The Church as a unified collective needs to sacrifice whatever narrative we are holding on to that’s preventing us from standing up for people of color.
#Minneapolis #Baltimore. #Ferguson. Hey Church! Where in the HELL are YOU?
The Short Answer
Every other week there is an article posing some version of the question “Why are people leaving the church?” American Christians, mostly White, sometimes even well-intentioned, seem so confused by why people aren't turning to the church in droves in light of the dire state of our nation and world. For me, it’s pretty clear: …
The Sons and Daughters of America: Why Trump Should Be No Surprise, But Neither Should Chicago
I can see them in my mind’s eye even now. White cotton and polyester dresses neatly pressed. Thick, white orthopedic nursing shoes. Pristine, white gloves and hats. They were the elders. The mothers of my very Black, very Southern, very Baptist church. When they spoke, you listened. Even if you were 14 and “smelling yourself” …
Guest Post by Hilary Beard: Myths and Miseducation about Fatherlessness in the Black Community
I'm so incredibly grateful to have Hilary Beard visit us here on the blog. She is not only phenomenal writer but a powerful voice on issues of race and class. *** The complaints that so many people have regarding fatherlessness in the Black community--while an issue, for sure--too often omit the impact of interpersonal, institutional, structural …
Blood At The Root: Sandra Bland and Why I Wrestle With How to Live Free in America
The terror that filled me made my heart race and stomach dance. Tears threatened to break free from my widened eyes. My hands shook as I took inventory of my situation. Full stop at stop sign. Check. Hands on the steering wheel at 10 and 2? Check. Seatbelt secure? Check. My preschooler strapped tightly into …
#Charleston. #Baltimore. #Ferguson. Hey Church! Where in the HELL are YOU?
Yes, I meant that. No, the title was not a mistake. I’m really asking. Church, where in all. this. hell. are you? Because when Black bodies that look scarily similar to my child’s, my husband’s, and mine are regularly burned and broken, it feels like a raging, unholy hell to me. So let’s not mince …
Continue reading "#Charleston. #Baltimore. #Ferguson. Hey Church! Where in the HELL are YOU?"
The Confidence Gap: Why #BlackLivesMatter In The Classroom
On the first day of a new semester, I often have students introduce themselves via a simple icebreaker. I ask them to state their name, major, and an adjective that best describes their personality and begins with the first letter of their first name. Inevitably, I’ll get the Joyful Jens, the Bold Brendas, and …
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