Called by God, appointed by the Session, and accountable to the congregation, the Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC) is charged to prayerfully, courageously, boldly, and faithfully study, envision, and chart a way forward for our ongoing growth as an anti-racist community of faith.
This work includes the call to:
- Receive the loving Grace of God which gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope” in our journey from a past we cannot change to a future in which we can be changed.
- Acknowledge the transformative work we are doing as the work of the Spirit of Christ moving through us.
- Challenge the congregation to remember, study, examine, fully acknowledge, and repent its corporate participation – past and present – in advancing racism, and pledge to move forward, mindful of our troubled past and dedicated to reshaping our future.
- Confess, confront, and dismantle ways within us as individuals and as a congregation that risk advancing racism through our thoughts, words and actions.
- Engage professional consultants and proven resources to ensure Caldwell is objective in how it holds itself accountable at all levels – staff, session, leadership and congregation – in ongoing education, training and group exercises in growth.
- Identify, address and adjust policies, procedures and protocols within the church that run counter to our vision of racial equity.
- Identify, address and challenge policies, procedures and protocols of The Presbytery as an institution that run counter to our vision of racial equity.
- Use our growth as anti-racists to equip and inspire us individually and collectively to dismantle racism in the broader community.
- Commit to actions, as individuals and as a congregation, that will move us toward concrete, measurable, and positive change as we continue on our path toward becoming an anti-racist church.
- Report to the session and directly to the congregation on a regular basis about specific ways in which to adapt our life together so that it models and bears witness to the love and justice that exposes the lie of racism and its pernicious harm to all of God’s children.
ARCC Members: Kimbo Bohannon, Fran Hayes, Kevin Martin, Alyssa Mouton, Diane Mowrey, Felicia Pine, Rosa
Ramirez, Jim Thompson
ARCC Staff Members: Dot Killian, John Cleghorn
Easter Vigil
This year, ARCC created a presentation to help guide our Easter Prayer Vigil. You can find that guide here.
ARCC’s May 2025 UPDATE to Congregation
(This is a long one, so grab a beverage and relax into a good read.)
ARCC met earlier this year for a mini retreat to reflect on Caldwell’s antiracism journey and our role facilitating that journey in the life of our community. Haven been created in late 2020, we celebrate and the nearly 5-year milestone of our inception. In our assessment of the work of the Council and Caldwell’s antiracism journey, we had much to ponder. We write to you now to share some of that journey including where ARCC has been, where we are now, and where we envision going in the future.
Conceived and created by the Session and Pastors John Cleghorn and Gail Henderson-Belsito,
A group of 10 original members were called to help guide Caldwell’s anti-racism journey. That decision resulted in the Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC) who would begin to train itself, staff, Session, members and friends in all aspects of evolving a diverse, multiracial, and welcoming inclusiveness that would be evident in all aspects of our shared life.
As the country went through a pandemic, people rose up to demand justice for George Floyd, and local and national institutions began to wrestle with issues of inclusion and justice. Caldwell was growing in members and in buildings. Caldwell would continue to build on our vision of 4 H’s which had renovated the Sanctuary and sponsored Social Justice Interns by opening Hope Hall in 2022 and now preparing to open Easter’s Home this summer. Prayerfully listening to the Holy Spirit within the congregation, we have also embarked on our second formal process of seeking a new Associate Pastor with all the excitement and anxiety that can produce.
With all this activity, throughout the last five years, ARCC’s initial call has remained the same:
Called by God, appointed by the Session, and accountable to the congregation, the Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC) is charged to prayerfully, courageously, boldly, and faithfully study, envision, and chart a way forward for our ongoing growth as an anti-racist community of faith.
- Where we have been: We acknowledge that God calls us to value the humanity in all individuals, to treat our neighbors as ourselves, and to look after those in society that are marginalized and oppressed. To do so we must deconstruct race as a tool used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. ARCCs approach to charting “a way forward for our ongoing growth as an anti-racism community of faith” has focused primarily in three areas: education and acknowledgement of the racist past and present in our society, church and community; building relationships amongst ourselves and with others to broaden our understanding and impact; and developing more inclusive and all-encompassing methods of worship, engaging and organizing. While these categories are not mutually exclusive, we can highlight specific events in each to capture the movement of ARCC over these five years.
