“The true history of the United States has been shocking and fills me with shame. When has the US ever been great or a source of freedom for all people?”
“My childhood education failed me. Now I know to focus on the system of racism, not racist individuals.”
“When others share their experiences and perspectives, it adds nuance and humanity to the specific topics and to the overall discussions.”
“Hearing others’ reactions has been valuable; I don’t feel so alone in my thoughts.”
~ Various participants
Learning Circles… Where have you been all my life?
I wish it were good news that I bring. The systems are working as designed, folks. That’s the lesson: The US was designed and have operated since its inception to be a government by, for and in praise of the privileged. Thus, a widening wealth gap and a strong ethic of white supremacy is a continuation of what Europeans intended. Damn.
To be churchy about it: If we are too live into the 8 Principles of Unitarian Universalism, we must be aware of and accept our (nation, state, county, city, neighborhood, congregation) as it really is. Then, we can begin to address the changes needed to move us closer to the Beloved Community.
In short, take the classes!!
~ John Elizalde, First U congregant since 2010
I learned so much about how slavery has impacted life today.
Racism is everywhere and resides in everyone.
Join a learning circle and become informed by outstanding Black historians and authors. Every hour spent reading and talking about the book, The 1619 Project, opened my eyes and mind to new information. The stories told are gut wrenching from a burned down business owned by a Black family to experimental surgery without anesthesia on enslaved Black women.
If we are not aware of racism, then we cannot see the problems and devastation that it inflicts today. Opportunity knocks. Sign up now.
~ Gail Doxtader, First U congregant since 2013
Living as I do, in SW Portland, I’m ashamed to say that I actually “didn’t see color” prior to taking “Seeing White.” I don’t mean this was a political or moral stance. I mean it quite literally. I walked around my neighborhood with a filter in my head that told me I live in a “white” part of town, and that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color don’t live around me.
The Antiracism Learning Circles made me curious. I started to wonder whether this was really the case. I started to look at the other humans that I pass on the street, and shop within neighborhood stores. I began to actually see the people I walk by on Vermont Avenue or SW 33rd, and huh. There’s a Black person, and oh, a Middle Eastern person, and hello? a Hispanic person, and there’s an Asian person – not as much of a surprise. I was stunned to realize that I had literally been erasing my neighbors by not seeing them. As a retired mental health therapist, I would call this annihilating people psychologically. This was an ugliness that I hadn’t anticipated.
In my Learning Circles, I learned a lot more of the horrendous history of how white people had literally and physically annihilated or appropriated the lives of people who are not white and “Christian” and Western, and straight, and able-bodied. We know about this, but do we really? I learned of many, many violent events, and political actions and their effects that I had not been taught in my history classes. It began to dawn on me how clueless I am. This broke my heart. I admire Jesus and I try to follow his good example, and what we do in this country is so not what he had in mind. At all. And despite all of the “beautiful” art that contradicts what I am about to say, there’s zero evidence the guy was blonde, blue-eyed, and white. These images are unbelievable and disgraceful in the lies they tell.
Okay, so what do I do with this awareness? Maybe I can start by desegregating my life. My Methodist church is making some progress in reaching out, and some BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people are showing up in our congregation on Sundays. I am also making some small progress in my personal life. I have some new friends.
For one of my new friends, it was just a matter of seeing her here in my neighborhood and choosing to connect. She wears hijab. We just had a walk together, which was delightful. Another new friend showed up in a class I am taking. I reached out to get to know her, and we plan to partake of some activities together around our shared interest, but with her Black community, and not my white one. I intend to keep investing in these friendships. My life is richer for these new connections. This is pretty small stuff, and it is human. Even so, I’m embarrassed to say, it is new territory for me.
This is very far from unraveling systemic racism and the large impacts it has on those we have considered “minorities.” I want to find ways to do more. If you are white, straight, “Christian”, Western, American, and/or able-bodied, I invite you to begin your journey of allowing your heart to be pierced by what you will learn in the Antiracism Learning Circles. Pain can be a motivator. Maybe we can come together and tackle some of the big stuff.
~ First U congregant