I think he would say his dream has been realized - in part. He would recognize - as our President-Elect does - that we still have a way to go towards a color-blind society, a society in which differences of any type do not influence the way a person is treated by others. As Barack Obama realizes, we have much work to do in our homes, communities, workplaces and churches to continue to move toward the dream realized. I believe our 44th President will lead us in that direction. And we don't have to imagine having an African-American President any longer.
I would like to share my favorite Election Day story. My daughter, Kristin, called our 101 year old uncle and his wife, who is 97 years old, on November 4th. I had just assumed that they would vote absentee, but no, they were waiting for their ride to the polls that morning. Now that is something I wish I could have witnessed. That would have brought tears to my eyes, for sure.
by Leo Jones
An excerpt from the 10/19/08 Education for All Worship service
Our national high school graduation rate is 68%. In the richest country in the world, the land of opportunity, nearly a third of all students fail to graduate. If a child happens to be born African-American, Hispanic, or Native American, he or she has a fifty-fifty chance of graduating. By comparison, the graduation rate for white students is 75%, for Asian students it's 77%. The chances are even slimmer for students who attend school in high-poverty, racially-segregated, and urban school districts. Their graduation rates lag from 15 to 18 percent behind their peers.
If Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Twentieth Century minister and theologian, was correct when he wrote that "The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children," what does it say about us that such appalling graduation rates are permitted to persist? Have we lived up to the moral duty to our children, all of our children, to provide the very best education system possible?
We are guilty of thinking too small. We have made the teaching and learning of basic skills the bedrock of our education policy, as if those who acquire minimal reading, writing, and computing skills are equipped to succeed in today's world and to lead useful and satisfying lives. Ironically, in too many cases, we don't do a good job with these basics, either. Yes, every child must learn to read and write, but that's only the beginning. Part of the charge of education is to equip our children with the means to experience the world in its fullness; to make available the very best that our culture has to offer; to provide them with the tools they will need to explore what it means to be human. Rudimentary reading and writing skills won't accomplish these goals.
The good news is that we have the wherewithal to provide a quality education for every child, if only we could summon the will. Nearly every faith tradition recognizes a duty to protect, nurture, and teach children. Unitarian Universalist congregations agree to promote and affirm seven principals that encompass what we believe, and reflect the way we view the world. But we can never realize the world we envision if we do not recognize our obligation to advocate and support an effective and successful education for all children. Our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person demands it. Our pursuit of justice, equity and compassion compels it. If we hope to build a world of acceptance, where spiritual growth for everyone is encouraged, we must see that every child has the ability to draw upon the wisdom and insight of seekers of the past and present. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning is possible only when one learns to value truth and can mine the rich treasury of ideas of those who have struggled to understand what is true and meaningful. Children must be taught to understand and value the democratic process in order to participate in it in a meaningful way. The goal of a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all is achievable only if every child has an understanding of the world, its history, and his or her place in it. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part, depends upon an awareness and understanding of the intricate relationships that shape our world.
May our efforts be guided by the principles in which we believe.
By Carol Carter Walker & Tricia Most
In the Fall of 2002, while her daughter was a student at the Suitland High School Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Sylvia Lagerquist invited members of the school's faculty to showcase some of their performers and artists during a worship service on Public Education Sunday. Thus began a relationship that has resulted in a variety of sculpture and other art displays in our sanctuary over the years, and the inclusion of vocalists, flutists, pianists, dancers, thespians and others during the annual Education Sunday service.
Our former co-minister, Jaco ten Hove, included this association in his "History of Racial Diversity Initiatives" which can be read by clicking on the "Diversity and Anti-Racism" link from the PBUUC web site home page. During discussions among attendees of the Anti-Racism Covenant Groups and the Soul Work Book Discussion during the past year, Paint Branchers expressed their discomfort with the degree of welcomeness that we extend to the students, their families and their teachers when they come to Paint Branch on Public Education Sundays. These discussions stimulated consideration of ways our church might extend a more intentional welcome.
Peter Morales, a UU Minister currently candidating for the UUA Presidency who is devoted to the mission of congregational growth, poses a question in his pamphlet on Religious Hospitality: "Can we reach out to people who don't necessarily make us comfortable - because it is in working through that discomfort that we grow…."
