Category Archives: race

Martin Luther King, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence”

In part because many of the staff of Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) began working from home during the COVID pandemic, Witness Wednesday began to meet using Zoom. This is an opportunity for FCNL and supporters to worship together. … Continue reading

Posted in Friends Committee on National Legislation, Martin Luther King Jr, peace, Quaker, race, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Abolition of police and prisons

I’ve been participating in Zoom discussions of the Quaker Abolition Network, initiated by Mackenzie Barton-Rowledge and Jed Walsh. The following is from an article they wrote for Western Friend. Mackenzie: Let’s start with: What does being a police and prison … Continue reading

Posted in abolition, Black Lives, civil disobedience, Des Moines Black Lives Matter, Des Moines Mutual Aid, Mutual Aid, police, prison, race, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Revolution will not be televised

On this day, April 4, 1968, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Yesterday I wrote about the speech Senator Robert F Kennedy gave to a predominately African American crowd in Indianapolis, announcing King’s death. Those days … Continue reading

Posted in abolition, Black Lives, capitalism, Des Moines Black Lives Matter, Des Moines Mutual Aid, Kheprw Institute, Martin Luther King Jr, race, Robert F Kennedy, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What happened in Indianapolis the day Martin Luther King was assassinated

Each year on April 4th, a solemn ceremony takes place in Indianapolis. Two things of historic significance occurred that day in 1968. Martin Luther King, Jr, was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. And Senator Robert Francis Kennedy delivered what … Continue reading

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Decolonizing, Soul Repair and Mutual Aid

One of the concepts Vanesse Julye spoke about during Quaker meetings last weekend was that in order for healing among groups to occur, there needs to be acknowledgement of the common history among those involved in the trauma. Between those … Continue reading

Posted in decolonize, enslavement, Indigenous, moral injury, Mutual Aid, Quaker, race, soul repair, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A path away from racism

This past weekend I participated, via Zoom, in a series of sessions where mainly White Quakers heard presentations by an African American Quaker woman, Vanessa Julye. Her presentations, and our small group discussions were on the subject of Quakers and … Continue reading

Posted in Black Lives, decolonize, Mutual Aid, Quaker, Quaker Meetings, race, Uncategorized, white supremacy | 2 Comments

Personal experiences regarding racism and privilege

Yesterday’s post was related to a weekend gathering of Friends (Quakers) to consider the question “how is white supremacy keeping us from hearing God’s voice?” It was pointed out that what I wrote about that came through as judgmental, and … Continue reading

Posted in Black Lives, enslavement, Kheprw Institute, peace, Quaker, race, solidarity, Uncategorized, white supremacy | Leave a comment

Choice and Change

How is it there are things that seem obvious to me, that other people don’t see at all? There have been times when I find some things I once believed ended up not being correct. What is correct or right? … Continue reading

Posted in Black Lives, capitalism, decolonize, Des Moines Black Lives Matter, Des Moines Mutual Aid, enslavement, First Nation-Farmer Climate Unity March, Great Plains Action Society, Indigenous, Mutual Aid, Quaker, Quaker Meetings, race, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Quakers and white supremacy

This weekend my yearly meeting, Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) will hold our Midyear meeting. The theme is How Is White Supremacy Keeping Us From Hearing God’s Voice? Which will be lead by Vanessa Julye. This morning I’m reflecting on some … Continue reading

Posted in Black Lives, Des Moines Black Lives Matter, Des Moines Mutual Aid, enslavement, Quaker, Quaker Meetings, race, Uncategorized, white supremacy | Leave a comment

A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities

I was glad to find this collective statement by Asian Americans who are suffering this violence. To hear how they are doing and what they are asking us to do to support them. They rightly point out violence against their … Continue reading

Posted in abolition, American Friends Service Committee, Mutual Aid, police, race, Uncategorized | Leave a comment