Racial Equity & Justice

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The 2024 elections and Faith in Action

The 2024 elections and Faith in Action

by | May 28, 2024 |

This post is about the persistent push in America for white supremacy and how people of faith respond to this cycle at any time, especially during a national election. This has been among the hardest posts I have written. The subject is complex, full of emotion and divided views and there are no obvious answers. So I am asking the readers of Critical Conversations and any friends or colleagues you think might add to this discussion to help shape an important conversation about what’s at stake in our upcoming national election and how we individually and collectively respond.

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KEEPING THE FAITH IN THE AGE OF WHITE (SUPREMACIST) CHRISTIANITY

KEEPING THE FAITH IN THE AGE OF WHITE (SUPREMACIST) CHRISTIANITY

by | Apr 30, 2024 | ,

Editor’s Note: This week’s guest author courageously raises a challenging question for white Christians particularly and for all others committed to a world based on love and justice. My friend, anti-racist educator and activist A. Adar Ayira, decries the lack of response to the widespread Christian support for Donald Trump and his racist, oppressive policies. Adar is a founding member of Baltimore Racial Justice Action and the founder of Ayira Core Concepts LLC. Adar and her colleague Rebecca Pobee will join Racial Justice Conversations on Wednesday, May 1 at 5pm eastern time on Zoom to discuss this blog. For info on this session and the Zoom link, email me at [email protected].

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Together: Creating a Holistic Culture of Life

Together: Creating a Holistic Culture of Life

by | Apr 23, 2024 | ,

Human life is a precious gift, beautiful and sacred.  The very air sings the vibrancy of humanity– the cooing of a baby, the laughter of children, shared conversations, different cultures, and the worth of each person. Supporting the value and sanctity of life is paramount to the moral and spiritual health of a nation.  But what constitutes life?  Whom do we value and whom do we discard?  Currently, in our culture, there are two divergent ideas of the sanctity, and the importance of life.  We are living a spectrum, where on one end is the life of a woman, her needs and her right to choose whether or not she can support a pregnancy, and on the other end is the right of an unborn child to live.

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Applying respect and love to all: a personal and institutional dilemma

Applying respect and love to all: a personal and institutional dilemma

by | Apr 16, 2024 | ,

Editor’s Note: This week’s post focuses on a recently released document of the Catholic Church which continues a pattern of claiming to respect all human life and then disrespecting and condemning some people through its teachings and their interpretations.  I am sharing the statement of Frank DeBernardo in response to this recent document, particularly as it applies to transgender people. Frank’s message is a simple and direct one that emphasizes love and respect for all. This lesson has broad application for all of us – as individuals and as institutions. Frank, and I concur, finds it hard to accept any Church taking positions that preach love and respect for all and then uses out-of-date science and theology that disrespect and harm people.  Frank’s message below provides practical lessons for all.  There is an irony that the Vatican issued this statement on Monday, April 8 the day after proclaiming the preceding Sunday Mercy Sunday, a celebration of the always-available mercy and forgiveness of God.

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Remembering Women in March – Who and Why?

Remembering Women in March – Who and Why?

by | Mar 26, 2024 |

March is Women’s History Month. This week’s post reflects on what that might mean to each of us. Designating a time to focus on the role of women got its start with the first International Women’s Day on March 8, 1911. In the United States, the School Board in Sonoma County CA expanded attention to women’s history from one day to a week of events in 1978. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 National Women’s History Week in the United States. In 1987, Congress made this celebration permanent and expanded it to the full month of March.

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America’s thorniest question: How do we bridge differences and find connections? Thoughts and questions from Florida      

America’s thorniest question: How do we bridge differences and find connections? Thoughts and questions from Florida      

by | Mar 12, 2024 |

Across the country, there has been blowback against initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Florida is one of the states taking a strong policy and governing approach against these initiatives.  Governor Ron DeSantis, with his now unsuccessful bid for the US Presidency, has initiated policies that are oppressive to people of color and the LGBTQ community. And ultimately all of us as state residents.

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Going Deeper with Black History Learning

Going Deeper with Black History Learning

by | Feb 20, 2024 |

This month I am exploring ways to pay attention to Black History. Everyone’s history is everyone’s history if we are all one and equal. Given the difficulty we have had learning accurate Black History, being intentional for a month (or a lifetime) about learning is essential to deepening understanding and advancing equity.

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About Tom Adams

Tom AdamsTom Adams writes and speaks on topics vital to the intersection of our personal lives with our community and global lives. He has for decades been engaged in and written about nonprofit leadership and transitions, spirituality and spiritual growth, how we each contribute to a more just and equitable world and recovery from addictions and the Twelve Step recovery movement.