If you can’t already tell from the title of this post, this post is about race specifically the experience of being Black and how this impacts life including my deconstructing journey.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences Florence. As an African parent, I can deeply relate to the challenges you've faced and the complex emotions that come with them.
The lack of representation and inclusivity in certain spaces is something that hits close to home. It's disheartening to feel like our voices and experiences aren't valued or acknowledged, especially when it comes to raising children who may internalise harmful societal messages about their worth based on the colour of their skin.
Your story about your daughter's observation of the nursery window advertisement resonated with me. It's a painful reminder of the pervasive nature of racial bias and the impact it can have on our children's self-perception.
I appreciate your reflections on the importance of finding spaces where our children can see themselves reflected positively and where their cultural and racial identities are celebrated. It's a continuous journey to navigate these challenges and ensure our children grow up with a strong sense of self-worth and pride in their heritage.
Thank you for sharing your insights and raising important questions for reflection. It's through open and honest dialogue that we can work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for our children.
As a white privileged woman who has grown up in America, this was hard to read. But of course, it's truth and we need to hear it. I grew up in diverse Los Angeles and therefore was under the very false impression that I held no prejudice. I didn't even know what systemic racism was! But as I grew older and hopefully wiser I saw it all for what it was, including my own false beliefs. I just read a book called "Worth Fighting For," by John Pavlovitz and he writes a lot about race and equality and the world we want (which is the world you want, Florence). I don't know why the deconstruction spaces are filled with white people. I ignorantly wondered if it were because black people didn't have a problem with what has happened within evangelical churches and Christian nationalism, but you aren't experiencing that over there in the same way, so there goes that ignorant theory of mine! Thank you for writing this, Florence. I am truly sorry that this is the experience.
Thank you for this. I would love to hear more about specific things you've deconstructed, or what's changed in your beliefs, because I know that's different for everybody. Are there certain things you're hearing in church that you wish were different for you or your daughter?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences Florence. As an African parent, I can deeply relate to the challenges you've faced and the complex emotions that come with them.
The lack of representation and inclusivity in certain spaces is something that hits close to home. It's disheartening to feel like our voices and experiences aren't valued or acknowledged, especially when it comes to raising children who may internalise harmful societal messages about their worth based on the colour of their skin.
Your story about your daughter's observation of the nursery window advertisement resonated with me. It's a painful reminder of the pervasive nature of racial bias and the impact it can have on our children's self-perception.
I appreciate your reflections on the importance of finding spaces where our children can see themselves reflected positively and where their cultural and racial identities are celebrated. It's a continuous journey to navigate these challenges and ensure our children grow up with a strong sense of self-worth and pride in their heritage.
Thank you for sharing your insights and raising important questions for reflection. It's through open and honest dialogue that we can work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for our children.
As a white privileged woman who has grown up in America, this was hard to read. But of course, it's truth and we need to hear it. I grew up in diverse Los Angeles and therefore was under the very false impression that I held no prejudice. I didn't even know what systemic racism was! But as I grew older and hopefully wiser I saw it all for what it was, including my own false beliefs. I just read a book called "Worth Fighting For," by John Pavlovitz and he writes a lot about race and equality and the world we want (which is the world you want, Florence). I don't know why the deconstruction spaces are filled with white people. I ignorantly wondered if it were because black people didn't have a problem with what has happened within evangelical churches and Christian nationalism, but you aren't experiencing that over there in the same way, so there goes that ignorant theory of mine! Thank you for writing this, Florence. I am truly sorry that this is the experience.
Thank you for this. I would love to hear more about specific things you've deconstructed, or what's changed in your beliefs, because I know that's different for everybody. Are there certain things you're hearing in church that you wish were different for you or your daughter?