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A Conversation on Race, Part II

June 26, 2020 by Lauren 10 Comments

“Racism is rooted inside the soul and psyche of America.” – Oprah

 

Last week I started a dialogue with Yvonne Chase and Calvonia Radford, both black sisters in Christ, both fellow bloggers, about racism in America today.  You can read Part I in this two-part series here.  For Christians, it is important to take an anti-racism stance to truly love our brothers and sisters as Jesus did.

 

We also need to understand that racism not only encompasses the cruel, violent acts we see on TV and social media.  Racism includes attitudes, microaggressions, lack of opportunities, insensitive language and so many other things that have plagued black Americans for as long as there have been black Americans.

 

The Bible tells us to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).  How can we possibly do that as the body of Christ if we don’t seek to understand that which sits heavy on the hearts of our black brothers and sisters.  So I continue the conversation today with Yvonne and Calvonia to help us all understand a little better.

 

Pastor and author Dr. Tony Evans (who has some racial unity resources on his website) said, “We cannot expect to solve the racial problem in our nation if we do not, and have not even begun to solve it in the church.”  What, in your opinion, can churches do?

 

Calvonia:  “The first thing the American “church” needs to do is repent.  The history of the church in this country is stained with the mistreatment of the indigenous people groups and people of color.  In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we find the recipe for revival.  The church will never see true revival until God’s people turn and repent as a corporate body for their past and present sin.  Churches are the most segregated institution.  Diverse and multicultural congregations often have less diverse leadership.  They should ask themselves if the cultures represented in the pews are reflected in the worship experience.”

 

Yvonne:  “The church has a history of not talking about hot topics.  They sweep police brutality and systemic racism under the rug and put a ‘forgive as God has forgiven you’ and a ‘Jesus is love’ band-aid on it.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves with the church.  The world talks about everything loudly while we’re quiet.  That needs to stop.  Churches can start by examining themselves and their leadership.  Check our hearts to make sure no strain of racism exists.  Have public conversations about systemic racism and police brutality.  Pastor Steven Furtick and Pastor John Gray were the first two pastors I saw have a conversation on the platform at church about this issue.  It was powerful.  We, the church, cannot fix what we don’t face.  We have the answers the world needs.  Our voices need to be the loudest.  We need to take the lead because the reality is this, there is no law written or law revised that can change the heart of Derek Chauvin and others who have such hate in their hearts towards black people.  The only thing that can change hearts is an encounter with Jesus Christ.”

 

Charles Blow, an American journalist, commentator and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, says “this country is not responsive to black pain”.  Do you agree with this, and if so, do you have any stories from your own life or someone you know that would illustrate this?

 

Yvonne:  “I agree with Charles.  Why did it take the lynching of George Floyd for the country to care?  Police brutality against black people didn’t start on March 25, 2020.  It’s been happening for years.  Systemic racism is ingrained in the DNA of the USA.”

 

Calvonia:  “Yes, I agree.  A correct response to pain doesn’t deflect.  It seems when we cry out, ‘Black Lives Matter’, people who are not black or brown get defensive.  They get it twisted.  We are not implying that other people’s lives don’t matter.  Of course all lives matter.  However, from our purview, our lives have never mattered.  We have read the history.  150 some years ago, black people were considered mere property.  During Barak Obama’s presidency, his wife Michelle was referred to more than once as an animal – an ape in heels.  Proof that mindsets have not really changed.”

 

What would you say to someone who does not believe white privilege exists? 

 

Yvonne:  “Honestly, I wouldn’t waste my time trying to open their eyes.  There are protests happening all over the world.  I would use my energy to continue to fight the good fight.  That person obviously wants to remain in denial and has made up their mind.  Therefore, I will let them be.  They have chosen not to see beyond themselves and their white world.  Trying to reason with an unreasonable person is an exercise in futility.”

 

Calvonia:  “White privilege is a societal advantage.  It doesn’t mean that white people don’t struggle or that white people as a whole are given everything on a silver platter.  It means people of color have to work harder for everything we accomplish.  It’s hard for a white person to understand white privilege.  I was taught by my grandparents to study harder, dress better and be more articulate because I had two strikes against me.  I was black and I was a woman.  Those of us who have achieved educational milestones and climbed up the corporate ladder had to cross more hurdles than our white counterparts.  And we have to work harder to stay there.  Our society holds a secret for success and the template is white.  We are always fighting systemic discrimination.

 

What books/ podcasts/ movies or documentaries would you recommend to your white brothers and sisters who want to further their understanding of the black American’s experience?

 

Yvonne:  You may not know this, Lauren; but it is offensive to ask black people to help educate white people about our painful experience in America.  If you (not you personally) care, then make it your business to educate yourself.

 

Calvonia:  The most valuable resource is the human resource.  I dare not recommend any media without encouraging my white brothers and sisters to study their black and brown-skinned brothers and sisters.  If they currently have POC in their inner circle, I challenge them to build relationships beyond meeting for a cup of coffee.  If they do not know any black or brown people, I encourage them to pray and ask God to organically orchestrate such a connection.

 

Both women were gracious enough to give recommendations anyway:

Books:

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skoot

Mary McLeod Bethune by Emma Gelders Sterne

Unshakable Faith by John Perry

Articles and Websites:

The Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh

www.racialequitytools.org

Why are White People So Bad at Talking about Race?