- Educational Events: The educational events over the years include a large number and variety of offerings. By our unscientific account, at least 117+ people have participated in 21events sponsored specifically by ARCC. (Here is a link to that document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zgTrlR0edrmXy9hN0XqxkNdLdOG5Ipsa/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111472539152936899730&rtpof=true&sd=true).
In addition to these specific events, ARCC has and continues to collaborate with other committees like ACE (Adult Continuing Education), Mission and Justice, Touchpoint, Thriving Congregations, Earth Care, and Easter’s Home to further the congregation’s anti-racism journey with community reads, studies and conversations .. Caldwell’s own, Deep Diving into Racism Reading group continues to lead the way in exploring current, important books on anti-racism like it’s most recent study: Jennifer Harvey’s Antiracism as a Daily Practice.(Previous Reads by Deep Diving into Racism at Caldwell.docx – Google Docs )Other key highlights of ARCC’s events include
- NEXT Anti-racism Cohorts (2022): Two cohorts of around 20 people each participated in NEXT’s study and met to discuss what this sequence of 4 videos had taught us.
- Anti-racism Movie Nights (2022 and 2024): For four nights each summer, groups gathered to watch and discuss movies like “13th,” “I Am Not Your Negro,” “summer of Soul,” and “Fruitvale Station” (among others).
- “What It Means to Be White” / Confronting Whiteness: Led by our own Kimbo Bohannon 20 Caldwell members have taken this 8-week course, and Kimbo continues to teach this course to dozens and dozens of people around the country.
- White Privilege Conference (2022): Sponsored by the Presbytery of Charlotte members and staff representatives attended this 3-day event in the Convention Center. In addition to the educational aspect, this event let to associations with consultants like Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, as ARCC and Caldwell sought to go deeper in its anti-racism education.
- We launched a website and are listed among key ministries at Caldwell, to publish and keep track of learning opportunities, events and our ongoing efforts. The link to the ARCC website Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell – Caldwell Presbyterian Church and we can be reached at the email address arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
- We’ve sponsored a Black History pilgrimage to Atlanta, Selma and Montgomery and visited the Catawba Nation.
- Relationship Building: Anti-racism is more than an educational journey; to be truly anti-racism we need to be in relationship with others different from ourselves. In those relationships, which develop over time, we can listen to and share our stories, hear hard truths, and challenge ourselves and each other to take the next steps on this path towards liberation from anti-racism. Some highlights of events in this category include:
- Brunch and Learn Gatherings : While entitled “brunch and learn,” these gatherings are places where we get to know each other better. The program and format encourage self-reflection and to learn more about where everyone is on their own anti-racism journey and how ARCC can be supportive of everyone.
- Racial Healing Workshops with Kimberlee Yolanda Williams (Jan 2024 and Nov 2024): These workshops combine education and relationship building. Kimberlee provided helpful frameworks and ways to understand racism and anti-racism, and she encouraged honest sharing about where each of us is on this journey.
- Juneteenth Events (Caldwell, 2023, and First Baptist West, 2024): Both events attempted to highlight the history of this celebration. With the event at First Baptist West, Caldwell and First Baptist West began what both congregations hope will be an on-going relationship. We need to note, unfortunately, that both events involved mistakes that harmed African-Americans because of white ignorance and thoughtlessness. ARCC is working to repair this harm and build healthy relations.
- Worship and Devotions: While education and relationships are important to Caldwell’s anti-racism journey, at the core of any such journey lies a congregation’s corporate worship and all-church devotions. How we live together is at the heart of this journey. It is central to our spiritual growth as disciples of Jesus Christ. ARCC has endeavored to enrich this aspect of Caldwell’s shared life influencing all aspects of our shared life together.
- Caldwell has institutionalized our acknowledgement of theft of indigenous lands and our connection to past connections with chattel slavery continuing to share our history and seek opportunities for correction.
- We have invited the diverse voices of African American Preachers and other Antiracist activist to give voice in worship, especially on MLK, Jr., Sunday, and during Black History Month each year.
- We have expanded our offering to include Bilingual Worship (Spanish and English): With Rosa Ramirez taking the lead, we have had two bilingual services in the last few years.
