Adams and Reese LLP’s Post

For #MartinLutherKingDay, an interfaith panel reflects on the sacredness of the vote and the legacy of Reverend King. Read more on #InterfaithAmerica: https://bit.ly/3voezWx

"So, as we learn more and more about the saints who have gone before us in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, we do so neither to idealize nor to demonize anyone," writes James S. Currie in this edition of Making History Today, "but rather with a keen sense of gratitude for their faith, their call to discipleship, and the many and varied ways they have shaped us." Read more in Deeply Rooted from the Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest.

Some interesting snippets in there…

“You shouldn’t be so harsh!” “You were so nice, they didn’t get your point!” “Stop being so angry.” “What about reverse discrimination?” “ You were an apologist!” “If you weren’t so mean, I’d want to listen.” There is always some excuse given as to why we “white” folks refused to listen to the truth about our own behavior. Each one of us “white” people respond differently and learn differently. As a special education teacher, I can attest to this. It is important that we hear the same anti-racist ideology in many different different ways. But they’re all the same message. Some people respond to kindness others respond to harshness, and most people are somewhere in between. About 20 years ago, I was told that the only way to get “white” people to understand is to bite their heads off and leave them in shock. I was told I didn’t present anti-racism with urgency and power I was being an apologist. “White” folks who want to learn and be part of the solution instead of the problem need to find way to join the steep, lifelong anti-racism continuum. Not every racist educator will suit your needs, but there is someone out there for you probably more than one. The best thing of a “white” person can do who wants to learn is to listen to Black people when they speak. Take to heart what the have to say! Believe them. Empathize and then do it again and again and again. LISTEN TO BLACK PEOPLE WHEN THEY SPEAK. Black people in the United States live this every day. There is no one who knows better about how to solve the problems (caused by the “white” community) that face the Black community today. It is imperative that we “white” folks stop scrutinizing the tone or the manner of the communication and start listening to the content!! We must do introspection and educate ourselves so we stop perpetuating system systemic racism. We don’t do this to be heroes or saviors or to get our picture on social media. We do it because it’s the right way to act human and we too will benefit from it greatly in the long run. It is way past time, “white” people take racial, responsibility and unite with Black, brown, Indigenous people, etc. and help to dismantle the system of oppression that people who look like us started and people who look like us benefit from!

Today we honor, reflect, and commemorate #Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the United States. Learn more about this important day in American history: www.juneteenth.com and https://lnkd.in/gDimiCf2

History

Today, and every day we celebrate the end of slavery. If you'd like to learn more about Juneteenth, check out this website about the historical legacy of Juneteenth: https://s.si.edu/3z1ozqr

The education systems globally are in desperate need of revision. History holds a lot of gravity in the narratives that we form about society and our places in it. If we pay attention even to the terminology used in describing the African Holocaust, there has been a lot of desensitisation and bypassing of the atrocities committed by Imperialist forces that paint a different picture about Europe that has implications on power dynamics that we see today. In our collective approach to unraveling African History & Black Studies we are often hesistant to explore our history, as an attempt to purely focus on building a better future. I think it is so important to integrate both; the future and the past both play important roles in what we can do in the present moment.

Despite a new government at UK level, there seems to be a reluctant acceptance that the systemic challenges haven't gone away (and no magic wand is forthcoming). It feels like every second conversation I have is around finding the right approach to rapidly solving these short and longer term challenges. Most of these come down to two key problems: 1. Do you have a stress-tested understanding of what's important? Time spent getting a clear grasp of your priorities is never wasted. However some leaders seem to be reluctant to even say that they have priorities out loud. The people I speak to who are the most forward in their plans have put effort into understanding what needs their focus and what may, however painfully, need to stop. 2. What does success look like? It's easy to slip from leading to managing when the going gets tough. Keeping the whole team's attention on the overall objective is critical. For some, success is weathering this particular storm, but for others success is a broader vision of the future and the challenges of today can actually be a useful moment in getting towards real long term success. Lots of leadership teams will be spending their summers thinking about these. Some will even take the time to tackle them.

Today, I'll be serving as a guest panelist for a webinar entitled "Black Leadership Lessons from Across the Disciplines" with Seminary Now and Christianity Today. Here (below) is the trailer that will be shown before our interview-style webinar kicks off. I honor this course, today's conversation, and the work of my fellow leaders not only as culturally important, but as divinely prophetic. https://lnkd.in/eaD7FJu2 "There's still something about being Black in America. The issues that African Americans face today are at the center of our national dialogue. What do we mean when we say the Black church? In fact, why is there a separate church or racially divided church? Aren't we all the same before Christ? Now these are all questions that we will address in our introduction to Black Church Studies. And in this course, we will see the ways that the Black church provided hope for people caught up in American slavery, and it's helped Black Americans defeat slavery and segregation, and win victories for civil rights. In many ways, we will see the Black church became the prophetic voice and the moral conscious of America." Today, I'm honored to be speaking into art and creativity, and to be joining fellow innovative and passionate Black Christian leaders across multiple disciplines to share what has motivated, encouraged, and, at times, frustrated us in our leadership. If you a free, please join this webinar. Invite your fellow church leaders and colleagues. Don't miss this conversation, which is really essentially a celebration of Black History Month, as we discuss leadership, hospitality, faith, and the future of the church. Webinar begins at 1pm ET/12 CT. Here is the link to sign up: https://lnkd.in/eQqfCrdE