UU Church Today, Society & Culture, Uncategorized

The Impact of Racism




To our All Souls community,
Thank you for holding our diverse ministers, staff, and community in your thoughts and prayers.

In the wake of Officer Shelby’s acquittal many of us are struggling with the impact of racism in our lives. At All Souls, we are painfully aware that our members of color are having an intensely different experience than our white members. However much it hurts to name and see it, we must accept that this difference in experience is real before we can begin to know how to respond.

Knowing this, and in light of the heightened tensions within and around us, we want you to know that we are here for you. Some of us will be moved to engage outwardly, while others will feel compelled to turn inward, as our personal stories surface and demand attention. If you find yourself in need, please call our church office (918) 743-2363 or message us on Facebook for pastoral care or information about our racial identity awareness work.

As the days unfold, All Souls will be sharing information about what’s happening in the church and in the larger community. We hope you will turn out for local events, and dare to listen to the voices and stories of those who are feeling the greatest pain of this verdict. These are the historic moments that can transform us – as individuals and as a city.

We invite you to join us for the John Hope Franklin National Symposium: Reconciliation Through the Lens of Art and Culture’s opening ceremonies. Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, the “Walk for Reconciliation” will have people arriving from the south and the north—meeting in a symbolic embrace at the location of the Tulsa Race Massacre 96 years ago. Participants will meet for the Walk at John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park at 321 N. Detroit Ave.

The opening ceremonies will include the “Greenwood Experience: A Living History Tour,” a specialized production of All Souls’ “Soulful Journey: Black History in America Through Music,” and keynote speaker, Dr. Kimberly Ellis.

We are so grateful you are a part of the All Souls family.

We need each other to survive,
Marlin and Barbara

P.S. We also invite you to visit the I AM THE CHANGE photography project on view in the All Souls Gallery through the end of June. Photographer and artist Valerie Vaughn hopes her photography project, I AM THE CHANGE will not only speak to the hearts and minds of viewers, but also inspire conversations about race, relationships, and diversity.

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