Solidarity Practice Groups: Movement Maker Gathering
Solidarity is a foundational, historical, and essential practice of racial justice that reaches for human thriving and communal survival. Cultivating spiritual bonds of connection, strengthening relationships of trust and building communities of growth, accountability, and support immerses movement-makers in the kind of solidarity that empowers us to work towards forming local and national alliances of resistance and creative alternatives amid government enforced state violence, oppressive militaristic terror tactics against citizens, and acts of heteronormative supremacy.
“Churches are not particularly good at cultivating communities that offer radical welcome to people who show up as their authentic, vulnerable, and unique selves. Many churches are pseudocommunities; they offer conditional welcome. When a church is a pseudocommunity, people will hug and share the peace of Christ. They will call each other sister, brother, mother. They will show up for funerals, weddings, and potlucks. But they will only offer that welcome to people who fit in with the culture. Pseudocommunities cannot tolerate difference or conflict.”
–Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes, When Churches Fail to be Community
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Racial Justice Affinity Groups
Racial justice affinity groups include faith leaders and lay people from culturally diverse people groups across the country and globe sharing stories as followers of Christ and inviting each other to learn from their lived experiences as practitioners of collective liberation and deep solidarity, who are integrating cultural theologies together with denominational partners and ecumenical communities.
Examples of Affinity Groups
The United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, focuses on Principles, Provisions and Pathways to Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent.
People of African descent in Germany Initiative (ISD) provide insights to collective liberation and solidarity within the Evangelical Church in Westphalia. Our common work, ending racism, colonialism, raising awareness, and building solidarity among impacted communities of color.
“We want a church that sees us in our strength and not as victims or in need of help. We want a Church that understands our pain, to experience racism on a daily basis, that grieves with us and keeps us going. We want a Church that is not compliant with injustice. We want a church in which we do not have to explain ourselves again and again. We want a church in which space is made, and white people resign because other perspectives are needed for the good of the community. We want a church in which the diversity of theology can stand side by side on an equal footing.” –Members of the BIPOC community collectively share what they need and want from their Church (Evangelical Church of Westphalia) and white allies.
An international leadership team of Africans and Africans in the diaspora, representing Africans and people of African descent in almost all regions in the world where people of African descent are found.
U.N. Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
In the spirit of anti-Apartheid and liberation activists, freedom fighters, and critical race theorists, Racial Justice Ministries is committed to educating and training clergy, lay leaders, and congregations to acknowledge the beauty and equality of God’s human family across the globe. People of faith commit to working toward implementing anti-colonial and antiracism policies and practices in support of the United Nations global response to reparatory justice for Africa and people of African descent.
“Racism is a philosophy based on contempt for life. It is the arrogant assertion that one race is the center of value and object of devotion, before which other races must kneel in submission. It is the absurd dogma that one race is responsible for all the progress of history and alone can assure the progress of the future. Racism is total estrangement. It separates not only bodies, but minds and spirits. Inevitably it descends to inflicting spiritual and physical homicide upon the out-group.” – The King Philosophy, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center
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Meet the Racial Justice Advisory Team and explore ways to engage.
Explore Racial Justice Ministries resource library.
Questions?
Contact Rev. Dr. Velda Love, Minister for Racial Justice, at Lovev@ucc.org or (216) 736-3719.