- ARCC lead a congregational study of Lent of Liberation, followed by this year’s Maundy Prayer Vigil Wounds, Breath and Spirit:An Online Vigil for Anti-Racism (accessible on the ARCC website at link)
- We’ve purchased copies of the Presbyterian Outlook’s special editions on the “Reparations”, “Black Women’s Voices in the Presbyterian Church” and Resmaa Menakem’s “My Grandmother’s Hands.
- Along with the Worship Committee, ARCC established the monthly offering as reparations for centuries of using African American spirituals without paying their creators. The funds from this offering has supported 3 local organizations so far. (See the following links to see past recipients. https://inspirethefire.org/, Home – A Sign of The Times of The Carolinas, Music Lessons | Joyful Sounds School Of Music and Arts | Charlotte NC | Ayrsley)
- Where We Are: For the rest of this year, ARCC has planned a mix of new and familiar events.
- May 28 and June 1: Worship on those two Sundays will focus on Anti-Racism as central to our spiritual development as disciples. We will have special liturgies and two special preachers – The Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell and The Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston – who will help us move deeper into this call. Both services will be followed by meals for the opportunity to engage in conversation about our call and our journey.
- On June 1, The Rev. Greg Jarrell will again lead us on a walk through Uptown and through our history with “Stories of Exclusion and Inclusion: A History of Uptown Charlotte.” Link to event at https://www.canva.com/design/DAGm5MqGk30/z9ZCsYirrZ9u8hkRJiCKNQ/view?utm_content=DAGm5MqGk30&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h5a31b9759f.
- Remembrance Project and Caldwell History revisited: ARCC is working with the Equal Justice Initiative to bring this project to Caldwell. It will help us understand the past and present history in Mechlenburg County and it’s history of lynching within the scope of nationwide efforts to address or racial history. Through our continued Brunch and Learn Series, we will also revisit the specific history of the Caldwell community and the naming of Easter’s Home and our continued efforts towards racial reconciliation and reparations.
- Where we are going: One of the first things ARCC did in 2021 was develop and send out a survey to all members and friends of Caldwell to develop a “snapshot” of where the members and the congregation were on its anti-racism journey. In the years since ARCC’s inception, much has changed even as some common threads continue. ARCC will be sending out a new survey this fall to again assess everyone’s perceptions and attitudes about Caldwell as an anti-racist congregation.
AND we would love to have more individuals join ARCC specifically in this important work. Over its life, 20 different members of the Caldwell congregation have been members of ARCC. If you are curious about ARCC or feel called to dive deeper into this journey, please prayerfully consider joining us.
We relish your opinion and input into our work. Please let us know what you think and feel about our journey together and how we might better serve you in our efforts.
Current Members: Fran Hayes, Kevin Martin, Alyssa Mouton, Diane Mowrey, Felicia Pine, Rosa Ramirez
Archived Letters to the Congregation
Juneteenth 2022
Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865, a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. It is considered the longest-running African American holiday in the United States, and on June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. Check out the link below for more information.
https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/emancipation-proclamation
May 13, 2022 – ARCC Update
Dear Caldwell Members and Friends,
This note is just to let you know that ARCC is still at work – learning, growing, and engaging in the work for which you have called us.
For the past three months, ARCC and several members of the Session have been in training with NEXT Church; the training will be finishing up next month.
This link guides you to the website that tells you about the program we have undertaken – Antiracism Work – NEXT Church.
We’ve also been engaged in spiritual development by walking together and studying the writing of Howard Thurman (Howard Thurman – Wikipedia) the great Civil Rights leader, author, philosopher, theologian, and educator. We’re reading “40 Day Journey with Howard Thurman.” If you want to check it out, we encourage you to try sourcing it from a local or Black-owned bookstore.
While we have been learning, maturing, and developing our personal relationships, it has not been in isolation. Several members of the congregation have been participating in Whiteness Studies.
The ACE class has been in intense study of Resmaa Menakem’s “My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies,” a book that was made available to all pledging families with the congregation.
The Caldwell group called Deep Diving into Racism continues their reflections and their work by studying the book, “How To Fight Racism,” by Jemar Tisby. Click this link to read a letter from our Deep Diving Team.
ARCC has a couple of opportunities that we’re talking about for the congregation.
We continue to look for opportunities to learn together, so we have another NEXT Seminar planned.
We’re gearing up a calendar of events which include Racism 101 and 202 level engagement.
