1. Prayer
We are God’s imperfect people, and we lament the legacy White supremacy culture has left on each of us and our nation’s history, and we celebrate the work of Martin Luther King and others who fought for God’s justice on earth as it is in heaven. Celebration of MLK Day is a call to prayer. Each of us can ask God how we might be inclusive, loving and Jesus-like to those on the margins around us. Prayer also calls us to give thanks for the work of King and others. Prayer invites us to listen to the Spirit as we seek to enact God’s justice around us.
2. Do your own work
One way we can celebrate the legacy of MLK is by doing our own work, if we are part of the dominant culture, and letting people do their own work, if we are not part of the dominant culture. As friendly as it may seem to ask, asking BIPOC folks to teach White people how to be better allies puts unnecessary work on BIPOC people, who already have to navigate White supremacy culture. There are many ways to learn how to be a better advocate. Read on for more ideas.
3. Showing Up for Racial Justice
SURJ is an organization that helps White people work for justice. It holds training series and book studies, and it introduces White folks to the role of advocacy. You can find your nearest local chapter on the website. SURJ has its roots in the Black liberation movement in the mid-1960s. It was founded in 2009 after the election of President Obama. Many called the U.S. a “post-racial society.” A group of people saw racism happening in an even more open way and decided to form an organization that would help White people remain informed and be good allies.
4. The BIPOC Project
The BIPOC Project is for people of color who want to work at authenticity and solidarity in BIPOC-only spaces. The Project’s resources help BIPOC leaders navigate White spaces, encourage BIPOC folks to mobilize, and promote and advocate for intersectionality. The group holds several gatherings a year, which can be found on the website.
5. Widerstand
Widerstand has been a popular consulting group for churches, rooted in Anabaptist founders. It is able to do antiracism audits for churches and other organizations, offer online and custom training for churches and organizations, and do overall consultations in dismantling racism. Widerstand’s clients include Eastern Mennonite University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Maryland State Library Agency. On its website you can also find some free resources, including “Seven Principles and The First Three Steps” as well as “Moving from Crisis to Commitment.” Several Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference churches have used Widerstand’s antiracism audit.
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