I was inspired recently by a talk, 250 Years Towards Racial Justice: Progress, Promise, and Challenges, hosted by Georgetown University. The panelists included Bishop-elect Robert Boxie and my colleague, Melvin Rogers. What struck me the most about the discussion was the realistic approach they took to the challenges facing the US as the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a document that called for freedom while denying that freedom to so many. For Black America, the challenge has been to continue the pursuit for freedom, even as we see our rights and humanity constantly put in jeopardy. Despite the racial reckoning of the summer of 2020, we are in fact moving backwards as voting rights, access to education and social welfare benefits are all under attack. The reality is that this is not only a problem for the Black community, it will ultimately impact all of society.
I was raised in the Catholic church, and I was particularly influenced by the social justice focus of the #Jesuits who founded my high school, Gonzaga Preparatory School in Spokane, Washington. However, I have had my frustrations over the years, which makes Pope Leo’s recent encyclical which apologizes for the church’s role in condoning the enslavement of Africans:
Pope Leo recalls the Church’s history with slavery, and its condoning and participating in the practice of the enslavement of human beings in earlier centuries. While previous pontiffs have condemned legalized systems of slavery, Pope Leo does something more. Pope Leo apologizes for the Church’s condoning of slavery in the past. “This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached. It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord. For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
When the panelists talked about the role of imagination and empathy in maintaining the ongoing struggle, I was reminded of my own ancestors who had to imagine a world where I could exist – a Black woman with a PhD, living a very privileged life between two countries, the US and Canada, where we are still challenged to provide opportunities for underrepresented groups. I remember this book, which came out a couple of years after I graduated from Stanford. It was gifted to me by a friend who included an inscription that she expected to see me in the pages of a similar book someday. In fact, I have been able to do more with my own career and the book I have written than I could have imagined all those years ago.
It has been imagination that has led to so many accomplishments, not only by African Americans, but by so many who have been animated by the American dream. Although that dream is in jeopardy, it is important for all of us to continue to imagine a better world.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, I borrow another passage from Vera Victoria Miles’ article on our “Two Independence Days”:
Accordingly, our nation has a second Independence Day to recognize the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States, celebrated on June 19th. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021, as the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. This holiday was recognized as a “federal” holiday just five years ago. However, Juneteenth celebrations have been happening in communities across the nation for more than a century, the first such celebrations were held in Texas. The holiday was so named because the news of freedom finally reached 250,000 enslaved men, women and children in Texas on June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved men, women and children in the Confederate States on January 1, 1863, and six months after the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment on January 31, 1865.
Those who were freed imagined a better future, and the journey there has been fraught. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, I strongly encourage a visit. For those who can’t, this book provides a great deal of information on the African American experience:
History shows us that there have been times when we have moved forward, and times where we have moved backwards. My book, Reckoning provides a blueprint for change and I will always be encouraged to by the accomplishments of my ancestors as I continue my efforts to support leaders and institutions in their work to educate and create a sense of belonging for their students, staff and educators. Practicing #empathy and building trust are critical for understanding when, how and why taking action and creation change are possible, but it is imagination that allows us to envision a future that is beneficial to all.
