Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem

Tag Archives: social justice


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Plywood Presents: Notes and Quotes

FullSizeRender 11This is a conference I look forward to every year. It’s fun, I’m able to see old friends, and it’s locally-focused. The last item is what makes it truly unique. The people who speak are not only inspiring, but most often, they’re doing something remarkable in the Atlanta area. So, while I love hearing big names from big companies, Plywood is really awesome because I can also usually say that the speaker or company is just miles away from me. It gives me plenty of chills and warm fuzzies.

Jeff Shinabarger, Plywood founder:

  • Sit with people that don’t sound like you.
  • Learn from people that you want to sound like.
  • Share with people that engage your advice.
  • Everyone has something to give. Everyone has something to learn.

Gregory Ellison, Fearless Dialogues:

  • Sometimes things have to break down to have a break through.
  • “The longest journey we have in life is from our heads to our hearts.” – a lady he knew growing up
  • “I don’t know how to change the world, but I can change the three feet around me.” – his Aunt Dottie

Hank Fortner, Adopt Together:

  • World Adoption Day
  • People who need love don’t care how old you are.
  • 19 million orphans in the world, 500K in US foster care, 25% of kids who age out of the system are homeless, 80% in jail, 30% are pregnant, 80% end up in prostitution and 56% wind up unemployed. The system is seriously failing these kids.
  • Family is the answer to almost everything.
  • Lots of organizations are doing great things, but they are all working piece-meal instead of in concert.
  • Barriers to adoption are finances, information and community.
  • Adopt Together allows micro financing for adoptions.
  • Lessons learned:
    • Always throw a party.
    • Never give up space.
    • Always remember the details.
    • Never get stuck in the details.
    • Always solve a problem.
    • Never burn a bridge.
    • Always tell your story.
    • Never lose your story.
    • Always give.
    • Never forget extrinsics.
    • Always make money.
    • Always say thank you!

Ron Clark, founder of the Ron Clark Academy:

  • Met everyone of his neighbors and invited them to be a part of the work in this run-down, dangerous neighborhood. It took four months.
  • Passion. Innovation. Creativity.
  • When you bring good energy to a place, negativity leaves.
  • Your team determines your success.
  • Spend 15 minutes on an idea. Decide if it should continue, and then leave it or pour your heart into it.
  • Live like it’s your life!
  • Treat fairly, not equally.
  • Put your energy into the people that actually make a difference, not the negative slackers.

Brian Pape, founder of MiiR:

  • Buy consumer products, then decide where we want the money to be sent. We get follow-up info about the progress of the projects.

Andrea Sreshta, Luminade:

  • Add water to the vessel as the battery. Remove water for the light to go out. Great for disasters and places with little/no light.

Curious Katheryn, 10-year-old entrepreneur:

Patrick, Nisolo shoes:

  • Artisan shoes, ethically-made
  • Focus on work culture. A good culture attracts the right people.
  • They own their supply chain.
  • Check out the book “Essentialism”

Tripp Crosby, producer, comedian, sketch artist:

  • It’s easy to take yourself too seriously.
  • When you’re obsessed with expanding, you risk enjoying the process. And when you’re not enjoying the process, you risk the opportunity to expand.
  • What’s the thing you should be enjoying but you’re not?

Brent Trapp, Booster:

  • Lead with outrageous care.
  • Notice the good things.
  • Obsessive commitment to investing in people.
  • Act like a friend.
  • Live with ridiculous joy.
  • Outrageous care breeds outrageous loyalty.
  • How will you treat your people?

Ruthie Lindsey, speaker/stylist:

  • Love people well.
  • You can live a beautiful life despite your pain and circumstance.
  • Choose joy.
  • There is always hope.
  • When we are open and honest, it forces others to do the same.
  • When we live in our pain, it’s all we can see. We need to find the joy so we can live there instead.
  • Pain can make us better and more whole.

Chris Marlowe, Help One Now:

  • Doing good can be simple and easy. Love first.
  • Find your fight.
    • Find something(s) that you can really dig deep with. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Help where you can.
    • Stick around for the transformation.
  • Go far. Go the distance. Give your life.
  • Go forward. Innovate. Care. Solve.
  • Doing good can be simple and significant.
  • Do good. Do good well. Do good together.

John Lewis, activist and US Representative:

  • We must care for the spark of divine in ourselves.
  • Love may be a slow process, but it’s always worth it.
  • There is power in peace.
  • There is a price to be paid for the work of peace. You must decide if you’re willing to pay it.
  • Without music, the Civil Rights movement would’ve been like a bird without wings. We’d often sing to each other across our cells, both men and women, because we were separated by both gender and race.
  • When you see injustice, make a little noise. Don’t stay silent.
  • “Just love the hell out of everybody.” – MLK
  • Get into good trouble.