On Sunday, October 19, participants from a variety of Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team (DARTT) discussions demonstrated such hospitality by decorating the Meeting House kitchen in the Suitland High School colors and providing a continental breakfast for the 6 performers, and 11 of their friends, family members and teachers an hour before the Education Sunday worship service. This allowed for relationship-building conversation and intentional hospitality around a beautiful display of crimson and white roses. We are grateful to the New Hampshire Avenue Hillandale Shopping Center Starbucks for graciously granting our request for a coffee donation. (Thank them next time you stop in!) Laura Bonkosky, Emma Sue Gaines-Gerson, Renee Katz, Muriel Morisey, Tricia Most, Marge Owens, Bob Rand, Carol Carter Walker and Peter Wathen-Dunn provided breakfast breads, bagels, muffins, juice, tea and coffee condiments for the event where "Education for All" Worship Service Lay Leader Leo Jones, Worship Associate Don Henderson, Music Director David Chapman, Sylvia Lagerquist, DARTTeam members and other Paint Branchers inquired about students' future educational plans and discussed common musical interests among people who share our educational concerns and values.
These conversations continued after the service and may encourage more sharing of mutual interests through attendance at future seasonal Suitland concerts (see Sylvia Lagerquist for information on these), attendance at the "Music at Paint Branch" series, and requests for Bulletin cover art and displays. The invitation to this breakfast allowed Paint Branchers to reach out in a meaningful way to welcome people coming through our doors for the first time.
By Bonnie Hurley
Forty years ago, when I was living in an East Asian village, a conversation in my host country language focused on the idea of animals having tender hearts, emotions, spirits, etc. Opinions were voiced along the lines of 'dogs surely have feelings' though 'chickens might not have souls' … when suddenly someone asked, "What about Americans?" An older woman in the group thought for a moment and said, "I really don't know!"
Since my arrival, I'd been treated as an oddity and taunted daily by children with shouts of "Big-nose American!" so I was not really shocked by her response. What did surprise me was realizing that after only two years, I had become quite compliant with certain ideas and attitudes of the people I lived with, especially ones that implied that non-Asian people, if not actually soulless, were at least inferior to Asians. I had become convinced that 'they' had vaster intelligence, greater innate musicality, hardier taste buds, more talent in all aspects of life (not to mention enviably unremarkable noses), than 'we.'
I had been culturally conditioned, even in adulthood, to believe that 'my kind' were not as good as 'their kind' and it took about as long as I'd lived in that culture for me to get over my feelings of 'racial' inadequacy. How long, I wondered, might it take someone raised from childhood in American culture, which overtly or subtly promulgates ideas of inborn superiority for the majority and inferiority for minorities, to get over it?
American Indian scholar Rev. Dr. George "Tink" Tinker provides an answer in Soul Work: Anti-racist Theologies in Dialogue (Skinner House, 2003), where he wrote that just as getting past an addiction can take a person as long as the addiction lasted, recovery from an abusive relationship (in family or community) also may require as much time as the duration of the abuse, and then only if there is "some really good therapy along the way."
Countering historical racism lasting for generations must be a continual commitment. "Take a deep breath," Dr. Tinker says. "We are in this for the long haul." Communities that promote ongoing participation in an anti-racist agenda are heeding Tink's advice. My best wishes go to Paint Branch UU Church for a vibrantly healthful outcome from the 'really good therapy' DARTT activities provide. I shall promote such a program at my winter church home in Florida.
I leave you with some librarianly suggestions for further exploration. For an anti-racist voice aiming to raise consciousness about white privilege, see the provocative work of Tim Wise: http://www.timwise.org/. For local Gazette columnist (and member of Davies Memorial UU Church) Van Caldwell's bibliography on "Whiteness," go to http://www.gazette.net/stories/020107/princol192123_32330.shtml
By Muriel Morisey
I began attending Soul Work sessions because I had built up a lot of uncomfortable feelings about experiences I had with members of the church that I found racially insensitive and troubling. I wanted to talk about this with people in the congregation in a structured and constructive way.
I knew intellectually about White privilege, but until I married Peter, I didn't fully appreciate what it means. I saw how easily Peter and his daughters, who are all very pale move through the world without having to think about their white skin. But, my son and I — with our brown skins — have to think about being Black all the time. And my son has to be careful everywhere he goes because society always thinks and expects the worst from Black men.
So many people experience discrimination because of religion or sexual orientation or gender. But it seems to me that, even among UU's, they don't use their experiences to understand the experiences of other people. They don't see their own racism or they dismiss anyone who tries to get them to see it. I think one reason personal experience doesn't lead to better understanding about race is that most Whites, even the people in this church, don't have people of color as their social peers. Even if you have a good relationship with a Black person at work, or think very highly of some Black public figure, you may not ever have face-to-face conversations about race with anyone you consider a peer or a social friend. Maybe relating to a person on that level is essential to understanding racism.
