Eracism Minute 1/31/21 Barbara Gilday

 

In the Eracism moment today, I’ll reflect on both of those realities. In the other panel, you see my friend, James Kainyiah, in Ghana. His big laugh is like a baby’s that takes over his whole being and invites everyone to join in. James and I worked on several projects in Ghana over a period of several years. It was like that, with James. We worked and we laughed. It was natural. I looked forward to our weekly conversations and our visits to our projects.

I have a couple of African American friends here with whom I feel comfortable doing this kind of banter and joking. But for the most part, I feel I have to be careful what I say and how I say it, because there are so many people of color in this country with justifiable generational pain, that I can’t be sure how they will interpret my humor until I know them well. This tension is a great loss for all of us.

Today marks the 400^th anniversary of the first slaves arriving in America from West Africa. It’s been a long time that many people in this country have worked on institutional and generational racism. I feel, and I really do believe we are about to turn this giant earth ship in new directions on the issue of racism.

Last summer’s shocking, but not unusual racial killings followed by race demonstrations and the pandemic have taught us that thinking small and within our self-centered, close circles is not the answer to a healthy and happy society for all. It is time to dream big, together– not be dragged down and dispirited by the failures of the past. Not to drown in the bad news and dire predictions repeated hourly and daily from the news. And to remember what immense societal sacrifices we have made and dollars the government has found– for what we thought would be a month and has turned into a year, so far, fighting this pandemic. Huge change CAN HAPPEN! Consider this: every unjust social institution in history seemed permanent until it was imagined otherwise.

This is the moment to declare what is obsolete, what can be reformed and what must be reimagined. Our thoughts become our actions and our actions become our reality. We need to imagine and dream big, together. We are the people to do it, joining our various gifts together to turn the great wheel of Destiny. We all have so much to gain by creating equity, justice and peace for all.

There are many steps to be taken before we can safely and joyfully come to the point of general societal, and racial trust. But let’s hold this thought to draw us forward into the emergence of a new world.

May we imagine and work for the day when our joint laughter – all peoples of all colors and cultures, evoke a wave of trust and joy that infuses and enlivens creation all around the world.

2/7/21 Anti-Racism Minute-Cat McIntyre

 Anti-racism Minute, February 7, 2021 - Cat McIntyre

​At our February BUF Black Lives Matter meeting, we changed the name of this minute from Eracism to Anti-Racism, following the lead of Ibram X. Kendi.  An anti-racist is someone who is willing to admit the times when they are being racist, who is willing to recognize the inequities and racial problems of our society, and who is willing to challenge those racial inequities by challenging policies. 

​February is Black History Month.  Black Lives Matter reminds us that racism against people of color doesn't occur in a vacuum -- we must not celebrate Black History Month by studying THEIR history AS IF it occurred outside of our own. 

​Teejay Morris, a local black leader, wrote:  "I both LOVE and LOATHE Black History Month.  I love it because it's an opportunity to learn about the contributions of black people in this country. I loathe it because black history is HISTORY period.  It should be taught every day of the year in every classroom in every history class."

​He continues:  "In my mind, you cannot talk about Thomas Jefferson without talking about Phillis Wheatley and Sally Hemings; you cannot talk about Abraham Lincoln without talking about Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass; you cannot talk about John Brown without talking about Nat Turner and Margaret Garner; you cannot talk about World War I without talking about Jim Crow; you cannot talk about Women's Suffrage without talking about Ida B. Wells; you cannot talk about American literature without the Harlem Renaissance. "

​Following Teejay's advice, let's make Black History Month OUR History Month, every month.

 

2/1/2021 Meeting Minutes

 BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team

Business/Planning Meeting:  February 1, 2021

 

Present: Murray Bennett, Lauralee Carbone, David Curley, Barbara Gilday, Lisa Heezen, Bharti Kirsher, Tom Kirshner, Claire Lender,  Cat McIntyre and Hank Ohana

 

1. Eracism Minutes. --Now entitled Anti-Racism Minutes per meeting agreement

Feb 7              Cat McIntyre

Feb 14            Eliana Steele

Feb 21            Lisa Heezen

Feb 28            Hank Ohana

 

2. Programs for Feb 8 and Mar 8:  Barbara will research Truth and Reconciliation Efforts for Feb. 8 program; if she can't find anything by Wednesday, she will call Hank Ohana, who will organize a program on William Barber.Cat will organize March 8 program with Seattle group, GRACE (Grandmothers for Race and Class Equality) for a dialogue on reparations and HR 40. David suggested an alternative for March or April, a program on Inter-racial, Class-based Organizing with BLM founder Alicia Garza. 

 

3.  Widening the Circle Study: Genia Allen is organizing this eleven-meeting program from February through mid-May.  Mel Hoover and Rose Eddington will lead these discussions. Much interest in this program among those attending this meeting.

 

4.  Scholarship for Black Teachers.Tom Kirshner suggested this as a BUF activity under Covenant of Beloved Community. Barbara Gilday has communicated with Western Washington U and several individuals in the community. Woodring College is very interested in BUF funding a fellowship for a minority person (black, indigenous, or hispanic) at a cost of $5,000/year without dorm; $13,000/year with dorm. There are several possible hosts for home stay (Barbara, Genia, Lauralee). We agreed there should be a clear statement of the purpose of this educational support to avoid "White Savior" or offense to the student. The aim is to provide four years of support.  Bharti, Tom and Barbara will present the idea at the Beloved Community Covenant meeting on Thursday. We should be sensitive to this effort not competing with BUF for funds, given the tight budget for the coming year due to COVID.

 

5.  Review of BLM Ministry Action Team Charter. Cat and David presented the proposed updated Charter, to cover 2020 through 2023.  The Beloved Community covenant (8th principle wording) is included in the new charter.  Objectives have been spelled out, including supporting Beloved Conversations II in 2021. 

 

6.  Covenant of Beloved Community.  Everyone is encouraged to attend the next meeting on Thursday, February 4 at 6 pm

 

7.  Beloved Conversations II. We have support from the Board with $1,000 funds for Fall 2021; those attending will pay some fee to underwrite the cost. We agreed that the newer, on-line Beloved Conversations is too expensive, at  $250/person, for our community, so we will stick to in-person version at BUF next fall.

 

8.  Black Community interest in meeting at BUF.  The expression of interest from Dr. Damani Johnson for BUF possibly providing a meeting space for local black community is on hold while Damani completes his retirement and continues conferring with other black leaders; David offered assistance in finding them a space even if it's not BUF

 

Next BLM Program meeting: Feb. 8 at 7 pm

Next BLM business/planning meeting: Mar. 1 at 6 pm

 

 

Respectfully submitted

Cat McIntyre, co-facilitator, BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team

Erika is moving to Vermont!

 Hi All,

 

Many of you remember our friend and BUF member, Exquisite Erika, who helped initiate our journey toward a Beloved Community by founding our BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team. She moved to Portland a few years ago and now is moving to Vermont!

 

Transitions are difficult, especially for people of color, who experience direct and indirect racism in everyday life. Exquisite is going to have a lot of transitional expenses such as moving her car, winter tires, snow boots, warm clothes, possibly furnishings, etc. If you would like to contribute, I’m taking up a collection. You can send checks to me and I’ll send them along to Exquisite before the end of January.

 

I hope you will be generous in your giving and show Erika the appreciation for all that she did at and for our BUF community!

 

Lauralee Carbone

360.201.3445

2212 40^th St.

Bellingham WA 98229