Diversity + Inclusion: Expanding Our Vision

EXPANDING OUR VISION

Through online workshops and presentations, the Diversity and Inclusion Team seeks to raise awareness and inspire action. By Cathi Cackler-Veazey and Gwendolyn Hawks-Blue, Diversity and Inclusion Team co-chairs

Community of Christ’s Diversity and Inclusion Team upholds the Worth of All Persons, supports sharing the peace of Jesus Christ, and reinforces the church’s foundation by identifying inclusive beliefs and behaviors.

The team focuses on education, advocacy, and organizational change in support of justice and covenant relationships with one another and God. It is currently composed of eleven members from North America with varied life experiences.

To fulfill the goal of providing enlightening, challenging, and motivating educational experiences, the Diversity and Inclusion Team has developed workshops and presentations that encourage attendees to work for more inclusive communities that seek to establish God’s shalom.

An interactive workshop, “Resisting Unconscious Bias and Building Inclusiveness,” was initially created for Community of Christ’s 2019 World Conference. Recognition of these unconscious tendencies helped people to then identify intentional actions that reduce behaviors that are contrary to what we are called to be. Through large- and small-group discussions, the workshop guided attendees to think and behave more inclusively.

After video of the murder of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by a white policeman was broadcast in the media, requests to the Diversity and Inclusion Team for resources and information about issues surrounding diversity increased markedly. The team responded by reoffering the “Resisting Unconscious Bias” workshop to provide education, help people reflect, and encourage them to create personal action plans.

Since midsummer of 2020, the team has presented more than twelve times to more than 450 individuals. Since the workshop has been available online through Zoom, attendees have come from across the USA, Canada, and Europe. More opportunities to attend the virtual workshop will be available in the future.

In addition, Gwendolyn Hawks-Blue, co-chair of the team, developed a presentation entitled “Black People in USA History” for an International Headquarters staff gathering that commemorated Black History Month in February 2021. The online presentation provided a brief look at the historical experience of black people in the USA and in Community of Christ. Subsequently, the team made the presentation more widely available as an opportunity to learn about the experiences and contributions of Black members in our faith community. Those who attended expressed enlightenment and dismay at not having been previously aware of this history. The half-hour presentation was provided five times to 81 people and is now available upon request to groups.

Team member Vincent Lewis has also spearheaded mission center workshops focused on diversity awareness and challenges, and team member Jerry Dale Jr. has provided training on inclusive language in the workplace.

The team is planning to develop additional workshops which will be available for Zoom and in-person settings in the future. It is anticipated that the subject of institutional bias will be explored. The Diversity and Inclusion Team will continue to be a resource for the church as it moves to a more inclusive and just future in Christ.

Learn more at www.CofChrist.org/ diversity-and-inclusion-team.