BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team Meeting Minutes - November 13, 2017

BUF Black Lives Matter Action Team, Minutes for Nov. 13, 2017

Exquisite Erika chaired the meeting.
Present were: Debbie Boot, Judy Pine, Carl Shumaker, Martie Olsen, Cat McIntyre, Lauralee Carbone, Mary Alden, Judy Kasper, Monica Griffin, Suzanne Dorscha, Shari Walton, Noel Higen, Karen Knukles-Flinn, Kristina Lee Podesva, and David Curley

Erika opened with a reading from Michael Blunt on UU history and race, and then reminded us our commitments to good listening and speaking practices.

There were many comments thanking all those from BLM who prepared and presented the worship service on November 12, including Cat, Judy, Hilde Erika, Karen, Libby, and the women’s choir for their moving music. Thanks to Judy for the signs. And thanks for the contribution of speakers from the Lummi Nation.

Erika commented about how we fought for the worship service against some push-back from the congregation. Kristina asked what the push-back was. Several people spoke about relations between the denomination and its teachings, BUF, and the BLM action team.

*We discussed the nature of the White Supremacy Teach-in, a UU program that happens twice a year, and how and why BUF missed doing this in October. We agreed that although the Teach-in is not a BLM matter per se, we did agree to organize this program for a date in March (?) 2017.

*Erika asked for volunteers to do the eracism moments in December, and the schedule is:
12/3 Debbie Boots
As/17 Shari Walton.
Erika reminded us that the eracism moments are supposed to be personal, from the heart.

Lauralee read us a comment that she received abou Liz’s eracism moment, commending its use of humor, but criticizing the other presenters for blaming white people without giving suggestions about what to do. She also shared her response, suggesting that white fragility is part of the problem.

Going around the table, people were invited to share why they have come.

There was a suggestion that we provide in our meetings a time to go over our encounters with others, successful and not so successful, to help us be self-aware, and become more able to intervene in hard conversations.

Erika opened a discussion of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. She explained what it had meant for her to have taken on a lot of white culture, and she described the book as a source of comfort and a healing manual. She also suggested that it is deeply connected to the handout ‘White Supremacy Culture’ by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun.

*Next meeting with will discuss the first two parts.

Erika led us in a discussion of ‘White Supremacy Culture’, taking each of its topics in turn:

Perfectionism, versus a climate of appreciation and a learning organization.
Constant sense of urgency. Suggestion, develop realism about time and goals.
Defensiveness. Note its links to fear of losing power or prestige.
Quantity over quality. Suggestion, include goals about good process.
Worship of the written word. Suggestions, acceptance of other ways of knowing.
Paternalism.
Either/Or thinking. Suggestion, explore more alternatives.
Power hoarding.
Fear of open conflict. Suggestion, raise hard issues, express and be open to emotion.
Individualism. Suggestion, work of delegation, teamwork.
View that progress is bigger, more. Suggestion, think about what success is, develop 7th generation thinking.
Objectivity.
Right to comfort. Suggestion: don’t take things too personally.

Final words as we extinguished the flame: We must turn and reclaim our past in order to find our future.

Respectfully submitted
David Curley