MLK Day- Race Relations Trying to Do Better*

 We can do better. We will do better.  A colleague sent an email and it took me down a rabbit hole.  Here are a few websites I visited, and some actions I can take.

103 Things White People Can Do Better

http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/13-miss-buchanans-period-of-adjustment  I will listen to this.  N Related is the book: Talking to Strangers by Gladwell (above podcast host). I listened to this book. I have bought it and will review it reflecting on our world of today.  I will discuss it with my book club.

Speaking of Book Clubs:  Join or start a Daughters of Abraham book club in your Church, mosque, or synagogue. Interesting.  I really don't have time for another book club but- looking over this club's lists is interesting.  I like the idea of understanding different religions and acceptance, tolerance, and mutual support.

Tied to this is- buy from black-owned book stores! This is something I can do.  I like Ann Patchett so I buy from her, I also buy from Readers Garden. I can share the love, maybe you will too:

https://lithub.com/you-can-order-today-from-these-black-owned-independent-bookstores/

The good news is from this website, are things I have done! I've not only read- Orange is the New Black, but I also heard/saw Piper Kerman speak at Denison. Prism Reform (a big component of this blog page) is needed.  On my nightstand to read is The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.

Clare read it and recommends it!!  We did discuss it as a family.

Remember the wise words of Twitter user @itsjacksonbbz: You will continue to mess up racism. So continue to be teachable, open to correction from POC, and vigilantly monitor yourself for defensiveness and white fragility. You never “arrive” as an ally, you must continually *practice* allyship.

This isn't easy. This isn't going to be easy.  There is a lot wrong.

There is so much right thought- we're talking, we're trying. I believe deeply in education and conversation.

My font has increased and that is a good thing too.

Have thoughts for me about this subject in my life on Newark-Granville Road- please call or email and we'll find time to talk.

Our work today was to Feed the Dream! We used the day to do a ton of good and help alleviate hunger in Licking County.  So much of race relations is socio-economic.  If you are hungry you can't learn. Root cause issues. Here is the link to donate: https://web.charityengine.net/Default.aspx?tsid=16980  I should have included this in yesterday's post.  Thank you to our organizers, volunteers, and donors.

Update- 2/7/21:

-https://denison.edu/campus/multicultural-students/wh/140490   Denison 21-Day Racial Equity Challenage!  Community members included, invited, encouraged- join me! The first/launch:

We will begin our 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge on Monday February 8-February 28, 2021 through a self-directed, easily accessible daily “challenge activity” rooted in Mr. Moore’s following action values to establish an equitable community: Read, Listen, Watch, Notice, Connect, Engage, Act, Reflect, Stay Inspired.

Day 1 - Monday, February 8: The Wait for Racial Equity

• Challenge Activity: Listen to the Denison University MLK Day speaker, Dr. Danielle Allen of Harvard University, for a conversation on February 8 at 4:30 pm. Keep an eye out in the coming days for more information about events with Dr. Allen. (60 minutes)

*FPC- Our service today was beautiful (2/7/21).  It was a Godwink to have me reading scripture. I needed it. I was grateful to worship with others, hear music direct- unfiltered, pray and hear the stories of slaves, the reflections, the music, the lessons. Thank you Phillip and all involved //www.granpres.org/livestream

The book inspiring and called upon in the service:  Eileen Guenther’s In Their Own Words: Slave Life and the Power of Spiritual.