It's not easy being a Black person in this church. One of the things that bothers me the most is that this congregation has so few people of color in a county where Whites are the racial minority. It makes it hurt even more that bad things have happened to me here on account of my race. Most people can't visualize the problem. You can't see a solution until you see the problem. That means being willing to talk about race even when it's uncomfortable and working towards solutions. I'm glad some people in this church have shown the courage to work on these issues. I hope more will find the courage because this congregation has more work to do about race than most seem to realize.
Jonathan Mawdsley, Vice Chair, Paint Branch Board of Trustees
One of the most interesting and meaningful experiences that I have had in my eight years at Paint Branch was my participation earlier this summer in a book discussion group led by John Bartoli and Carol Carter Walker. For ten weeks, a group of Paint Branchers met every Sunday evening to discuss one of the chapters in the book "Soul Work." "Soul Work" is a collection of essays that explore various aspects of the spiritual work that is necessary to confront racism and other forms of oppression within church congregations. Because many of the authors are Unitarian Universalist ministers and theologians, our group found this to be an especially relevant book to read and discuss.
Although the book was fascinating, the real work of the group took place as we openly and honestly discussed issues of race and diversity in our congregation. Through the personal sharing that took place in the group, I began to understand for the first time what our church looks like to persons who come from different ethnic and racial backgrounds than my own. The conversations raised some difficult and challenging questions about the ways in which we welcome (or do not welcome) newcomers — and even long-term members — who are from diverse backgrounds. Our conversations also touched on the images and messages that our church conveys about itself (knowingly or not) to our visitors and to the broader community in which we live.
I have to admit that I have always wondered why our church did not look more like the community in which it is situated. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the population of Prince George's County is approximately 67% African American, and only 27% European American. If you look around the meeting house on a typical Sunday, this is certainly not the demographic make-up of the Paint Branch congregation. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, liberal, and welcoming congregation, and yet somehow our church membership is significantly different than the broader community around us.
Now that we are in a period of ministerial transition, we have a unique opportunity as a congregation to ask the hard questions about who we are, how we got that way, and what specific steps we need to take in order to build a more inclusive community at Paint Branch. I would encourage every Paint Brancher to participate in the series of movies, workshops, and discussion groups that the Diversity and Anti-Racism Transformation Team will be sponsoring over the coming church year. For me, the Soul Work discussion group was a truly transformative experience in my spiritual journey as a Unitarian Universalist, and I am looking forward to the challenging yet rewarding work that lies ahead.
By Patricia Most
The Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team continues to provide opportunities for conversations about race in our congregation. Accordingly, the DARTTeam will sponsor a Friday Summer Film Series and sign up sheets will be on the deck or lobby after church. The films will include Race: the Power of An Illusion, the Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, and Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible. Following each film showing, members of the DARTTeam will invite viewers to join in a covenant that will guide us in thoughtful conversation that is consistent with our UU values. Courage will be required.
Because I am participating in the Anti-Racism Covenant Group and the Soul Work book discussion here at Paint Branch, and in the Joseph Priestley District Journey Toward Wholeness Team with people of other UU churches, I am able to hear thoughtful, honest sharing about personal racial concerns, about which I would never otherwise have known and that broaden my perspective. For example, I continue to learn about the subtle and blatant ways in which I and other Whites use exclusive language, and behave in ways that are unwelcoming and/or hostile toward people of color. For example, I have become aware of African American's observations that some White Paint Branchers, who engage in friendly conversations with other White people, avoid eye contact with and refuse to respond to greetings from African Americans in our congregation. I am learning to consider with greater sensitivity incidents where music that is offensive to people of color became — or nearly became — part of performances at church events.
I am seeing that there are different standards assumed for the behavior of Whites and Blacks that assign privilege to the socially dominant group. For example, I, as a middle aged Caucasian woman feel entitled to speak freely to express any angst I may feel, and I expect to be heard. I take for granted that any person of color in our congregation feels the same freedom to express themselves but have learned that this is not so. My point is that I would not be learning these things except for listening openly in the three intentional venues I mentioned above: the Anti-racism Covenant Group and the Soul Work Book Discussion Group at Paint Branch and the Journey Toward Wholeness group of the JPD.
