THE SANKOFA MOMENTTHE SANKOFA MOMENT

Sankofa is a word in the Akan language of Ghana that translates as "reach back and get it."

OPENING WORDSOPENING WORDS

I do not wish to breathe another breath

If it is not shared with others.

The breath of life is not mine alone.

I brought myself to be with you

Hoping that by inhaling

the compassion, the courage, the hope

found here

I can exhale

the fear, the selfishness, the separateness

I keep so close to my skin.

I cannot live another moment,

At least not one of joy,

Unless you and I find our oneness.

Somewhere among each other

Somewhere between the noise

Somewhere within the silence

Of the next breath.Kristen Harper

Gather here in the mystery of this hour.Gather here in one strong body.Gather here in the strong and the power.Spirit draw near.

Words and tune: Phil Porter

THE NATURE OF RACISMAnd how racism effects us.

What is your earliest

memory of becoming

aware of race?

OUR FUNDAMENTAL NATURE

No one is born a racist. What we need is to be held, fed and feel the world is absolutely delighted with you.

Children are by Children are by nature curious nature curious about about everything. everything. Difference only Difference only momentarily momentarily frightens them. frightens them. They will adjust They will adjust if there is no if there is no danger and their danger and their fear is not fear is not reinforced. reinforced.

Children are naturally emotionally attuned to fairness and protest the first time they see prejudice acted out.

If a child knows If a child knows nothing else it will nothing else it will

come to accept come to accept racism as normal.racism as normal.

PREJUDICE IS LEARNED

Prejudice is something that must be

systematically taught and culturally

reinforced.

A parent’s response to

a child’s openness,

abandon and curiosity

reflects that parent’s

fears – both real and

fictitious.

A parent’s response to a child's moral protest can be anger – ranging from violence, hushing, shaming, scolding, and the withdrawal of affection.

The child faces a dilemma, since the child needs and idolizes their parent(s), as well as needing to feel they belong to a group.

The child experiences

moral confusion and

emotional pain when

faced with this

dilemma.

IN RESPONSE TO THE IN RESPONSE TO THE DILEMMA, THE CHILD MAY: DILEMMA, THE CHILD MAY:

Remain silent, and sacrifice their sense of justice and fair play.

Join-in in order to win back approval.

Narrow their lives to avoid a repeat of the situation and the unbearable sense of shame they carry.

Become fearful of difference.

MIS-EDUCATION

Falsehoods, distortions and omissions reinforce the sense of confusion and further promotes isolation.

White Privilege

You do not know what DWB means.

Clerks don’t follow you around the store.

You take pride in your heritage and believe

your behavior and mores are normal.

You do not feel that you represent your race

and must be credit to it.

People do not assume you got your job

through affirmative action.

You do not have to educate your children

about the Black Code in order to keep them

safe.

What is the Black Male

Code?

THE BLACK MALE CODE

Always pay close attention to your surroundings, son, especially if you are in an affluent neighborhood where black folks are few. Understand that even though you are not a criminal, some people might assume you are, especially if you are wearing certain clothes.

Never argue with police, but protect your dignity and take pride in humility. When confronted by someone with a badge or a gun, do not flee, fight, or put your hands anywhere other than up.

Please don't assume, son, that all white people view you as a threat. America is better than that. Suspicion and bitterness can imprison you. But as a black male, you must go above and beyond to show strangers what type of person you really are.

Because Because African-African-Americans and Americans and Euro-Americans Euro-Americans everyday everyday experiences experiences vary so much vary so much from one from one another:another:

Whites, since it isn’t a Whites, since it isn’t a problem for them, problem for them, don’t see at as a don’t see at as a problem and to not problem and to not talk about it. talk about it.

Whites are ignorant Whites are ignorant and confused about and confused about race. race.

Blacks frequently experience micro-aggression.

Blacks have a tendency to see ever problem as an issue of race.

Ergo Whites feel Ergo Whites feel Blacks are Blacks are exaggerating.exaggerating.

THE NEW FACE OF RACISM IS MICRO-AGGRESSION

Microaggression is a form of unintended discrimination. It is depicted by the use of known social norms of behavior and/or expression that, while without conscious choice of the user, has the same effect as conscious, intended discrimination.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LIBERALSLIBERALSIn an attempt to bolster our egos,

we often find our value in our actions, rather than our in our own inherent worth and goodness.

“I am good, because I do good” rather than

“I am inherently good”

It is a form of neo-Puritanism.

GUILT GUILT

Bill Schulz wrote, “Guilt deals cruelly with vision.”

Guilt may initiate action, but we cannot sustain the work, if we remain mired in feelings of shame.

Eventually we will either distance ourselves from the ego-corroding acid of shame or become addicted to the moonshine of feeling holier than thou.

HEALINGHEALINGThe real issue is healing. Our motivation is to feel whole.

Again, not doing good for them but healing one’s self.

This is spiritually rooted in the intuition that we are deeply connected, and that in healing ourselves, we work to heal the world as well.

FALL ON YOUR FACEIn this work, mistakes are inevitable.

So enjoy making them.

See them as the learning opportunities that they are.

It is the only way to learn.

YOUR YOUR APPROACHAPPROACH

Be led by your heart, and a desire for connection, rather than by ideology.

AT THE CLOSE OF THE UUA BOARD MEETING IN SELMA DONALD HARRINGTON READ THESE WORDS FROM HOWARD ZINN’S SNCC: THE NEW ABOLITIONISTS

“Finally it all boils down to human relationships. It is the question of . . . whether I shall go on living in isolation or whether there shall be a we. . . . Love alone is radical. Political statements are not; programs are not; even going to jail is not. Love alone is radical.”

BUILD BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!!!RELATIONSHIPS!!!

!!!!!!

We can cherish all our individual diversities as we like, but it will be those essentials we share in common that will empower us to transform the world as we wish it to become.

- Robert Latham

BE HOPEFULKnowing that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice,” work in complete confidence, rather than earnestness.

A PRAYER FOR LIVING IN A PRAYER FOR LIVING IN TENSIONTENSION

If we have any hope of transforming the world and changing ourselves, we must be:bold enough to step into our discomfort, brave enough to be clumsy there, loving enough to forgive ourselves and others.May we, as a people of faith, be granted the strength to be:so bold, so brave, and so loving.

~Joseph M Cherry