Upcoming Events
Podcasts
On our Shelf
Places
Film & Art
Faith Resources
Scripture
Antiracism
Organizations
Resource Hub
Welcome to the Resource Hub of Interwoven Congregations! Click on each tile above to jump to the specific section of resources which contain select recommendations and links to other in-depth resources. Are we missing a must-have resource? We invite you to add your recommendations and even offer your own review!
Upcoming Events
Below is a listing of some upcoming events that support our work for racial justice and healing. Each event image is a live link to take you to the event!
January 16-18, 2024
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Organizer: The Presbyterian Church USA
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Location: Atlanta, Georgia
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This is a national gathering of Presbyterians and other faith members to further develop the national church's Matthew 25 initiative to dismantle racism, end poverty and promote congregational vitality.
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Podcasts
Looking for a podcast to deepen your understanding of racism in our country and to inspire? Below are some of our favorites. Each podcast image is a live link to take you to that resource!
Be the Bridge Podcast -- Rev. Latasha Morrison, author of "Be the Bridge" and founder of the BtB organization features an array of authors, social activitists, and others engaged in the work of racial healing.
Nice White Parents -- A 5 episode series that delves into the story of a community that aims to improve their schools, and the pitfalls they encounter.
Seeing White -- An exceptional 14 episode series that examines the roots of racism and its unique manifestation in the United States.
The Land that Never Has Been Yet -- A continuation of the series from "Seeing White"
1619 -- On the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first slaves to Colony of Virginia, the New York Times embarked on an article series and podcast to tell the story of slavery and race in this land.
Code Switch -- A podcast described as "the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between."
Pod Save the People -- "DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with Kaya Henderson and De’Ara Balenger. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color."
On our Shelf
Welcome to "On our Shelf" -- where Interwoven staff, Board members, and other friends offer reviews of books that have made a mark on them and which they recommend. Each book is linked to Better World Books where you can read a profile of the book and make a purchase if you wish. Better World Books supports literacy initiatives and other socially conscious practices.
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Pulitzer prize-winning historian Professor Annette Gordon-Reed offers both an historical and strikingly personally look at Juneteenth, the event marking the end of slavery and now a new national holiday. You can get an inside glimpse at this story in the interview with Professor Gordon-Reed that was published in the July 2021 issue of Interwoven Congregations Quarterly.
Nikole Hannah-Jones edits the volume that expands on her ground-breaking New York Times article by the same title. As the editor of this book volume, Hannah- Jones and the rich array of fellow contributors, offer an origin story of the United States that courage-ously challenges many of the myths of the American founding, and lifts up the centrality of the African-American experience for our national story. The level of vitriol that the original article and this book have encountered is a sign of how on target it is.
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"Isabel Wilkerson speaks so clearly. People appreciate this book because it allows you to say, without getting defensive, 'Ah, that's what's happening in our society.' I personally want to get away from my anger and my fear, and Caste helps me do that."
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-- Rev. Dr. Paul Smith
Interwoven Congregations Advisory Board member
Odds are this book is either already on your own shelf or at least on your to-read list. And it should be. Kendi brings a relentless method to his argument -- across all spheres of our lives -- of what it means to act more like an antiracist. Kendi melds both theory and practice, presented through the twin prisms of his scholarship and own life experience, in a manner that begs the reader the question: how will you apply this?
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Reesa Menakem's provocative thesis is this: "Until this racialized trauma is add- ressed, changing attitudes or opening minds is largely impossible . . . any attempts to address it through the head -- the thinking, reasoning brain -- are doomed. And it is why every answer needs to begin with the body." In his text, Menakem then proceeds to give us the tools to heal our bodies as a first step towards healing our society.
Heather McGhee, beginning with an analogy of summer visit to the public pool, frames how racism afflicts all of us. It's a tour de force, undergirded with robust, illuminating research and animated by poignant stories and encounters. The payoff comes when McGhee identifies the benefit that awaits us all when do the work of throwing off the mantle of racism: the solidarity dividend. Don't miss this one.
Austin Channing Brown tells her story of exhaustion as an African American woman growing up in U.S. society. She learns from an educa- tional mentor that "Ain't no friends here" and then how to survive in white organizations that claim to be antiracist. It's a personal, at times searing portrait that inspires and challenges. At the end, Channing can say "We're still here."
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Any person of faith would do well to delve into Robert P. Jones' unflinching text which examines the racist roots of the Southern Baptist Conven- tion and how that legacy extends into our present day. And lest any Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians or other mainliners mistake this as a vacation from our own self-examination, Jones' text casts a wide net that indicts our denominations as well. As people of faith, if we hope to be agents of racial justice rather than perpetuators of it, Jones' text can help us with that crucial step of self-awareness and confession. Only then can we go forward to chart a new path.
Rev. Jimmie Hawkins offers an extraordinary sweeping account of the history of Black protest in America. He traces how this protest is truth-telling, confront- ation, equity producing and unity seeking. As we continue to strive for racial justice and healing today, Hawkin's account is vital historical companion which also helps illumine the path forward.
Ever wondered what it might have been like to listen to Amos or Jeremiah or some other prophet? Pick up this book if you'd like to hear a clarion call for what a justice and love-oriented church looks like. Written to the ELCA community, Duncan speaks to all people of faith in a voice that is at once uncompromising and exhilarating.
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Dear White Christians (2nd ed)
Repair vs. Reconciliation. Which road should we take for racial justice and healing? Harvey makes the powerful case that reconcil- iation without repair is impossible, and yet it's the go-to strategy for many today. She suggests that only way to really get to reconciliation is through the R word, reparations. This just might be the course correction we need.
Places
The National Museum of African American Culture and History
Washington, D.C.
What places help communicate to you the struggle and triumph, the joys and despair associated with the journey to racial justice and healing? Below are a few locations we recommend. If you've had a significant experience at another location, please share it with us! (Each image is a live link.)
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum
Montgomery, Alabama
The National Museum of the American Indian
Washington, D.C.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Birmingham, Alabama
Brown v. Board of Education
National Historic Site
Topeka, Kansas
The National Civil Rights Museum
Memphis, Tennessee
The King Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Greenwood Rising History Center
Under Construction
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Faith Resources
This is a collection of resources from an initial listing of Christian denominations and ecumenical organizations. (Each image is a live link.) More interfaith resources are forthcoming!
Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and the Matthew 25 initiative
The Dismantling Racism initiative of National Capital Presbytery
The Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
The Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church
Scripture
What feeds you, challenges you, inspires you and guides you in your quest for racial justice and healing? Welcome to some key scriptural resources for this journey.
Scriptures for Racial Justice & Healing
This is a 28-page collection of Biblical scriptures related to racial justice and healing that will encourage, inspire and challenge us as we continue on this road to racial justice and healing. You can click on the title above or document to be directed to the page on this website with live links for all scripture, or you can download the PDF.
A six unit Bible study examining the call of scripture for racial healing and (re)conciliation