We have been listening to the congregational request to make ways for us to form more meaningful relationships and to share our stories, so we are trying to develop ways to do just that. We’re even planning a party in remembrance, commemoration, and celebration of Juneteenth – June 19th.
So, keep a look out for these and other opportunities to be engaged in Caldwell’s Anti-racism efforts.
Here are a couple of links we share for your consideration:
(8) Healing Racial Trauma Through Body-Centered Psychology with Resmaa Menakem – YouTube
Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo: What it takes to be racially literate | TED Talk
Especially for Kids
DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD | Friends are Different and the Same | PBS KIDS – YouTube
When we’re at our best, we can do better. Check out this piece of historical conversation and collaboration by a relatively recent Congress – they did BETTER – and so can we!
Let us know what you think.
Share your reactions on the Caldwell Conversations Facebook page. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
February 15, 2022 – Black History Month
Letter the to Congregation: February 15, 2022
Dear Caldwell Family and Friends,
We started our venture into Black History Month in our last letter with an emphasis on action. The history of Black people in America has been one of action, sometimes of struggle, sometimes of resourcefulness, but always striving individually and in community. Congress passed “National Black History Month” into law in 1986, proclaiming that “the foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity” (Library of Congress).
In our journey to become an antiracist church, we must be willing to step outside of looking at people of color just in the context of “oppression.” We must begin to broaden our image of the non-whites in our history and community. We must learn the good and the bad in the contributions of whites and non-whites alike. Listening to all voices, we try to find the truth of who we are as a church, as a community, as a nation.
In this letter we share with you a snapshot of some voices that we encourage you to get to know better. There is even a Black History Timeline that is a fun way to test or enhance your knowledge within the context of Black History. Hopefully, as we continue to grow in this mission, we will take the time now to not only learn about others but also begin to plan our own impact on the history we are creating.
We remind you that you can still sign-up for the upcoming NEXT Webinar. ARCC members, the staff and half the Session will be attending this session, but there are still a few seats available. We will fill them on a first come, first served basis. So sign-up now to get to the head of the line. The description follows. Sign-up link: https://bit.ly/32I67DC
Honoring The Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon:
Exploring the impact of the first Black woman to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church.
Publication:
The Great 28: Black Charlotteans who are shaping Charlotte – Q City Metro
Black History Moments in Time:
Do you know where the first free Black settlement was established? Can you point out the location of our first HBCU(Historically Black College and/or University) on a map? This interactive timeline and map, while certainly not exhaustive, does aim to highlight some of the many turning points, tragedies and triumphs in our history. The Root staff compiled almost 200 historical facts for our readers to peruse. Choose a time period/decade on the slide for a road trip through time and click on the tags to revisit monumental moments.
The Root Presents: Black History Moments In Time
FOR YOUTH and ADULTS
The story of Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley: Crash Course Black American History #7 – YouTube
If you have access to Netflix
Watch Naomi Osaka | Netflix Official Site
Let us know what you think.
Share your reactions on the Caldwell Conversations Facebook page. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
January 7, 2022 – What we mean by being “ANTIRACIST”
HAPPY 2022 CALDWELL FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
As we look ahead to continuing our growth and journey toward embodying an antiracist community, we want to take a moment to specifically reflect on our call to “confess, confront, and dismantle ways within us as individuals and as a congregation that risk advancing racism through our thoughts, words and actions.”
This specific call is most directly addressed by committing to educating ourselves with some faith that, as Dr. Maya Angelou said, “When we know better, we can do better.” But learning to be anti-racist is different than most things we as individuals, or as a community, will ever embark upon, and the journey is fraught with difficulties.
We must start with defining what we mean by being “ANTIRACIST.”
MORE TO COME SOON!!!!!
Then there are equally significant challenges developing a shared and common language, honoring our different perspectives and histories, accommodating various levels of comprehension, and then allowing for the loving grace to grow. These are just a few of the easy-to-identify issues.
As we began to discuss some of these issues in our Survey Conversations in December, we were encouraged to see that Caldwell has the will and skills to do what we must to overcome the challenges and to devise strategies to address issues as they arise. Thanks to all who participated in the survey, joined in our conversations, and continue to pray for our discernment and guidance.
Going forward, ARCC will remain steadfast in providing opportunities to learn, to discuss, and to actively engage in this process and discover together what GOD requires of us. As this year rolls out before us, ARCC will regularly provide a variety of resources and growth opportunities as we begin developing both short and long-term strategic plans with our survey results. You can anticipate more community reads, as well as workshops, story sharing, community advocacy, and news about partnerships.
