I wrote this missive at the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, but only sent it to my little congregation. Seems important, as we continue to see devastation in Gaza, to speak this publicly. Dear friends- When I started seminary at Pacific School of Religion in 1995, I took a class called The Bible and the Near East from a visiting Israeli scholar (Dr. Shalom Paul).  He approached the Hebrew Bible from a comparative literature perspective, and we read other ancient writings from other religions/ethnic groups from around the same time.  It was an interesting approach for sure. One l ..read more

Dear friends— Gray, gray go away, come again some other day!  No really, I mean it…go away! My view of the Michigan grayness at the public library. I don’t know about you, but the Michigan gray is getting to me this week.  It is cold, wet, dark, gloomy (and has been since last Wednesday!) and this is the time of year when I find myself starting to feel heavy and sluggish.  I fight becoming constantly overwhelmed by the desire to crawl into bed for three months.  I start to feel a bit caged and restless while being too tired to do anything about it.  Everything is harde ..read more

Day 11 bell hooks…enough said. @ayandastood bell hooks The New School interview 2016 #blackhistorymonth #bellhooks #intersectionality #blackfeminism ♬ original sound – Ayandastood ..read more

Today I am lifting up Shyla Tre @highlyvibey on TikTok. Her video below calls for the end of the trope “Black on Black” crime. Crime happens in local communities and in our society most neighborhoods remain segregated. Therefore, victims of crime (of all races!) are often victimized by people of their own race. White victims of crime are most often violated by white perpetrators. She also highlights that crime has its roots in historic economic disenfranchisement and that disenfranchisement is rooted in white supremacy. Again, history matters. @highlyvibey #blacklivesmatter #blackwomen #black ..read more

Today, I am lifting up Lynae Vanee who does videos every Friday afternoon on TikTok. I have been following Lynae for many months, and I find her advocacy deeply compelling. In today’s video, Lynae is asking us, particularly white people, to recognize that Black History as it is consumed through media (film, TV, etc) is much more than Black trauma. She warns us to remember that when we consume media only focusing violence against Black bodies, we become desensitized to the current violence on Black people today. Please hear her words below. Rewatch if you can…she crams her 3 minute videos full ..read more

For Black History Month, I have decided to use my small blog platform to uplift Black women who are doing incredible work for racial justice on social media platforms. For the most part, I will be highlighting Black women from TikTok because I am indebted to them for their hard and consistent labor working for justice. I have learned so much by quietly sitting at their knee, listening to their words and wisdom, and have been inspired by their fearlessness and their vulnerability. For today, please hear these simple instructions from @whitewomanwhisperer. If you are on TikTok, please give her a ..read more