Healing the Divide
"I never processed racism, that is, until I did at Woodmen."
I’d never really taken the time to process racism — that is, until I spent nine Mondays at Woodmen doing so.
As a black man, I’ve experienced prejudice in my 30 years of life, and I know that the racism shown in the media is only a drop in the bucket of stories that are shared by people like me. I’ve been surrounded by policemen with hands on their guns as I walked out of a hotel minding my own business. While riding my bicycle, I’ve had racial slurs yelled at me and been run off the road.
After situations like these happened, I quickly tucked them away in the bottom drawer of my memory. Being part of Woodmen U class on racial unity class brought those heavy memories back out into the light to be weighed and better understood.
As a class, we soon became a cohesive and understanding group, giving the benefit of the doubt to each other’s experiences and extending grace as we grew in understanding. I shared early on that as a black man I absolutely do not have all the answers, but I do have experiences and perspectives to share. We all came away with valuable insights and tools to work for racial unity in our spheres of influence. We began to understand what biblical healing and reconciliation look like.
While racism won’t be solved by a nine-week class, I’m glad to be part of a church that is taking steps to confront racism and to build a culture that more fully affirms the value God places on all people.
Noah’s experience of vulnerability and reconciliation is a common theme at Woodmen U. If you’re looking to connect with others at Woodmen, deepen your faith or get practical training in a specific area, Woodmen U might be a great option for you! Check out the variety of classes and groups designed to meet you along the journey by clicking below.
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