When a BBIPoC person shares that they've been harmed by racism, please learn to listen and respond with compassion. It may seem that we hear about racism in our church more often than in our other spaces. This is not because racism is not happening elsewhere, it is because we have members who trust us with their truth because our principles say that we will hear them. How to Respond with Compassion when Someone is Hurt by Racism.

California has a history of anti-Black racism and the unjust seizure of Bruce's Beach in Manhattan Beach tells the story of one example. "In April, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to make amends for a massive land grab rooted in white supremacy, though this remedy came almost a century too late (MSN). In the early twentieth century, Charles and Willa Bruce opened a Manhattan Beach resort that offered other Black families the opportunity to vacation under the Southern California sun. The white residents of Manhattan Beach were not pleased. The Bruce’s neighbors slashed their tires. The Ku Klux Klan set fire to the resort’s deck. These horrifying acts of white vigilantism weren’t what forced Charles and Willa to leave. In actuality, it was Manhattan Beach itself. The city government condemned the entire neighborhood around Bruce’s Beach. They then seized the resort through eminent domain. Though the city said that they did this to construct a park, this park never materialized. The Bruce family, forced from the city, was compensated only one-fifth of their asking price for the land they were forced to give up."  Read the full article and see steps you can take to support the ongoing campaign.

​For Black History Month we're re-sharing resources from our Journey Toward Wholeness initiative. From videos and sermons to articles and stories, these first appeared in the ongoing series "What Can I Do?" which runs in The Window, our weekly church newsletter. Each presents a simple, daily action. If you've been thinking "What can I do about racism?" these are a great place to start. Visit our Celebrating Black History Month page. 

​On this week where we focus on gratitude we recommend watching two short videos:

1. Never forget dismantling white supremacy culture is spiritual work grounded in our values & principles. From First Unitarian Church of Chicago "Who Is Freedom For? A Reading for Thanksgiving" (4:14)
2. And, a radical vision a future without oppressive systems: "A Message From the Future II: The Years of Repair" (8:57).

​Following the leadership of BIPOC folks & admitting we can (& do) harm others are important learnings. Gain some insights by listening to:

• Brittany Packnett's TED Talk "It's About Time to Value Young Women of Color in Leadership" (9:34).
• Our former Intern Minister, Rev. Emily Hartlief's sermon "The Courage to Be Wrong" (20:42 but especially 0-5:56 & 11:52-13:44).

​First UU San Diego has worked hard to become more inclusive, anti-racist, & anti-oppressive and we have many upcoming actions and work ahead. To learn more, read:

• "Centering Dismantling Systemic Racism: How We Got Here & Why We'll Continue" in the October 2020 First Words.
• An 8th Principle has been proposed as an addition to the Unitarian Universalist 7 Principles. It is "We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions." Read about it at 8thprincipleuu.org/background.

​by Jan Garbosky
Have you heard, said, or thought:

• "Why do we have to keep hearing about racism?" or
• "Why in our service do I have to hear both English and Spanish"? or
• "Why do I hear public apologies during services about things that aren no big deal?"
  

As UUs, we often refer to our covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Yet? just as often, we harm, in words and deeds(intended and not), thoseamong uswho areBlack, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Many were surprised to learn this in the Summer 2018 Town Hall meeting where BIPOC shared the pain of their experiences at First UU and presented a document whose introduction states:

Need more examples of institutional racism & White privilege?

1. ​Watch Debby Irving's TEDx Talk Finding Myself in the Story of Race. If you have more time, read Debby's book "Waking Up White".
2. Have a question or an idea for a project? Email the Journey Toward Wholeness team at jtw@firstuusandiego.org.

We have assembled a list of the best anti-racism articles, books, social media feeds and videos we know of to help people learn about a wide range of topics relating to racism. Please invest in yourself, your family, your community and our world by viewing and sharing these links and, more importantly, we hope you'll join us in taking the steps shared herein to begin to heal our world. 

One more time we publicly mourned gun violence in our country. As I prepared myself to participate in a vigil I wrote:
"Once again we stand on the side of Love with the victims of the shooting, with the families mourning their dead. We also stand on the side of Love with our Muslim kin and will not let one person's action define a whole group or religion. We stand on the side of Love because we refuse to give in to hate and fear...and we will not only stand but we will act in the name of Love  for all who are oppressed, for all who live in fear. We will act in Love for justice and to end easy access to weapons of mass destruction. We will act so that all may be free from harm, from bigotry, from hate. We will act so that Love may prevail."

This morning I had the privilege of being on a conference call with 400 clergy and faith leaders who are engaged in Standing Up for Racial Justice. As I understand it, just this week alone seven Black churches have been burned in seven days. This is an act of terror in our own country. As a people of faith we must stand up against targeted racial violence, and especially the burning of houses of worship. I am reaching out to our partners in San Diego, and specifically to Pastor White and the leadership of the Bethel AME Church in San Diego to gather information on what actions we can support with our presence. Now is the time to let our principles of dignity and worth, of justice, equity and compassion, of respect for the interdependent web of life of which we are a part, now is the time to let these principles guide us into actions that will challenge white supremacy and resist racism. We need to make ourselves available to our African American brothers and sisters and show up when they ask. Let us put our faith and principles into action so that San Diego can be a safe and just place for all to live and flourish. Please keep checking this blog for more specific actions and opportunities.