To start the new year, we offer some baseline references to assist us on this journey. We also offer tools that invite our youth to participate in this conversation.
Videos
Ibram X. Kendi: The difference between being “not racist” and antiracist | TED Talk
Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo: What it takes to be racially literate | TED Talk
Candis Watts Smith: 3 myths about racism that keep the US from progress | TED Talk
For Youth
Article
EmbraceRace | 10 tips for teaching and talking to kids about race
Video
DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD | Friends are Different and the Same | PBS KIDS – YouTube
Share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations. Let us know what you think. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
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November 3, 2021 – Color Blind or Not
November 3, 2021
Color Blind or Not
What’s the first image that comes to mind when you think about Jesus? The most iconic, of course, is of a white skinned man with long, flowing straight hair. But there are clues in the Bible pointing to the fact that Jesus does not really fit this description. “His feet were like burnished bronze” “The hairs of his head were… like white wool”. Let’s also take into consideration the fact that he lived in an area of the world now called the Middle East, an Afro-Asiatic diaspora. “The white-centric view is historically flawed. The assumption that Jesus was white deserves far more skepticism than the proposal that he was black” says Mark Wayne, author of Jesus Is Black. Get over it.: The Critical Race Theory of Christianity. “It is far more likely, both geographically and genetically, that he was black rather than white. That is the blunt scientific truth.”
There are no artifacts to help us answer the question of whether Jesus was black or white. “The European looking Jesus…was used to support the system of white superiority and black inferiority in this nation” says Professor Kerri Day, of Princeton University. “Most clergymen, during the founding of America, were the ones who were writing about the biblical basis for the inferiority of the black race….it was the responsibility of the white race to civilize the heathen”.
Why do we or should we care what Jesus looked like? “Not only is white Jesus inaccurate, he also can inhibit our ability to honor the image of God in people who aren’t white.” says Christena Cleveland of Duke University Divinity School. Our understanding of who Jesus is and what he represents goes beyond skin color, but for some it’s hard to ignore the pictures and stained-glass windows all around us of a man who doesn’t look like anyone in Africa or Asia.
On a lighter note, consider the controversy surrounding the notion of a black Santa. The character is based on Saint Nicholas, a wealthy 3rd century Christian from the country now known as Turkey, who became a Bishop and was renowned for his generosity and love for children. Yet in the 1930’s Coca Cola made him the centerpiece of a major advertising campaign and transformed him into the white, bearded, plump, jolly fellow we see in the mall at Christmas.
Again, why should color matter? It shouldn’t, but to many, it does. When you see someone who looks like you, there’s a shared history, a common understanding of what it’s like to maneuver through the world as a person of color, whatever that color may be. As we move forward into our new space, let’s take advantage of the opportunity to monitor and adjust our idea of what Jesus looked like, and find new ways to present the many faces of Jesus so that all will feel welcomed by a familiar face.
Video: How Jesus Became Widely Accepted As Being White – Unpack That
Video: There Is No White Jesus (comedy)
Article: Jesus is Black. Get Over it.
https://www.premierchristianity.com/home/jesus-is-black-get-over-it/1417.article
Video: Meet the Mall of America’s First Black Santa
Share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations. Let us know what you think. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
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October 12, 2021 – Hispanic Heritage Month
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) and recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans on the history, culture, and achievements of the United States, we must acknowledge the fact that public discourse surrounding systemic racism rarely includes its effects on the Latino community. For example, did you know that residents of Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories do not have voting representation in the United States Congress, and are not entitled to electoral votes for president? Policymakers often—sometimes intentionally and other times not— exclude, suppress, and “otherize” people of color, which in turn shapes the Latino experience in this country.
This week ARCC offers resources that do everything from explaining the many terms used to discuss people of Latin American descent to examining a Hispanic family’s fight against school segregation years before Brown vs. Board of Ed. And there’s music to get you dancing!
UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, contends that by elevating the voices of Latinos, and defending and advancing the community’s concerns, we will see an America “where economic, political, and social advancement is a reality for all Latinos, where all Hispanics thrive and our community’s contributions are recognized.” Our journey to becoming an anti-racist community of faith must include a commitment to all non-white groups, and Latinos are one of many.
