Next week, UNESCO will be hosting the 3rd Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination. The theme is putting racial equity and justice at the forefront of agendas. This has been a growing theme in The Presbyterian Church in Canada (and, to be honest, everywhere) over the last few years as we seek to be an anti-racist Church. This is a complex journey that requires openness, vulnerability, and discipline. It isn’t and should never be simply a checkmark but a practice.
Learning and Unlearning!
It can be a challenging conversation to start in congregational settings for some.
As someone who checks all the boxes for privilege (white, male, resourced, etc.) as well as serving as an ordained minister, I have come to an awareness that I can choose to initiate the conversation or not. When it gets challenging or difficult, as this work will inevitably, I can also choose to walk away, avoid, or change the topic.
As ministry leaders (ordained or lay), I believe that we must move the topic of anti-racism to the forefront of our agendas today.
But I also sense that one needs to do ‘the work’ on their own first. With that in mind, I’d offer the following resources that I’ve found helpful along the way:
It is a little late for the current offering from the UCC on the 40 Days, but there are a lot of resources available on this site that can be helpful, and there will be other opportunities for you personally, or perhaps you could invite a group of people to join you as you engage in the 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism.
I personally found the book Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad both accessible and transformative. While I’d recommend it for your personal growth, here’s a link to how I used it in my former congregational setting.
I encourage you to make a commitment to the journey of anti-racism personally and seek ways to engage others along the way.