Podcasts

Truth’s Table

Be the Bridge

Code Switch

Movies/ Documentaries

Twelve Years a Slave

The Help

Hidden Figures

Selma

When They See Us

Becoming

 

 

Your turn.  What can you do to further your understanding of the plight of black Americans? What can you do to fight for equality and racial reconciliation?  I challenge you to talk to a black friend or co-worker about this.  Support black owned businesses.  Choose a resource recommended above or another one you’ve heard good buzz about and dig in (next week on the blog I’ll share some that have been helpful to me the last few weeks).  Speak up when you hear someone using racist language or stereotypes.  Use your social media pages to denounce racism in all its forms.  Start there and see where God might lead you.  I’m praying for you in this.

 

I want to give one last thank you to Yvonne and Calvonia for their time, wisdom and vulnerability.  I am learning so much and will continue to visit their pages and carry on the conversation with them online.  Give them a visit and let them know how much you appreciate all they are doing.

 

Yvonne Chase:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/itsyvonnechase

 

Calvonia Radford:

Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/realtalk859

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/calvoniaradford/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/beequipped

 

 

 

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Sharon of limitless-horizon.com shared Skies Always Blue with us last week and it was just the soothing balm my frayed emotions needed.  Head over for a huge dose of hope today.

 

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A Conversation on Race, Part I…and Grace and Truth Link Up

June 19, 2020 by Lauren 30 Comments

“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”  – Angela Davis

 

If I have learned anything the last few weeks it is the words in the quote above.  I have heard many voices giving many different opinions about what is going on in our country, and somewhere in there is the truth.  But here is what I know for sure.  We still have a long way to go in the arena of race relations in America.  In an effort to keep learning and growing, I have asked two black sisters in Christ who are also bloggers to join me in this discussion.

 

Yvonne Chase aka the Single Woman’s Cheerleader and Calvonia Radford of realtalk859.wordpress.com graciously agreed to dialogue with me and let me share our conversation with you.  I encourage you to visit their websites and read their insights on this matter and many others.  And I pray God uses this exchange to further His kingdom and encourage love, healing and fellowship.

 

Yvonne wrote a post called Silence Speaks Volumes that I referenced in my blog a couple of weeks ago.  In it, she mentioned that it took her several days to publish a post about the unrest all around us for fear of offending others.  I asked her why she was afraid.

 

Yvonne:  “…most of the readers of my blog are white Christian women.  My blog is not for the faint of heart.  Much of what I write about can be seen as offensive simply because I’m a Christian woman and we’re not supposed to have certain conversations in such a bold way.   The church is too silent on issues that matter.  Let’s face it, most people can’t handle the truth even when it’s tempered with grace.  In that post, I called out white women on their silence that I see all too often on social media when something happens to the black community.  I see it repeatedly and it’s bothersome.”

 

Calvonia wrote a blog post called, “Say Their Names”.  I asked her why it is important to say the names of those who have been victimized.

 

Calvonia:  “In a society where social media news feeds and 24/7 television stations throw sound bites and news clips to us at the speed of lightening, we tend to react before we absorb the information  Speaking their names out loud causes us to think of them as humans with unique personality traits, gifts and talents.  For me, hearing their names made me feel their mother’s pain.  It prevented me from making their rap sheet top priority.  Rather, I wanted to know them personally.  I craved to hear their stories.”

 

And now, my questions for both ladies:

 

What do you want white people to know?

 

Calvonia:  “I want white people to know we are just as similar as we are different.  Black and brown skinned people are not an anomaly.  I want them to know we are scared.  When we watch the news, we see deeper than whatever happened that day.  We see black and white film strips in the civil rights archives.  We grab our children and give them “the talk” once again.  Because we know the media is not misleading us about racism.  We have experienced it far too often.  It’s like a nightmare you never wake up from.”

 

How would you like your white brothers and sisters to respond to this cultural moment?

 

Yvonne:  “I would like them to care…When you care, you take authentic action.  You post on social media from a place of empathy, not pressure.  You write a blog post because what happened to George and black people in America breaks your heart.  I want them to respond the way they would if George was their son or family member or close friend.  I want them to say what’s happening to black people in America is wrong because they believe and know that deep in their hearts, not because the entire world is now saying it.  Black people didn’t just arrive on the scene.  Now all of a sudden because of a modern-day lynching, you care.  Why didn’t you care before?  Why did it take seeing a knee on the neck of a black man for you to care?  Answering that question will uncover what’s in their hearts.”

 

Calvonia:  “I want them to respond with compassion.  Check in on me.  Ask me how I’m doing and wait to hear the answer.  I would love for them to ask me questions instead of telling me all of this is not real.  Ask me about my experience.  And listen – actively listen – with no preconceived ideas.  I want them to listen with the intent to discover something new about me and to identify something within themselves.

 

 

Readers, I have more of this conversation to share with you, but I don’t want to rush it.  These women have given us a glimpse of their heart and their experience.  It’s too important to skim over.  I encourage you to go back and read the answers to these questions once again.  If you primarily see racism, the protests and all the discussions surrounding them as political, then I would challenge you to listen closer.  Listen to the pain, fear and frustration in these answers.  Better yet, as Calvonia suggested, ask someone of color that you know how they are feeling.  What they are experiencing.  Do it IRL (in real life).  And then come back next week to learn some more from my blogger friends in “A Conversation on Race, Part II”.

 

And now for this week’s featured post!

 

Barbara Harper Lee of Stray Thoughts:  A Home for the Stray Thoughts of an Ordinary Christian Woman, reviewed Dr. Michelle Bengtson‘s book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip:  How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises here.  Michelle is a fellow believing blogger (I love alliteration.) and a board certified clinical neuropsychologist.  In this time of Covid 19, high unemployment and racial tensions, not to mention normal daily stresses and fears, I needed to learn about this resource.  Visit both of these ladies online for voices of wisdom and biblical encouragement.

 

Now for this week’s link-up! Let’s bless and encourage one another in our walk with the Lord.

 

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I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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