It’s been a difficult few weeks for our nation—on top of a difficult few months for most of the world. My heart feels heavy, and I am at a loss for what to say or do. The links I’m sharing today reflect some of my personal pursuit of education and knowledge as I determine my next steps. I hope they will be helpful for you as well.
Dear Mister Rogers, by Rebecca Reynolds
“You showed me that when people are somehow different, we should ask good questions. Then we should listen slowly. You showed me how being curious and being a know-it-all were polar opposites. You never once tried to hide what you didn’t know.”
Because I Love You, by Kaitlin Walden
“These incidents are always sad and unfortunate, and we will continue to pull out our never-ending ‘thoughts and prayers’ like we are reaching from Mary Poppins’ carpet bag. But this isn’t solely a black issue. This is an American issue. And it should affect everyone.“
How to Talk to Your Kids About Race, by Ojus Patel
“We must challenge ourselves to open up space for honest, messy, and courageous conversations about race. When we don’t have those conversations, we are failing our children. And the cost of that failure is just too high.”
We Need to Be Uncomfortable, by Phillip Holmes
“I don’t grieve as one without hope. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’s blood and righteousness. I am, however, uncomfortable. My model is Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, where he was both distressed and hopeful. We all should be uncomfortable about the injustice in our country.”
Ten Things Every Racial Bridge-Builder Should Know, by Tasha Morrison
“Don’t expect opportunities to only come to you. Step out of your comfort zone to find opportunities. Be brave.”
200+ Highly-Recommended Black-Owned Businesses to Support, by Sherry Petersik
“Over the past 30 years, the US has seen a sharp decline in independent Black-owned business, and that Black women in particular face so many obstacles getting their business ventures funded.”
What I Hear When Someone Says “I Don’t See Color”, by Kiara Goodwin
“Making space for another viewpoint does not negate yours. Quite the opposite — it provides more context and framework for your own experience. Being quick to invalidate someone else’s reality just because it’s different than yours means missing an opportunity to learn and grow.”
A Liturgy for a Time of Widespread Suffering, by Doug McKelvey
“Use even these hardships to woo our hearts nearer to you, O God. Indeed, O Father, may these days of disquiet become a catalyst for conviction and repentance, for the tendering of our affections, for the stirring of our sympathies, for the refining of our love.”
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice, by Corrine Shutack
If you have come across any other resources or articles that have been helpful to you in recent weeks, please pass them forward!