I have been asked to collaborate with others to bring greater awareness to the need for unity in our community and need to eradicate illogical prejudice. Race relations intrigues me because of the constant media attention, protests and incessant social media chatter. It magnifies the inevitable - we all have so much to learn. Prior to this blinding spotlight on race and the onset of the pandemic, I was enjoying a slow and steady self-propelled swim in the shallow waters of black history. There has been a campaign over the past two years in the United States Baha'i community addressing this "most challenging issue". I learned about social activists who had dedicated their lives to serving the community to promote unity and equality, who uprooted their comfortable, affluent lives to live in "black" neighbourhoods leading classes for junior youth and children, teaching them about their nobility. Fast forward to today, and these past weeks have had me jump into the murky depths of black history which has been both illuminating and painful. As I inhaled the tyranny of history, I have been able to view my own experiences from a different frame of reference. This new found awareness is uncomfortable, sad and thought provoking. Exposing and revealing the truth after a lifetime of obscurity embodies a harshness before the healing can even begin. I had formulated my life stories which lacked an essential element that really explained the nature of things I had not been able to fully grasp, believing that I must lack some necessary characteristic that renders me incompetent. Not cognizant that I was grappling with a powerful invisible force. Exposure to the truth has an uncanny way of effecting clarity. To stimulate healing in my community conversing with one another is a necessary step. Authentic and wholehearted conversations will take sustained and arduous effort and honesty. I strive to share my stories, experiences and hopes in a manner that is loving and kind, to be understood and accepted as a vehicle to bring people together, generating affection and trust in my community.
留言