Many have noticed and noted that the events of last week have revealed the truth that there are two Americas. The unveiling that at our very foundation are racist and discriminatory practices and traditions that suppress and oppress whole groups of people is not easy to gaze upon. It isn’t easy to be reminded that we have so much work still to do if we want to develop a country where voices are valued and heard from all kinds of people and experiences. It’s even harder to be shown the truth that there are people who have absolutely no desire to give anyone a voice that doesn’t think or look like themselves.
Where do we go from here? Where do we find the strength and energy to keep learning and listening deeply to people whose experiences are different from our own?
We keep doing the work. We keep digging within ourselves to find examples where we have used our power and privilege for our own comfort. We keep reading and studying the stories of people who are different from ourselves so that we can hear their stories. We keep trying in all the little ways that we can to bring light and love in our own communities.
And when we do it wrong, which we inevitably will do, we apologize, course correct and keep working.
May God guide our hearts and our hands as we continue to work to create something new.