As always, we ask you to share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations. Let us know what you think. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
Toward a More Perfect Union: Understanding Systemic Racism and Resulting Inequity in Latino Communities
https://www.unidosus.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/unidosus_systemicracism_executivesummary.pdf
Latino, Hispanic, LatinX, Chicano: The History Behind the Terms https://www.history.com/news/hispanic-latino-latinx-chicano-background
Is Being Hispanic A Matter of Race, Ethnicity, or both
The Mendez Family Fought School Segregation 8 Years before Brown vs. Board of Ed https://www.history.com/news/mendez-school-segregation-mexican-american?li_source=LI&li_medium=m2m-rcw-history
18 Major Moments In Hispanic History That All Americans Need To Know https://www.huffpost.com/entry/18-major-moments-hispanic-history_n_55f70275e4b042295e370d3c
Video: John Leguizamo’s Tony Award Speech for Latin History for Morons
Video: The First Hispanic Congressman
https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/first-hispanic-congressman-video
Video: Cesar Chavez and the National Farmworker’s Association https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/cesar-chavez
Music: Chan Chan – Latin song played by international artists https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WAjRmHODjyQ
Music: Salsa Around the World
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L3f6sxJSj1w
September 16, 2021
Dear Caldwell Family and Friends,
“You cannot be a member of an oppressive group without inflicting harm on those you oppress. The objective for allies should be to inflict as little harm as possible. And the way to do this is through accountability.” DiDi Delgado, Poet and Activist
So what does it mean to be “accountable”? It means that we must answer for our actions, take responsibility for what we have done or failed to do as we move toward the ultimate goal of becoming an anti-racist church. In order to do this, we must first answer some basic questions: what does it mean to be an anti-racist church? Are we as a congregation, and are those in leadership, ready, willing, and able to take on the monumental task at hand? What specific programs or workshops should we promote? How will we measure our success?
In order for ARCC to succeed in its mission to envision and chart a way forward for our ongoing growth as an anti-racist community of faith, we must know where we’ve been and where we are to know where we’re going. We’ve created a survey that will help us focus our efforts in response to what we learn from the congregation. We ask that you answer all questions openly and honestly so our work answers the needs and desires of all, wherever he/she/they may be on his/her/their personal journey. The link to the survey : https://forms.gle/YeVrVSKSHKfbk85S9
In addition to the survey, we offer other items for your review. Each addresses the idea of accountability in its own way, from learning to answer children’s questions openly and honestly, to recognizing that often, white people can teach others about racism more effectively than People of Color can.
Video
What I am learning from my white grandchildren — truths about race | Anthony Peterson
Audio
Same As It Ever Was – Michael Spranti and Spearhead
Article
What Does It Mean To Be White In America? Robin DiAngelo, scholar and author
August 31, 2021 – Land Acknowledgement
Dear Caldwell Members and Friends,
We routinely provide a Land Acknowledgement as we convene meetings and begin worship. This is meant both to create awareness and to serve as a tribute to the Catawba Nation. We recognize that we worship and serve on the traditional lands of these Indigenous people who called this land home before the arrival of settlers. Many Catawba still call this area home. By performing this Land Acknowledgement, we honor the Catawba for the ancestral homelands upon which Caldwell was built, where our services and activities take place and throughout the territory where we now live and work.
So, this week, we offer some information about the Catawba Nation and encourage you to explore the indigenous Catawba Nation, the Sugaree and the indigenous of the other places that you have call home. This link (Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land) will allow you to identify nations by our colonial designations. Once you have the name, learn about the group, prepare your own Land Acknowledgement and special Prayer of Reconciliation for our history and Prayer of Gratitude for their presence among us.
To get you started, we’ve attached is some specific information regarding the Catawba and a link to the official site of Catawba Indian Nation. Plan a visit or see how you may help in efforts that support them. To enhance your journey toward becoming antiracist, we also offer a link, as a first step on that journey, which references past behavior routine in our treatment these groups. Let us continue to learn and grow as a community embracing a future more in line with our call to be God’s hands and feet.
“Carry one another’s burden; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2
Who are the Catawba Indians?