Safia Minney, People Tree clothing:

  • Check out her “True Cost” documentary about slavery in the process of making clothes.

Travis Mason, Public Policy and Government Relations at Google X:

  • Macro behaviors are derived from micro moments.
  • Reverse assumptions.
  • Combine domains.
  • Invite the novice.
  • Its the difference that makes the difference.

Kim Biddle, Saving Innocence project:

  • LA County  rescues from child sex trafficking.
  • Average age for trafficking victims is 12-14.
  • 100K children are trafficked per year in the US.
  • We are connected, and deeply affect one another.
  • We are all human. Empathy begins at that place.
  • Impact is relational.
  • Choose to love.
  • Know your season. Run the race. Rest when needed.
  • Keep yourself seen. Cultivate community. Get professional mentors. Find spiritual mentors. Redesign your failures.


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The Ministry of Reconciliation

Screen Shot 2016-07-10 at 6.26.59 AM

I was excited to visit the MLK Memorial in DC last fall.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, particularly the part about God giving us the “ministry of reconciliation.” To me, that is central to the work of social justice. It is a mantle I have taken up, and carry with me. And it is what comforts me when I’m weary of how people have harmed each other over and over again, but feel the need to take a step forward anyway.

I once heard someone define justice as “God’s way of putting things right,” and I liked that. It makes the word both a noun and a verb, and I believe that’s how we need to treat it to make any real progress.

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

These verses have rung loudly in my ears the past few days as we heard yet again about the tragic shooting of two African American men, compiled with the devastating addition of the attack on police officers in Dallas. Both are heartbreaking situations that never should have happened. But the question remains, what are we going to do about it?

I honestly think many people just don’t know what to do. It’s not that they don’t care, but they feel stuck in their response. Or maybe they feel conflicted in what to say, or how to react, or where to turn, or simply how not to offend. I’ve felt some of that myself, and I address it a bit here in this guest blog post.

So, if you can relate, I’d like to provide you with just a few resources that I hope will be helpful.

  • The first, of course and as always, is to pray. My friend Latasha started a terrific organization called Be The Bridge, which promotes racial unity and reconciliation through conversations and the Church. I suggest looking through her resources and site. But her first piece of advice for anyone is to pray. Pray for the situation. Pray for your personal response. Most of us live in our own bubbles, complete with people who look and think like us. So, pray for opportunities to make new friends or have these conversations with old friends. I think these are requests God would love to honor.
  • Another thing Latasha suggests is reading books by people who look and think different than you. Additionally, follow these kinds of people on social media, or go to the places they hang out.
  • Continuing along these lines, here is a fantastic conversation by Latasha and IF:Gathering founder, Jennie Allen, that took place on Friday. I highly recommend this 45-minutes as its just an honest sit-down between two friends.
  • This is a great article by Relevant Magazine for understanding the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
  • Check out this article by Kristen Howerton, who is white, which explains the concept of “white privilege.”
  • There are also many terrific books and movies as well. Two books I’ve read in the last year are The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander and Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. And I gotta say, the latter is one of the hardest and most beautiful books I’ve ever read. As far as movies, there are well-known ones like Life is Beautiful and American History X. Here are a bunch more, and it wouldn’t take much research to find others, or you can ask me for more. I have lots to catch up on in this area too, and have books piling up in my Audible Wish List.
  • Pardon the bleeping, but this The Daily Show clip does make some good points while also bringing some humor to the situation. It’s always good to infuse some humor when you can.

There are lots and lots more, but if you need a starting place, hopefully this will provide you with one.

But here’s your disclaimer: I’m telling you now that this can be a messy process. I know that sounds scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re getting outside your comfort zone, which you should in many aspects of life, just remind yourself that you’re doing it to become a better person and more educated. Most often, the people who don’t look like you will be really grateful that you’re making an effort to see life through their lens. And grace will be extended on both sides. Just make a new friend. You’ve done that before. You don’t have initially start with a race conversation. In fact, they might appreciate that too. 🙂

Sadly, I have seen bigotry in action. I have witnessed an actual segregated community south of Atlanta, complete with the literal “other side of the tracks.” I have heard friend’s stories of how they were discriminated against. And even if you missed these things, you’ve probably heard jokes that come at someone else’s expense. We cannot keep pretending these are ok. We cannot keep silent. This kind of harmful thinking often starts in small ways. And therefore, small actions can create change.

When you know these people, not just know of them, you should want to fight for them.

It’s hard work. It’s ugly work. It’s messy work. But it work that matters. And if you follow Christ, you have also been given the ministry of reconciliation. So, what are you going to do about it?

“In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be… This is the inter-related structure of reality.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail 

UPDATE on 7/12/16

I’ve also just watched these two online sermons from this past Sunday, and they’re additional great examples to watch about how the Church can address the issue.

