01.16.2021 - week 88
mlk
over the last year, i have heard many people describe the importance of sharing your platform with others. for this weekend that celebrates martin luther king jr and his positive movement towards justice in america, kristen + i are proud to share 2020 reflections from 2 friends we trust.
jamie dunmore
Jamie is a wife to Jarvis and mom opt Noah, Maddox, Jaxson and Stella. She enjoys Cubs games and exploring Chicago with her family, baking and serving others.
I am a white Christian with an interracial family. 2020 was a year of personal confusion, anger, disappointment, frustration, sadness and isolation. Before last year, I had never experienced so many heavy emotions at one time. I started to question my relationships with people that I had known and loved since childhood. I felt betrayed by friends and family who remained silent and said nothing. At the same time, I was hurt by those who were outspoken in opposition of supporting black lives. I felt abandoned by the church that my husband grew up in and I had loved for almost 15 years because many in the congregation freely shared their true feelings of intolerance and “law and order” all over social media while leadership turned a blind eye. I felt confused as to how those that know God’s word and claim to be pro-life, only seemed to care about white lives, blue lives and the lives of unborn babies. How did those that know God not have compassion and empathy for all of God’s creation?
We all know America’s history of racial tension and injustice, but last summer was one of the first times the nation got to see it play out on camera from beginning to George Floyd’s unfortunate end. Watching the police use that type of force for such a minor offense was infuriating. We’ve seen police take white suspects who were armed and had just finished committing a mass murder into custody with less volatility. Most people agree that watching George Floyd’s life leave his body under the knee of a person that took an oath to serve and protect was gut wrenching. As a Christian it was more than that. How could any of us not be heartbroken about the loss of a life that is precious to Jesus?
Following Floyd’s death was a barrage of riots and protests all over the world. His hometown of Minneapolis was on fire. Other cities experienced protesting, looting and the destruction of controversial landmarks. As I had conversations with my family and friends about these topics, I found that my non-Christian friends were the people who were just as outraged and upset as I was. Sadly, I was dumbfounded by many of the excuses and defenses that were made by so many of my white Christian friends and family. To summarize, the message “Black Lives Matter” is offensive. If they didn’t commit crimes, they wouldn’t have these problems in the first place and if they are suspected of a crime, they are considered to be a criminal and deserve whatever consequence happens from their interaction with the police. I have huge issues with this way of thinking because our lives as a white people in America have always mattered and have never been in jeopardy based on our race and according to the rule of law; everyone is entitled to due process.
I could not shake what I was hearing, over and over from so many that I love. It was evident that there is so much that is misunderstood and there is a severe lack of compassion and empathy for those that face struggles that they, themselves have never experienced. After months of conversations with the white the people closest to me, I came to two realizations:
There are two types of ignorance. Blatant Ignorance and Willful Ignorance. You either know of the disparities between white and brown/black people and don’t care; OR you know but “don’t know” BUT you also don’t care to educate yourself.
Both are dangerous.
After months of prayer and reflection, God has lifted the confusion and overwhelming emotions and has taken my focus off of what everyone else was doing wrong. He has helped me reflect and explore my own role in the oppression of black and brown communities as well as what I can do to educate myself and others. For example, at Christmas I purchased gifts from black-owned businesses and I purchased books that will further increase my understanding of our racial divide. God never lets us go through trials without building something beautiful from the ashes. 2020 was no different.
Through tragedy, I’m thankful. God has awakened a stronger passion in me to use my privilege to advocate for those who are oppressed. Last year may have been one of the hardest years of our lifetime, but I refuse to let the teachable moments go to waste. I pray that in 2021 and beyond we can all unite (Romans 12:16), do more self-reflection (Romans 12:3), have compassion and empathy for others (1 Peter 3:8), put others above ourselves (Philippians 2:4) and show the love of Christ to everyone (John 13:34).
debra eluobaju
MPH/MD Candidate | Class of 2022
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine Global Medicine Program
As a Black woman living in the United States, 2020 sadly was similar to most years’ past. I watched Black bodies executed on phone recordings by police, an outpouring of performative activism from my White neighbors, we protested, no one was held accountable, and then things went back to “normal.” What was a bit different was how readily available videos of Black death had become. For weeks it felt as if I could not turn on the TV without watching George Floyd being suffocated to death. I understand that some believed this was “necessary” for non-Blacks to begin to understand the gravity of racism in this country. But as a Black woman it was a daily, and sometimes hourly dose of trauma. A constant reminder of the normalization of Black death in our society.
Straying from the level of trauma that I had become accustomed to, COVID-19 provided a shining new example of how racism affected every aspect of the Black experience. As an MPH, and third year medical student I was well aware of the health disparities that disproportionally effected Black Americans. However, in 2020 I watched those disparities grow. I watched black bodies die of COVID-19 at rates far surpassing other demographics. The hospital became another place where I was forced to face the normality of Black death in the United States. To say this experience was merely traumatizing would be a gross understatement.
Despite all of the trauma, in 2020 I developed a newfound appreciation for sisterhood amongst Black women. I watched the generation ahead of me begin to tackle generational traumas, depression, and PTSD all while still having the strength to inspire and uplift me. I watched young Black girls begin to reject Western standards of beauty and embrace their natural hair, and skin tones. In 2020 I watched black women shatter glass ceilings, lead revolutions, and even influence the presidential election.
I am not optimistic about much in 2021, with White supremacy on the rise, and COVID-19 rates peaking daily. But with Martin Luther King Day upon us, I am forced to remember that although racism in the United States seems hopeless majority of the time, it is not what it once was. Who knows, maybe 2021 will give me more reasons to be optimistic.
proverb of the week
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11
the reality of the world today is that we have endless opportunities to be offended by each other. we have more insight into other peoples thoughts, we have a more complex world to navigate. we have ample ammo to shoot at each other. and most of it is probably fair. BUT …
this verse gives us such a clear higher value. when you have the right to be offended and choose not to be offended, it is to your credit, to your glory. you are better and stronger and more worthy of respect when you choose not to take the bait.
book review
the office - the untold story of the greatest sitcom of the 2000’s
this is how long ago the office premiered. some of the band guys from a young adult ministry i was helping lead, used to come back to my dad’s house late on thursday nights so that we could watch the new episodes on his Tivo. i loved the show during the first 5 or 6 seasons, then fell away and have been reignited by the netflix driven insanity around it the last few years. this book does a tremendous job of framing how the show’s success was impossible and then inevitable. the actors come across quite likably as they recount what it was like to make the show. little tidbits about favorite episodes are a delight to read. if you love the show, you will for sure like this book. it’s perfect bedtime reading…
super christian guy
stuff for you to click on
this coffee is my favorite i have had in a while … highly highly recommend the taste.
elevation worship has a wonderful album out with stripped back versions of songs that are perfect for more devotional feel .. highly recommend