Help Me Give Up Racism for Lent

Today marks the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Every year millions of Christians give up certain foods and activities for the 40 days (not including Sundays) leading up to Easter.

This year, in addition to my regular dietary restrictions, in honor of Black History Month, which we are in the midst of and in the spirit of corporal works of mercy for Lent, I have decided to give up racism for Lent.

Although I generally don’t think of myself as a racist, I can recognize in myself a lot of white privilege I take for granted and I know that I often participate in structures that prolong the oppression of minority races here in Chicago and the nation at large.

I would like to stop doing this, but I know it’s going to be hard.This is where I need help. I don’t know the first thing about not being a racist. My friend Dominique Gilliard made a bibliography for me this month, as well as linking to a number of videos on the subject. Compiling these resources I have decided to create a project to help me learn with others about what it means to be a Christian in a world of racial tensions. Will you help me? Take a look at the resources below and JOIN IN the project.

• Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice,  Peace and healing
• Let Justice Roll Down by John M. Perkins 
• The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice from the Civil Rights Movement to Today by Charles Marsh 
• A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Clayborne Carson, 
• Race Matters by Cornel West
• Linking Arms, Linking Lives: How Urban-Suburban Partnerships Can Transform Communities
• Who Is My Neighbor? Lessons Learned From A Man Left For Dead
• Jesus and The Disinherited 
• White Privilege by Paula S. Rothenberg (Feb 9, 2011)

I know I can’t make it through all of these alone! This is where you come in.

If you would like me to help me please to the following four things:

1. Choose ONE of the books above to read
2. READ THE BOOK
3. Come back here and post FIVE things you learned from the book that will help people like me be less racist!
4. Decide one action that you can do to help you and your own culture to become less racist, Post that idea too

Post the book that you will be reading in the comments section below!

If you don’t have time to read a whole book at least check out the video playlist on racism I just created on YouTube.

 

Freedom Riders

You should also check out the documentary “Freedom Riders”