By C. K. Lanz
The Catawba Indians reside in North and South Carolina and Oklahoma. Catawba Indians, also known as the Issa meaning river, are part of a federally recognized Native American tribe related to the Siouan peoples and reside primarily in South and North Carolina and Oklahoma. There are more than 2,500 Catawba Indians in the United States and the tribe’s reservation is located in Rock Hill, S.C., near Charlotte, N.C. The epicenter of the reservation is its cultural center where visitors can tour a series of exhibits about Catawba culture including a traditional bark house and dugout canoe. The Catawba people are known for their pottery and agricultural practices and historically maintained an amiable relationship with European settlers and later with Americans.
The early history of the Catawba Indians is clouded but it is known that by 1567 the tribe had settled the area around the Catawba River along the border of what are today North and South Carolina. The tribe sustained itself by hunting, fishing and growing crops. Although the Catawba Indians established a mutually beneficial and generally peaceful relationship with early European settlers, the tribe suffered from constant conflict with other Native American groups including the Iroquois, the Delaware and the Algonquian Shawnee. Various colonial governments attempted to broker peace between the tribes, especially between the Catawba and the Iroquois, with limited success.
Military conflicts with neighboring tribes combined with a series of smallpox epidemics that erupted in 1738, and later in 1759, contributed to the steadily dwindling number of Catawba Indians throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. With the death of the Catawba chief King Hagler in 1762, the tribe’s importance among other Native American Groups was further eroded.
South Carolina created a small 15-square-mile (38.8 square km) reservation for the tribe along the Catawba River the following year. During the 19th century, the tribe sold and leased portions of their reservation to South Carolina and white settlers. The presence of outsiders on the reservation motivated some Catawba Indians to join the Cherokee tribe in North Carolina but most returned soon after.
In the late 19th century, a group of Catawba Indians left the tribal reservation and settled in Oklahoma with the Choctaw. These Catawba merged completely with their new tribe and several converted to Mormonism. In the Carolinas the Catawba are best known for their pottery, an art that continues to provide many tribe members with an income. The Catawba Indian pottery is not glazed or painted, is made with clay dug from the banks of the Catawba River and is shaped by hand and is shaped by hand and fired in an outdoor pit.
Additional Information
Catawba Indian Nation – Charlotte Museum
(239) Native American Boarding Schools – YouTube
(239) Iswa: The Catawba People – History, Culture & Affiliations – “People Of The River” – YouTube
(239) American Red and Black: Stories of Afro-Native Identity (FULL, 2006) – YouTube
Share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations. Let us know what you think. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
August 9, 2021 – Words Matter
When the members of ARCC took on the task of creating a name for our group, we were thoughtful and deliberate in our choice as well as the acronym it created. Our discussions led us to Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell, which we believe is a simple and clear reflection of our mission. We chose the word Council, instead of commission or committee, because we understood the need for a council as defined by Merriam Webster: “an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion.” We also considered our call to counsel – to provide “an opinion suggesting a wise or proper course of action”. And finally, we wanted to make a conscious connection to Martin Luther King’s observation that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”.
This week we offer you resources which focus on the power of language and the damage words can do. An article discusses the manner in which language conveys a fundamental truth about the relationship between what we say, the perceptions we hold, and the imagery we evoke through our linguistic choices. An audio clip identifies and explains common expressions that many do not realize are rooted in racism. There’s also a parody of a weather report on “Black Ice” which is a humorous yet thought provoking take on the idea of imagery evoked through language, and a video which reminds us that sometimes language is not really as problematic as we make it in this new era of racial awareness.
As always, we hope you’ll share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations and let us know what you think. Feel free to suggest any other resources we can explore. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
Audio Clip
The Language of Racism: Why It’s Time to Get Rid of Master Bedroom, Cake Walk, Grandfather Clause
Article
Words have the power to harm
Video clips
Black Ice
How woke is too woke?
June 30, 2021 – Race in America
Dear Caldwell Family and Friends,
This week’s offerings from ARCC are thought provoking as well as humorous. The first is a video entitled “Race In America”. Clearly, one video can’t explain such a complex subject in 18 minutes, but it does attempt to answer one fundamental question: why are people still so angry? It shows us data about household wealth and why it matters, exposes the destructive effects of Jim Crow laws and actions (such as redlining) taken by government agencies, and discusses programs that claimed to help People of Color when in fact they did just the opposite.