North Point Community Church

The Potter’s House


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The Justice Conference 2016: Notes and Quotes

Justice Conf 2016 BadgeMark Charles

  • You can’t discover lands that are already inhabited. We tend to dehumanize those who were already here.
  • The Declaration of Independence calls Native Americans savages. The Constitution also degrades women, natives and blacks. It assumes the majority has the right to say who is human.
  • What does justice look like when everything you have is stolen and your system is corrupt?
  • Check out the book, Prophetic Lament.

Mark Reddy

  • “If you have a conversation about justice, you must be prepared to be uncomfortable.”

Jim Wallis

  • You don’t change things with laws and policies.  You must change the narrative.
  • When you benefit from oppression, you are responsible for changing it.

Leroy Barber

  • Starting Hope Mob to support African American biz owners. Not a charity, an investment.
  • 7% of nonprofits are led by people of color
  • 52% of nonprofits work in areas of people of color
  • 3% of funds go to areas  of color

Nicole Baker-Fulgham

  • 6% of Beverly Hills kids are in poverty, 82% of Compton kids are in poverty, and they’re only 20 minutes apart

Harvey Carey

  • Amos 5:21 (Amos means “burden”)
  • What happens when what bothers you doesn’t bother anyone else?
  • Low income areas always have a beauty supply, liquor store, fast food and a church.
  • Quite over-analyzing and just do something.
  • God honors one’s acceptance of their burdens.
  • Justice is not a project. It is the heart of God for equity.
  • “God has put some super in my natural.”

Andy Crouch

  • The Creation Story is a story of ordering and abundance.
  • Authority + Vulnerability = Flourishing
  • The destruction of evil happens when image bearers show mercy, compassion and justice to the disenfranchised.

Marshall Hatch

  • The goodness of God is in the margins, and that’s where change will come from.
  • The reality of history is that it is never over.
  • God sides with the poor; He doesn’t stand on the sidelines. He enters the world from the margins.

Lynne Hybels

  • Love, honor and respect those who are different from you.

Jenny Yang

  • There are 60 million displaced people, refugees.
  • The refugee crisis is about the one who is seeking refuge in another country.
  • The US paid attention because it now affects us. Fear has driven our response.
  • Compassion doesn’t have to come at the expense of security.
  • The Middle East church is carrying the brunt of the refugee crisis.
  • 67% of US churches haven’t discussed refugees.
  • We are followers of a Middle Eastern refugee. If Jesus was born today, would we let Him in our borders?
  • The largest social network is the Church.
  • There’s a difference in caring about something, and caring about someone.
  • Fear will cripple us from completing the mission of God.
  • Comfort and security have become our idols.

Russell Moore

  • Story of the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 16)
    • Lazarus would’ve been invisible to this guy.
    • Who is invisible in your life?
  • Our political beliefs should not come before our Christian beliefs. Jesus was unashamed in His words.
  • We can not be people who are concerned about justice if we are embarrassed about the doctrine of Hell.
  • We must be concerned not only about the oppressed, but about the Oppressor.
  • Are we a people of justice, or just a people who protect our platforms?
  • Are we a people of justice or justification? We must carry the full weight of the Gospel, not just the parts our political party allows.

Michael Flegar and Charlie Date

  • We can end violence, that’s not the issue, but we don’t have the will. – MF
  • There is too much silence in the Church. – MF
  • The reason we don’t talk about community violence is because it’s a black/brown issue. New Hope church changed that. People need to see themselves in every life, though.
  • The Church becomes irrelevant when it doesn’t act as the conscience of the neighborhood.
  • The guilt factor makes us silent, when it should move us to do more.
  • We can’t just tell people to do better, we must give them alternatives.
  • We can’t talk to kids in churches about God-given dreams and visions, and not dismantle the systems that help kids from achieving them.
  • Make us restless until we find out rest with You. – CD

Lisa Sharon Harper

  • Genesis 1
  • The first book of the Bible was written by a group of priests  coming out of exile.
  • We are created in the image of God so we can become a marker of Him wherever we go.
    • Like Caesar was on coins
    • Subversive statement to make when the early rules were supposed to be appointed by God.
  • “Dominion” is more akin to “steward.” And we are to serve and protect whatever we are stewards of.
  • The derivation of “perfection” is actually the breathe between things. It is the connector, and it is “very good.”
  • Genesis 14 is the first mention of both “king” and “war.”
  • Think of each person as an image-bearer of God in order not to oppress them.

Tony Compolo

  • “It is the best of times. It is the worst of times.”
  • We hear so much bad news, but the Good News always reigns.
  • The Church is doing great things all over the world.
  • Free trade should be replaced with fair trade.
  • Do you love Jesus? Take Him seriously.
  • “In the poor and the oppressed is the essence of Jesus.” – St. Francis of Assisi
  • You must do whatever you can on both a micro and macro level.
  • There is a big difference between being a disciple and a believer.

