Saturday, March 14, 2009

Multi-Racial vs. Anti-Racist

The two are not the same. Multi-racialism speaks to a congregation's physical composition - its racial or ethnic demographics - while anti-racism refers to a congregation's disposition and orientation towards prejudice and power. It is neither difficult nor unusual to demonstrate one without the other. In speaking with fellow seminarian Molly Housh, the following questions sprang to mind:

1) When is it appropriate for a congregation to achieve multi-racialism? Stand against racism?

2) Should certain congregations strive towards anti-racist awareness without identifying as multi-racial?

3) How are the two causally connected? Does an anti-racist posture beget multi-racialism?

4) What practices, theologies and traditions keep a congregation from welcoming racial diversity?

5) How does racism manifest itself within multi-racial congregations?

Food for thought.

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1 comment:

Seeker of the Chalice said...

I think that anti-racist work is an important peace of working toward a mutliracial congregation, especially within this religion that has spent so much time with very limited diversity. It is also important to do anti-racist work and anti-oppression work because it is a key towards making justice happen outside of the congregations. It is part of what UUism stands for. The question that puzzles me is how does a congregation get to the actual point of becoming multiracial and in this liberal accepting religion what is stopping it from happening?

November 7, 2009 at 7:23 PM

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