Our second item is a podcast by author Ibram X. Kendi entitled “The Zero-Sum Myth: We’re Divided, We’re Conquered”. He talks to Heather McGhee, author, social and economic policy expert, and Chairperson of the Board of Color Of Change, about how white laborers were taught to value color over class. They discuss the cost of racism and how working together benefits us all.
And last, but not least, on the lighter side, is a clip from comedian Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, answering a question from the audience about reparations. It echoes some of the issues highlighted in “Race In America”.
Share your reactions in Caldwell Conversations. Let us know what you think. To communicate with ARCC directly, email us at arcc@caldwellpresby.org.
Video: Race In America https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUwcs9qJXY
Podcast: The Zero Sum Myth
YouTube clip: Reparations https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fVa-HAsB-xQ
Additional resources:
How To Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee
June 18, 2021 – Juneteenth
The Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC) looks forward to sharing information and events with you as we travel the path to becoming an anti-racist church. Here are some facts about Juneteenth (June 19th), an important day in U.S. history that some may not be familiar with. Juneteenth is a historically Black holiday celebrating the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States. It is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in this country. The celebration dates back to June 19, 1865, when a Union General rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended, and slaves had been freed. Though the Emancipation Proclamation became law in January 1863, it could not be enforced in places still under confederate control. Thus it took over 2 years for approximately 250,000 Texan slaves to learn their freedom had been secured by the government. Since then, the holiday has been celebrated every year on June 19th. Today, June 15, 2021, the Senate passed a bill that would make Juneteenth a federal holiday. It is expected to easily pass the House, which would then send it to President Joe Biden for his signature. Though the holiday is not yet recognized by the federal government, many local communities acknowledge the occasion with celebrations in various forms. Here are links to a few of the key events happening in and around Charlotte.
May 31, 2021 – The Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell
Dear Caldwell Family,
Earlier this year, ten Caldwell members accepted a call to guide our congregation’s path toward becoming an anti-racist faith community. We are the Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC).
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” On this path, together we will draw the map, pave the roads, install the street signs and choose our stops along the way. ARCC acknowledges many of us are eager to start “doing the work” to transform ours into a faith-led anti-racist community.
With these thoughts in mind, we are pleased to share the following charge the ARCC has developed with the Session:
Martin Luther King reminded us that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
“Change takes a long time, but it does happen. Each of us who works for social change is part of the mosaic of all who work for justice; together we can accomplish multitudes.” Deborah Ellis, Assistant Dean for Public Service at NYU School of Law
Called by God, appointed by the Session, and accountable to the congregation, the Anti-Racism Council at Caldwell (ARCC) is charged to prayerfully, courageously, boldly, and faithfully study, envision, and chart a way forward for our ongoing growth as an anti-racist community of faith.
This work includes the call to:
- Receive the loving Grace of God which gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope” in our journey from a past we cannot change to a future in which we can be changed.
- Acknowledge the transformative work we are doing as the work of the Spirit of Christ moving through us.
- Challenge the congregation to remember, study, examine, fully acknowledge, and repent its corporate participation – past and present – in advancing racism, and pledge to move forward, mindful of our troubled past and dedicated to reshaping our future.
- Confess, confront, and dismantle ways within us as individuals and as a congregation that risk advancing racism through our thoughts, words and actions.
- Engage professional consultants and proven resources to ensure Caldwell is objective in how it holds itself accountable at all levels – staff, session, leadership and congregation – in ongoing education, training and group exercises in growth.
- Identify, address and adjust policies, procedures and protocols within the church that run counter to our vision of racial equity.
- Identify, address and challenge policies, procedures and protocols of The Presbytery as an institution that run counter to our vision of racial equity.
- Use our growth as anti-racists to equip and inspire us individually and collectively to dismantle racism in the broader community.
- Commit to actions, as individuals and as a congregation, that will move us toward concrete, measurable, and positive change as we continue on our path toward becoming an anti-racist church.
- Report to the session and directly to the congregation on a regular basis about specific ways in which to adapt our life together so that it models and bears witness to the love and justice that exposes the lie of racism and its pernicious harm to all of God’s children.
Until we reconnect, ARCC offers the following resources to prepare our hearts and minds for our ambitious journey (click on each). We will keep you posted on our progress. We look forward to working alongside you the Spirit of Christ, as we evolve as individuals, as a church and as a community.