IMPACT STORIES - JASON

Against my better judgment, I watched the George Floyd video: all 8 minutes and 46 seconds of it. I shouldn’t have, but I did.

Soon after, all of my white friends were reaching out, with their cries of “that’s awful!” and “I’m so sorry!” I think what was more difficult for me to deal with: the shouts into the void by my white friends, that were not really backed up by any commitment to fight against injustice and stand for equality. It was a lot to take. But as a black person who has pretty consistently occupied white spaces, I knew I would be called upon to help everyone else walk through this, even though the extra burden of dealing with the feelings of my white friends was the last thing I needed.

Then, “Be the Bridge” came into my life. I was familiar with the book, and I’d looked at the curriculum a couple of times. I thought it was impactful and unique in its unflinching look at how far the church has fallen behind in this pursuit of anti-racism. I loved what it had to say, but the thought of being part of a group where I would talk about these things with a bunch of white folks sounded very overwhelming and unappealing to me. I have too often had my lived experience questioned and the fear I feel on a daily basis invalidated. This did not seem like the right time to put myself in a position like that again.

I must say, however, that my time in Be the Bridge has been by far the best part of my year. I was blown away with the honesty and openness of the people in my group. I was humbled and touched by their willingness to do the work, support each other, and acknowledge the benefits of white privilege and their roles in the prevalence of systemic racism in this country and in the church. I haven’t ever seen this before from white people. And now each person in my group whether white, black, or brown, are friends and allies of mine. This deep impact was the very last thing I expected, and God showed up and did a work in each of us. And I’m so grateful that He did.

I want to share the mission statement that my group came up with toward the beginning of our time together back in August:

“We are a community of believers passionate about God’s desire for His Kingdom, pursuing greater understanding and the truth of the history and enduring impact of systemic racism and white supremacy in our nation, communities, and in our own hearts. Our goal is ANTI-racism, which requires a commitment to listen and learn with both bravery and humility, coupling our prayers with ACTION.”