Working Against Racism
At Pearl Church, we embrace values embodied in the life of Jesus. Equity and inclusion are two of our values, and our intention to work against racism is a natural outflow of these values.
Definition(s)
Definitions of racism, long considered to be about individual attitudes and actions, have been updated in our day to include the growing recognition that racism goes beyond the individual. Racism is perpetuated by systems of power: governments, schools, prisons, families, economies, religions. Racism is also understood to intersect with other forms of discrimination, and this intersectionality—the ways various identities interact, such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and ability—affects individuals’ lived experiences, shaping their perspectives, worldview, and relationships.
Working against racism, then, is any measure that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups and must include an attentiveness to the intersecting identities of the members of a community.
Our Commitment
Pearl Church understands Jesus’ message of divine love to be inclusive of all people. The Christian scriptures show Jesus seeking out and elevating those marginalized by the dominant voices of society. This purposeful action moves counter to the insidiousness of racism. Following Jesus, therefore, we commit ourselves to intentionally work against racism, standing firmly against racism in all forms. Our commitment is:
The deconstruction of disadvantage based on skin color,
to unearth bias, both conscious and unconscious,
and to work in our community to counter inequities long rooted in the poisoned soil of racism.
Equity asks us to examine and deconstruct systems that marginalize and perpetuate disparities and to construct new, more generous and just systems in their place. Inclusion asks for active investment in our community—engaging with the unique and intersecting identities of those within our community and offering support and opportunity for all to realize their full (and fully loved) selves.