Beloved Community

RACIAL RECONCILIATION SERIES

by Misty Landers "Where are We Now, and Where do We Go From Here?" with Dr. Catherine Meeks

,, ,, On September 18, 2021, Dr. Catherine Meeks, Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing in Atlanta, GA, joined members of the diocese for a virtual workshop. The seminar opened with a powerful spoken word poem by the center’s program manager, Dominique Hardy called “My Black Life.” The poem is a call to action to recognize the humanity in one another and a brave testimonial of how unsafe and traumatizing it is to be a person of color in America. The remainder of the workshop was spent listening, discussing, and reflecting on the sin of racism and how to forge a new way forward as pilgrims. At the conclusion of the workshop participants felt renewed and hopeful about the work of racial reconciliation. W e were really just trying to live our lives. And we are wondering if you are a person who is white, if we could ask you a question. What part of the privilege that comes from having white skin are you willing to give up, so that people in black and brown skin can just live without the kind of violence that took our lives?" We realize that many of you are sad and very sorry that we were killed. Some of you are going out to march in the streets. Others are resorting to violence which is very unfortunate because we do not think that will help the situation at all. Some of you are hosting vigils. You bring flowers to the places where we were murdered. You are outraged as you should be. But you see, we are gone, and we are not coming back. Was there anything that you could have done about the way that you have chosen to travel through the world as a white person that could have helped to create a world where it would not be thought that a white person in a uniform could practice violence against folks in black and brown bodies without having to worry very much because they would be protected? How do you resist white supremacy? Is it only when a few of us get murdered in plain sight? How does white supremacy serve you? What parts of it are you ready to let go? What will that mean for you? What do you have to change? Are you willing and ready to make that change? We want to know. We have paid the ultimate price for the world that was made for you because for some reason we were sent into the world with black skin instead of white skin. So we think that we can ask you hard questions. What part of your white skin privilege are you willing to give up so we can have a world that does not hate black and brown bodies so much? Once you know the answer to that question, please do it. And then light a candle for yourself in the hope that the light will grow larger and help you see what you need to do next. Let our deaths not be in vain! George [Floyd], Ahmaud [Arbery], Breonna [Taylor] The work is hard, and it can often feel defeating but as Andrew Walker, a parishioner at St. Augustine’s in St. Petersburg commented, “I found the experience to be profoundly joy inducing and encouraging. Dr. Meeks made the beloved community seem achievable rather than insurmountable.” Parishioners from the diocese who attended expressed gratitude for Dr. Meeks’ time, wisdom, and energy. We will do our best to become pilgrims on this journey and to each answer in our own way the call of where do we go from here? As a follow up to the Racial Reconciliation online event, Dr. Meeks shared a letter she wrote, “Can We Have A Word With You?” for reflection of current events and the voices lost. Can We Have A Word With You? Dr. Catherine Meeks | May 29, 2020

A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE WORK OF RACIAL RECONCILIATION by the Rev. Paige Hanks

The diocesan Race and Reconciliation Committee has been hard at work over the last year planning diocesan-wide events examining racism (both virtual and in-person), curating a list of resources to support parishes as they begin or continue their efforts toward racial reconciliation, and creating a six-hour diocesan dismantling racism training aligned with The Episcopal Church’s priority of racial reconciliation beginning in 2022. Diocesan deacons and members and guests of the Race and Reconciliation Committee participated in the first training on October 9, 2021. Anonymous feedback from this training included quotes such as, “best diocesan program in years,” and “very well done,” and “I believe the more we talk about the issue of racism, the more it will be dismantled.” At their October 2021 meeting, Diocesan Council unanimously approved a new diocesan policy which outlines who is required to take Dismantling Racism training. The language from that policy reads as follows: “Lay and ordained leadership of the diocese, including all ordained persons, church and diocesan staff, vestries, and those elected or appointed to positions of leadership on committees, commissions, agencies and boards shall participate in said anti-racism training according to diocesan policy.” The goals for this training were laid out by The Episcopal Church following General Convention Resolution B049 in 2000 which requires training for clergy and lay on this important topic. These goals include:

• Understanding that the largest challenge eliminating racism rests in the largely unconscious systemic (including cultural) and institutional practices that reflect historic racially biased assumptions; • Recognizing and addressing our personal racist tendencies and actions; • Equipping participants so they can begin to help others to eliminate racism and bringing about racial healing; and • Beginning the work to make institutions/systems (cultures) less racist.

Our diocesan training includes a framework for brave group dialogue, an overview of The Episcopal Church’s rationale for addressing racial injustice, a strong grounding in scripture and church tradition, and an overview of notable historical events in America. It will also include short lessons on bias, how privilege works, and how familiar systems function with inherent racism, and an overview of The Episcopal Church’s intention for Becoming Beloved "What part of your white skin privilege are you willing to give up so we can have a world that does not hate black and brown bodies so much?"

Catherine Meeks "Can We Have A Word With You?" May 29, 2020

Community. Interspersed with lectures, short clips, and discussion are small group dialogue opportunities where participants share their learning and commit to taking that learning out into the world as Christian witness.

There will be four offerings of this training during the calendar year of 2022, with the first virtual event for 2022 scheduled for Saturday, January 15th. These events will be held via Zoom for the foreseeable future to accommodate the large number of clergy and lay leaders who are required to participate. Although not a diocesan requirement, parish clergy and lay leaders are encouraged to take this training together. Registration will be open soon for the January training, and future dates will be scheduled and can be found on the diocesan Race and Reconciliation webpage.

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