#BlackOutTuesday for Pentecost

It's occurred to me that some of the folks in our Patreon community don't know me in other online settings and that I want to make sure I'm promoting and amplifying the voices of people of color in all places I give voice.

In place of my scheduled Pentecost Daybook post today, I want to reshare from my Facebook and Instagram accounts this list of people I'm listening to, learning from, and hoping to offer love and support. I'll be back tomorrow with our next Pentecost Daybook post.

I've been quietly attending school the past couple of years, a school where my primary educators are people of color who are actively influencing the world right now.  I thought I'd share a few names from the list of people I'd consider the faculty* in this school. 

Even though it might feel overwhelming, there’s so much clarifying and righteous content being written by people of color right now. Each one brings their own voice and areas of specialty - overlapping in many themes and unique perspectives in others. Some names represent individuals - artists, writers, theologians, pastors, advocates, and more - with both global, national, or regional influence. Other names represent collectives, initiatives, and organizations led by people of color.  It's a beautiful, complex, compelling and deep well of truth, goodness, and beauty. 

If you'd like to attend this school with me, here are the names of people I commend to you. Let these voices lead you into a deeper, truer understanding of the reality of our current world. 

*I've selected (more or less) public figures who've gone on the record on issues of race, faith, and civic life. There are many more names near and dear to me who are teaching me as my friends.

I'm staring with a special shout out to a woman who's taught me more and loved me through so much I don't understand. Go here first: Mockingbird History Lessons For Adults. Become a patron today and receive her summer reading lists for all ages. Also follow Marcie at her brilliant Instagram account: Black Coffee With White Friends.

• Osheta Moore

• Latasha Morrison & Be the Bridge

• Jemar Tisby, Tyler Burns - Speaker & The Witness: A Black Christian Collective

• Bryan Stevenson & Equal Justice Initiative

• Anglican Multi-Ethnic Network - AMEN

• Esau McCaulley

• Austin Channing Brown

• Bren Kasozi

• Christena Cleveland, PhD

• D.C. Washington

• Dexter Upshaw Jr.

• DJ & Glorya Jordan

• Gana Bukhbat

• Sabryna Valerio, Gener Alvarez O'farrel, Erminio Ávila Lujan , Marcella Lawson, Adiel Dominguez Rivera and others connected with Hands Offering Hope Foundation, Inc.
  Repentance Project

• John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation

• Karen González

• Kehinde Wiley

• Laura James Art

• Kenyon Adams

• Lecrae

• Lisa Fields

• Liz Vice

• Makoto Fujimura

• Ekemini Uwan & Truth's Table

• Mark Charles

• Michelle Higgins

• Michelle Reyes

• Kathryn Freeman

• Soong-Chan Rah

There are many more, but this is a formidable list for starters! For those of you who've been quietly listening to people of color, what names would you suggest for me?

The Holy Spirit empowers us to stand up with all the oppressed and the Spirit's power is abundant enough for all injustice and need. Right now, we lean into all that God wants to reveal and empower our black brothers and sisters to speak and do. 

The Holy Spirit empowers those of us who are white and have lived within the privilege of the majority culture to listen, repent, and act in the power of the Almighty, Making-All-Things-New God.

In that power today I say I am sorry. I repent. I am listening and learning. I love you.

Peace,

Tamara

p.s., I've made today's post public so anyone who wants to have access to this list is able.