At Paint Branch and in UU congregations across the nation, we regard social justice as an inherent orientation of the UU faith that binds us together. I submit that anti-racism work is not something that was completed during the Civil Rights era, nor that is only necessary for members of extreme, violent fringe groups, but rather, is something that ordinary "non-racist" Whites need to engage in on a deep, personal level in order to begin to "get" a glimpse of the reality that Caucasian people benefit daily from the privilege of being the dominant group in our society. Since we human beings naturally see life from our own perspectives, members of the White majority have to go out of our way to learn about the experiences non-white people are living. We have to intentionally engage in careful conversations about race in order to listen with our hearts and minds to the very different reality that people of color live.
I see the need to promote awareness-building opportunities in order to create greater social justice specifically at Paint Branch. I am concerned that Whites need to take a more effective stand for all things that promote safety and inclusion for people of color.
Information is power. But it is not merely intellectual understanding that helps us live our UU principles. In order to operate on an emotionally intelligent level, we need to care; we need to engage our hearts, rather than merely our minds. Our compassion, courage and caring will lead us on this journey toward racial wholeness.
By Bob Baker
One of the most positive experiences in my life lately has been my participation in the Small Covenant Group on Racism and Ethnicity co-led by Evangeline Wells and Patricia Most and the Soul Work class co-led by John Bartoli and Carol Carter Walker that started in April. The Small Covenant Group on Racism and Ethnicity met for two six-week sessions. The group provided a unique and invaluable opportunity to discuss race and racism in a sensitive, non-judgmental, caring environment.
I found it beneficial just to stop and think about all of the ways racism and the remnants of slavery are present in our society. As a white male, I often fail to realize the privileges I enjoy by the mere fact of being white. If I don't want to shave or dress up on the weekend, I can still go to any store and be treated as a valued customer. I am not snubbed or looked upon with suspicion. I do not have to fear encounters with law enforcement officers. I don't have to second-guess whether a negative encounter is the result of racism. Some of the benefits I have obtained from the group have come just from stopping and thinking about things that I took for granted.
As a white father of African-American children, I have, of necessity, discussed issues of race with my children, dealing with such issues as "driving while black," dealing with law enforcement officers, and dealing with snubs and disappointments in life that may or may not be racially motivated. Rarely, however, have I had the opportunity to discuss race with other people in such a provocative, open atmosphere as existed in the Covenant Group. I believe that the insights I gained from others' experiences shared in the group were the most invaluable. I really looked forward to each meeting and came away with new insights each week. While the Soul Work class has just started, I am feeling the same way about it and am looking forward to the next session.
Addressing the issue of racism and working to facilitate healing and "wholeness" in our country, our community, our denomination, and our congregation is a worthy goal. I have benefited from Paint Branch's efforts in this direction. I am certain that the entire congregation will be stronger and healthier as a result of this effort. I believe that commitment to diversity and anti-racism should be given substantial weight in the process of selecting a new minister.
By Tricia Most
Along with many Unitarian Universalist churches across the nation, the congregation of Paint Branch has embarked on a mission to consider the systemic nature of racism and privilege in order to intentionally welcome diversity. Many of us are reading books and viewing films that increase our awareness and help us talk with each other about race. The more I learn, the more I realize I have a lot more to learn.
I started telling one of my Caucasian neighbors about the Anti-Racism Covenant Group at Paint Branch a few months ago and she said, "Slavery ended a long time ago. I say: 'Get over it already!'" It stung to hear her callously dismiss the pervasiveness of racism but her attitude (which I hope was altered by the ensuing conversation) illustrated the invisibility of white privilege from the perspective of a white person. Peggy McIntosh's White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack offers valuable food for thought and it is available on line at http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking.html
The Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team continues to plan lots of opportunities to promote awareness, discussions about race, and personal growth:
- Soul Work: Anti-Racist Theologies in Dialogue Book Discussion on Sunday Evenings from 7 to 9 pm in Room One April 13 to June 8 led by John Bartoli and Carol Carter Walker. The nine chapters of this book (which is currently available for purchase at $20.00 in the church lobby) represent thoughtful essays by a diverse group of UU ministers and academics on theology and racism, the costs for the oppressors and oppressed, the social and economic functions of racism, etc. Participants are invited to read each chapter before it is discussed in the group. Sign up in the Meeting House Lobby after service or by contacting Julie Dahmer jcdahmer@comcast.net, John Bartoli john.bartoli@verizon.net or Carol Carter Walker carolcarterwalker@earthlink.net.
- Marita Golden, author of Skin Deep: Black Women and White Women Write About Race in May 2008 (date TBA).
- Sherrilyn Ifill, civil rights lawyer, University of Maryland Law School Professor, and author of On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st Century (date TBA).
- Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible; Race: The Power of An Illusion; The Strange Rise and Fall of Jim Crow; and What's Race Got To Do With It (Film viewings and discussion dates TBA).
All events will be at Paint Branch and child care will be provided.
The Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team meets the second Thursday of each month; all are welcome. Look for more information on the DARTT web site at http://www.pbuuc.org/socact/dartt/index.html
by Bob Rand
I have been participating in various Diversity / Anti-Racism Transformation Team (DARTT) programs at Paint Branch since last summer. Ever since I was a child, I have been sensitive to and affected by the exclusion and demeaning of one group by another through cliques, class division, and especially racial division. To me, there is something about forced separation for the purpose of exploitation and self-aggrandizement that is fundamentally wrong – I feel the wrongness at a visceral level. I have wanted for some time to explore the issue of race more deeply, but engagement in searching dialog about race with people of any color is challenging.
In the Small Covenant Group Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity co-led by Evangeline Wells and Patricia Most, I have found an opportunity for such dialog. I have been able to share my own thoughts and feelings in a safe environment and hear life stories from others as we deal together with the ugly experience of racism. I am in the second 6-week session with the same racially diverse group, and it feels like we are slowly moving through layers of protective defenses to get closer to the real meaning and cost of racism to all parties. It takes patient work to establish enough trust to make a safe container for sharing vulnerable feelings, but we have made good progress.
I still have many questions about how racial healing can take place. There is a great wounding in the meanness, hatred, and cruelty of racism. I believe it fundamentally comes from hatred of self, not of other, and so can only healed by love – perhaps through love of other one finds love for self. For those of us who are white, racism is the shadow mirror that we need to face as we come to terms with who we really are, what we have done, and who we want to become. I say we because I’m no saint. I have my own biases and prejudices and I feel I have to take ownership of my own impulses and behaviors toward exclusion as I also need to own the ongoing racial crimes of the larger culture.
There are many fault lines in American and global culture, but, in my opinion, racial divides are the most painful and raw because they assail the foundations of humanness and demean all parties in the meanness of their cruel expression. These divides need to heal for the soul of America to become whole – and for me to become whole.
By Carol Carter Walker
Our Congregation approved an Anti-Racism/Diversity Initiative at its June 2007 Annual Meeting. Since that time a conversation has begun at many levels of the Paint Branch UU community. Here's one person's take on what's happened so far:
A covenant group, Small Group Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity, was formed and is now beginning its second 'semester.' A diverse group of 12 PBUUC members and friends now meet every other Tuesday evening to have an open conversation about matters of race with a particular focus on black/white issues. The group, is skillfully facilitated by Tricia Most and Evangeline Wells. A second group is hoping to get started and meet every other Sunday at 2:00 p.m. A second facilitator, ideally a person of color, is being sought for this group.
For me, the covenant group has become a safe haven in which to discuss sensitive matters that impact my life as a minority member of this church and this denomination. I have gotten to know, respect and care for members of this group at a deep level. I know they've 'got my back.'
Marge Owens, Chair of the Social Action Committee, supported by Bob Rand's wonderful flyer and web publicity, organized a very successful presentation by James Loewen, author of Sundown Towns, Lies My Teacher Told Me, and Lies Across America. Half the audience were Paint Branchers, including many Board members and church leaders. It was important to me to see leadership support of this activity. Loewen uses the N-word in his writing and he used it in his presentation, albeit sparingly. It didn't shock or hurt me, because he was using it as a teaching tool and not thoughtlessly. He presented the unvarnished truth so that we could all see the wounds caused — to both blacks and whites — by the intentional 'sundowning' of many towns, including many in this area.
The Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team (DARTT) organized by Leo Jones, with strong support from co-minister Jaco ten Hove, and now led by Tricia Most, has sponsored/co-sponsored the following additional events: the three-part "Race: The Power Of An Illusion," facilitated by Leo and Beth Lyons, and attended by about 25 Paint Branchers; the 13-part discussion of the Charles Barkley book, "Who's Afraid Of A Large Black Man, facilitated by Mike Stark and also attended by a group of 25; and a theater trip to The Women of Brewster Place, attended by 15 people. DARTT meets on the first Thursday of every month and acts as a steering committee to plan activities to implement the Congregational initiative.
All of these activities are helping us to have an honest dialogue on race — with ourselves, each other, and, eventually, others. I cannot turn away or run away from this work, because as Dr. Cornell West says, "I am a prisoner of hope."
Look for other views and voices on this initiative next month.