There is a deleted scene in the show The Office in which Michael Scott walks into the conference room the day Barak Obama was inaugurated and tells Darryl and Stanley, the two Black employees, that since we have a Black … Continue reading What’s Your Superpower?
In 1619, the White Lion landed in Virginia, bringing what is believed to be the first group of Africans to the American continent. Over the next 189 years, the transatlantic slave trade continued to bring kidnapped Africans to the USA. … Continue reading Chabelaj: my favorite Black artist.
The term “model minority” is usually associated with people of Asian descent. It originated in the 1940s during World War II, when China became an ally of the United States, and the Chinese were seen as “good” Asians compared to … Continue reading You’re one of the “model” ones…
We will begin singing carols about peace this month. We will raise our voices to beseech the holy infant to “sleep in heavenly peace,” and we will elevate a hallelujah to the “Prince of Peace.” And versions of Jill … Continue reading Let peace-making begin with me…
Once, I was a young pastor’s wife whose husband returned home broken from a tough board meeting, which would be the catalyst for his eventual resignation from parish ministry. When Matt started talking about walking away, I wanted to be supportive, but the situation felt unfair. He had been a pastor for nearly ten years, it was the only life we knew together, and we had no idea what we would do next if he quit. I felt the kids and I were caught in the middle, swept by the tide of circumstances that were not of our doing yet … Continue reading Too many words…too little empathy
My great-grandmother was generous to a fault. The stories of how her house was a haven for needy people abound. My grandmother inherited this value, and I grew up never knowing who would show up for lunch at her table. … Continue reading What we model…
A white pastor complained to Matt, my husband, and me that people of color visited his church but never stayed. He said he was heartbroken because he longed for a more diverse congregation. In the next breath, he told us … Continue reading Colorblindness, the enemy of diversity.
Three-Fifths 