Friday, October 16, 6:30 pm
B’More Human Interviews
Monday, October 19, 6:30 pm
B’More Human Town Hall
The roots of the glaring income disparity between people of color and those who call themselves “white” run deep. All the way back to the plantation era, where whites first got rich at the expense of black labor. Exacerbated by “reconstruction” and the Jim Crow laws so brutally enforced in the South. Exacerbated by continuing superimposed white ‘supremacy’ fueled by fear. Exacerbated by violence, race- based exclusion and then embedded in the American psyche and institutions through laws written and unwritten. Exacerbated by income disparities resulting from continued and deepening discrimination, lack of educational opportunity and ongoing exploitation.
The B’More Human series is designed to help us explore how the legacy of slavery continues to impact American society as well as our own communities. We are using some of the articles in the NY Times 1619 project, and have committed to work together on the 16th and the 19th of October and November from 6:30-8 pm. On the 16th of each month, we will offer a presentation for individual reflection, and on the 19th we offer a chance for US to talk to one another around the focused topic.
Many thanks to those who joined us on September 16th and 19th to explore the development of our democracy that left out Blacks from the beginning, and issues of power and politics in the church. In October we will turn to wealth disparities and take a look at the insidious and ongoing economic impact of slavery and the “neo-slavery” (the practice of continued debasement of Blacks once slavery was abolished) that followed. We will hear the voices of several Black members in our churches about their experiences around employment, educational opportunities, housing and banking (capital for business, financing of homes, etc.) in the past and today. We will hear about the history of redlining and its impact on housing disparities in Baltimore as well as taking a look at the racial wealth gaps in our country and explore policies that might help to modify the gap.
Our work has just begun. Sponsored by the In the Loop Ministry Group, we invite ALL to participate.
