RACIAL JUSTICE
The purpose of the ULC Racial Justice Team is to Educate the congregation to recognize racism and racial issues and to Equip, Lead and Support the congregation to be anti-racist agents with the people and institutions of our lives.
In October 2019, twenty ULC members participated in a 30-hour workshop called Embracing the Call to Racial Justice: A Workshop for White People, led by Melanie Morrison, PhD, founder and director of Allies for Change. The knowledge gained during this workshop led to the creation of the ULC Racial Justice Team.
We invite you to watch this short YouTube video to learn more about our team.
We invite the entire ULC community to join in this journey, and will be updating this page to bring you links to resources and learning opportunities.
In October 2019, twenty ULC members participated in a 30-hour workshop called Embracing the Call to Racial Justice: A Workshop for White People, led by Melanie Morrison, PhD, founder and director of Allies for Change. The knowledge gained during this workshop led to the creation of the ULC Racial Justice Team.
We invite you to watch this short YouTube video to learn more about our team.
We invite the entire ULC community to join in this journey, and will be updating this page to bring you links to resources and learning opportunities.
Our Racial Justice Team
Below are the current members of the team who will be providing materials and activities to support the above purpose.
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Team Co-Leaders
Vicki Anderson Thom McCurdy Administrative Vicki Anderson, lead Erin Frisch Thom McCurdy Church Presence & Worship Pastor Gary Bunge, lead Gabriel Aichele Vicki Anderson |
Communication & Information Technology
Pastor Haley Vay Beaman, co-lead David Wiggert, co-lead Amy Wagenknecht Vicki Anderson Advocacy & Outreach Thom McCurdy, lead Miriam Bunge Michael Anderson Jennifer Johnson Education Sue Kamens, lead Olga Holden Thom McCurdy Cindy Ramsey Connie Lenkowski |
Speaking of Racial Justice
Join us in Reading Caste
The Racial Justice Team will moderate a discussion of the book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson during the Zoom Forums on Sunday, May 2 and May 9.
In her award-winning book, Wilkerson explains her belief that racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Blacks in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a “caste” system. Wilkerson describes caste as an artificial hierarchy that helps determine standing and respect, assumptions of beauty and competence, and even who gets the benefit of the doubt and access to resources.
We believe this book will surprise you as she discusses the historical development of race and how she came to realize that race alone cannot account for our social and economic interactions. She explains how her study of the caste system in India brought her to this understanding and then compares and contrasts the caste system of India to the US model, and incredibly, to that of Nazi Germany. Shockingly, she details how the Nazis studied the Jim Crow laws in America to learn how our legal system was used to subjugate and control Blacks after the Reconstruction to then develop their policies towards Jews.
The book is lengthy so we will be unable to adequately discuss it in its entirety. Instead, we plan to provide excerpts from the book to promote discussion. We encourage you to read the entire book. However, you can benefit from and add to the discussion even if you have not read the book. Please join us for these Forum discussions in May.
In her award-winning book, Wilkerson explains her belief that racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Blacks in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a “caste” system. Wilkerson describes caste as an artificial hierarchy that helps determine standing and respect, assumptions of beauty and competence, and even who gets the benefit of the doubt and access to resources.
We believe this book will surprise you as she discusses the historical development of race and how she came to realize that race alone cannot account for our social and economic interactions. She explains how her study of the caste system in India brought her to this understanding and then compares and contrasts the caste system of India to the US model, and incredibly, to that of Nazi Germany. Shockingly, she details how the Nazis studied the Jim Crow laws in America to learn how our legal system was used to subjugate and control Blacks after the Reconstruction to then develop their policies towards Jews.
The book is lengthy so we will be unable to adequately discuss it in its entirety. Instead, we plan to provide excerpts from the book to promote discussion. We encourage you to read the entire book. However, you can benefit from and add to the discussion even if you have not read the book. Please join us for these Forum discussions in May.
Recommended Reading/Viewing
Redlined: A Legacy of Housing DiscriminationThis video explains in less than 15 minutes the legislative actions that led to the practice of redlining and the horrific impact it had on the financial stability it had on Blacks and people of color.
Holy Post – Race in America (Part I)We recommend watching this video in its entirety as it discusses not only redlining but establishes the link between financial stability, crime, discriminatory drug laws and prison sentencing, and bias in policing.
The Sharon Bandlow Multicultural and Racial Justice CollectionFollow link to find a complete list of racial justice materials in the ULC Library.
Understanding My Privilege:
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Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent
At the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2019, Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA Presiding Bishop and the ELCA Church Council formally delivered the introduction to, and a copy of, Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent. This document was accepted by Rev. Lamont Wells, President of the African Descent Lutheran Association. Watch video of the event.
ZoomForum (January 17, 2021)
Judith Roberts, Program Director of ELCA Racial Justice Ministries, shares a presentation followed by Q and A on the Explanation of the Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent. Watch below.
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PodcastsThe 1619 Project
"1619” is a New York Times audio series, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, that examines the long shadow of American slavery. Listen to this podcast series.
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Racial Justice Book Discussion With Folks from our North/West Lower Michigan Synod
The next North/West Lower Michigan Synod Racial Justice Book Discussion, led by Rev. Rosanne Anderson, Assistant to the Bishop, will continue at a date to be determined. More information will be coming, including registration details. This discussion of books on Racial Justice, with folks from various places in MI, is a great opportunity for us! |
Materials for Use with Children
Reading |
ListeningNPR Life Kit, “Talking Race with Young Children”
20 Minute Listen NPR Life Kit, “'Raising White Kids' Author on How White Parents Can Talk About Race” 7 minute Listen NPR Life Kit, “Why All Parents Should Talk with Their Kids About Social Identity” 3 Minute Listen |
