Faith & Justice – A Call to Advocacy
Advocacy means “to speak or plead on behalf of another.” Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church understands that hands-on help for people living in poverty, the vulnerable, and the oppressed, whether around the corner or around the world, is incomplete when we don’t question why those conditions exist. What government policies need to change? Do we need to speak truth to power as a way to love our neighbor and to do justice in society?
Faith & Justice Team sponsors adult forums to educate about current events and issues in our society where our faith may be calling us to seek understanding and then provides ways that we can speak out and ask those in positions of power to make needed changes.
Currently, the team leader is Beth DeHaven. Contact her at bethadehaven@gmail.com to join the team or to find out other ways to get involved with advocacy work at OSLC.
How to Contact Your Representative or Senator
Condemnation of White Supremacy and Racist Rhetoric from the ELCA
ELCA Advocacy Facebook — for God’s Work our Hands https://elca.org/Resources/
Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent: https://download.elca.org/
Video-Advocacy tools for loving our neighbor: https://www.
Anti-Racism Resources
Articles
75 Things White People can do For Racial Justice
https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234
Justice In June– a daily challenge: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H-Vxs6jEUByXylMS2BjGH1kQ7mEuZnHpPSs1Bpaqmw0/preview?fbclid=IwAR3u6554nctFc8lM1H5Vw23xSaA_cT65O5nM3M6SaM1meCGqwc1BkYq7SfE&pru=AAABcpxC474*k4BGKamoloCFip0fnLPOcw
1619: Searching for Answers
Performative Allyship is Deadly; here is what to do instead: https://forge.medium.com/performative-allyship-is-deadly-c900645d9f1f
“What Can I Do?” Content for learning, Organizations to donate to, Self-Care Resources for POC, Social Media to Follow, Policy Change, More Resource lists and Media
Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources (White Identity Development)
Black-Owned Businesses (From Showing Up for Racial Justice)
Northern Colorado: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tzZPFzU2tKhsXKACwMboAw2Wun_r-uVpmUiyxQ60Gos/edit
Denver Metro: https://303magazine.com/2020/06/black-owned-businesses-denver/
Resources to Support Black/POC in the Workplace Right Now
5 Do’s and Don’ts for White Leaders and Colleagues Discussing Racism at Work Today
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5Pon1DLd1/
Maintaining Professionalism In The Age of Black Death Is….A Lot
What Not to Say to Black Colleagues in the Workplace Right Now https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-not-to-say-black-colleague_l_5ed51a4bc5b6c9e929161393?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=hp_fb_pages&utm_source=main_fb
Books
Non Fiction:
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Dialogues on Race– study guide and video, Augsburg Fortress. Video White Savior can be found on Amazon Prime
How to Be an Anti Racist by Ibram X Kendi
I am still Here: Black Dignity in a World made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism and You by Jason Reynolds
Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the US by Lenny Duncan
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
Fiction:
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomans
Children’s Books
From Embrace Race a list of 31 children’s books
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
God’s Dream by Desmond Tutu
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
Movies/Video/Podcast Programs:
Just Mercy is streaming free on a variety (I think close to all) through the month of June. This is an excellent movie and companion to the book.
Racism and the Road to Change. It deals with Denver and all of Colorado. You can steam it on 9 news.
Black in Bend: https://youtu.be/GC5EMHDpZlE
Ibram Kendi’s interview with Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist/
Interview with Pastor Lenny Duncan: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/06/12/699611293/jesus-was-divisive-a-black-pastor-s-message-to-white-christians
Interactive Experiences:
Harvard University – Implicit Associations Test (Examine your own implicit bias) https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
Where to Donate Money/Time to Help Protestors:
Bail Funds/Legal Help by City
Where to Donate Your Time and Money and Time to Help Protestors
