Roderick Walker’s Lyft driver was pulled over and yet, according to reports, he was beaten and had a knee pressed on his neck when asked for his ID. Some people will ask the question, “Why didn’t he just give his ID?” The answer is that he had the right to ask and refuse since he … More Questioning Injustice
The other morning I was feeling the weight of trying to articulate possibilities in the face of polarities. I prayed for some guidance on how to reimagine some of the conversations we’re having on race. Next thing you know, I get this email from my new friend Justin Michael Williams inviting me to preview an … More Ending Racism: How to Change the World in One Generation
How committed are you to a just an equitable world? This piece is a repost of a reflection that I shared in the Together Colorado Faith Voices newsletter. When I was growing up, I used to watch a show called “Diff’rent Strokes”. It was the story about two young Black boys who were adopted by … More What Are You Talking About Witness?
After posting this, a friend sent me this piece from The Boston Globe: Additional articles that you may want to reflect on: Black Miami doctor handcuffed while helping homeless during pandemic By Cynthia Silva Why some people of color say they won’t wear homemade masks By Fernando Alfonso III
You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great… — Maya Angelou “You don’t belong here.” For the first 5 or so minutes that this woman was talking to me, I was hoping that my short responses to her … More Somewhere I Belong
In a world where we are constantly reminded of the dangers that surround us, who among us has not imagined what we would do if we found ourselves in a dangerous or perhaps life-threatening situation? It seems like everyday we hear some story of innocent victims of unspeakable crimes. And whether it is a shooting … More Surrounded! – How Do You Respond Under Threat?
Tonight I realized that I feel safer in cars that look like I can afford them. That is a sad awareness that I need to work on more deeply. How I realized this was that I had to rent a car. I had a coupon that enabled me to get a compact for the same … More Escaping the Prison Industrial Mindset
The message written below is a response I wrote to someone with whom I was engaged in a dialogue after we both read the same blog post where pastor, John Pavlovitz, made distinctions between white Christians who say they were “embarrassed” by President Obama, those who simply disagreed with him, and those who basically are conscious … More On Blacking In America – v. To offend others by existing
Can a language be biased/oppressive/racist? I know that right off the bat some people will take issue with the question this title suggests. They’ll say, “No. A language can’t be inherently racist or anything else other than a method of communication. It is neutral. Words don’t hurt people. People hurt people.” And to some degree, … More Is Common English An Inherently Biased/Oppressive/Racist Language?
Sometimes it seems as if America is bent on surviving itself to death. Like an ostrich with a lion on its tail, who can’t see a way out other than to close its eyes and hope the threat goes away, our country is living its collective life with its head in the sand fearful that … More America in Denial – Perils of a Strength Overdone