Rev. Tracy Blackmon

  • Joshua 6:22-23
    • A holy obligation to take someone with you when you get free.
    • Did the sisters get left out? No, Rahab made sure they were included.
  • It’s easy to silence those with the least power.
  • The Boko Haram story – It’s been two years and only 50 girls have been located out of the 200.
  • Whenever the marginalized are not met with the grace of God, the covenant is broken.
  • We must see ourselves in not only the eyes of the Conquerer, but the casualties.
  • We’ve been arrogant at denying others that are different a seat at God’s table.
  • We must not separate our freedom from those who are bound.

 

Refugee Crisis Graphic


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My 2016 Conference Schedule

Ok, it’s April and I’m a late in getting this up, but wanted to share the conferences and major events I’ll be at throughout this year.

I love conferences! I always say that I could never go back to school, but I could always go to another conference.

In fact, I love learning so much that I usually plan my year around the conferences I’ll be attending. Even when I had a job with regular vacation days and limited time off, I’d fill those times with learning opportunities.

Let me know if you’re at any of these as well!

Possibly:

Are there any others I should put on my list?


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Helping the Homeless in My Own Way

Homeless KitsIn striving to live a life of justice, I try to also pay attention to causes outside those with which I’m most interested and most familiar. One of those is the homeless population.

My church is in Downtown Atlanta, and it’s not uncommon to see someone standing on the corner selling newspapers or asking for money. Additionally, there is a lot of new construction and growth in the area where I live, and over the past eighteen months or so, I have also seen more of the same close to home. I wanted to help, but didn’t quite know how.

And then a little over a year ago I read Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity by Jen Hatmaker. I’d read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by her a few years earlier, and absolutely loved it, so I thought I’d also give this earlier work a try. Again, it did not disappoint! She knows just how to rock my world, and is so funny, relatable and challenging. I highly recommend these books, as well as her latest, For the Love, which is not about social justice like the other two, but oh so funny about life and family and spirituality.

Anyway, in reading Interrupted, it came to me that one thing I could do easily is basically create “kits” that I could keep in my car, and give to those in need.

The Hatmaker’s church in Austin frequently works with the homeless, so she mentioned a number of things throughout the book that helped me figure out what to include. And then I added my own spin as well.

My kits currently contain:

  • Bag – A reusable tote, backpack or duffle. If I don’t have anything on hand, I get them at IKEA because they are inexpensive and good quality. A plastic bag would do just fine, but I rarely have those, and I wanted them to have something they could keep and use. I choose not to shop at Walmart, so IKEA is a great alternative for things like this.
  • Blanket – Again, I get these at IKEA for the same reason. And I figured when it gets really hot in Atlanta, the blankets could be simply used as pillows.
  • Rain gear – Yep, IKEA. Though the plastic rain ponchos you can buy practically anywhere would do fine too. Something is better than nothing, and it rains here a lot.
  • Nuts – A fairly inexpensive source of protein. I try to include several packs of these per bag.
  • Water – One bottle per bag. With multiple bottles, the bag starts getting heavy.
  • Socks – One pair per bag. This is an item I probably wouldn’t have included if it not for the book.
  • Gift card – I chose McDonald’s. I am not a big fan of McD’s or believe they are full of high quality foods, but there is one every couple of miles, and I’d rather them have a hot meal than nothing. Mine have $10 each, and hopefully that covers at least two meals.
  • Note – I put the gift card in a handwritten note to make it more personal.

These kits stay behind the passenger side of my car, so I can easily reach and grab one when needed. I usually have five or six at a time on hand, and in total, it costs me about $75-$150 each time I buy all the contents. It depends on what quantity I buy. This could easily be scaled up or scaled down.

I have started to see women now and again, when before it was always men. So, I hope to expand on the next round to have a version of the kit with feminine hygiene products, as those are something always in short supply with women in need.

Additionally, I try to have a couple of the McDonald’s gift cards in my wallet at all times as well. This way, when I’m not in my car, I still have something that I can offer. It’s been especially helpful when traveling.

In a recent conversation with a friend about this topic (she wondered what the heck was in the back seat of my car), she said she keeps power bars in her car’s console, and also tries to keep a crate of bottled water for the same purpose. So, that’s an even easier way to contribute, especially if you have limited funds but want to help.

Many people do not like to give money to homeless people, and I understand why, but these are easy solutions when you put some thought into them as was the case for me.

I hope they inspire you to do something as well. Being able to look these men and women in the eye, exchange a kind word, and provide them with something they need is worthwhile for both of you, and gives them more dignity than just ignoring them.

And if you’re already doing it, let me know! I’d love to hear about it!

 

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