Anti-racism Team

The Anti-racism Team at APC was formed some years ago in response to the growing yet ever-present scourge of racial bigotry, prejudice, and violence in American society and around the world. The work of the team will evolve but our focus will always be to lift up the voice of APC in the ongoing conversation on racial justice and equity, to learn about what race means for ourselves as a church and as individuals, and to provide our congregation with opportunities for meaningful action in the fight against racism.

Currently, the Anti-racism Team invites everyone participate in our Children’s Book Drive in partnership with West Kensington Ministries.

Lent

For Lent, and in conjunction with Black History Month, the Anti-racism Team recommends the following resources for study and enrichment:

• Every Monday in February, the Philadelphia Presbytery is hosting an anti-racism book club from 12:00 pm to 1:00. To join, please click here.
• Whiteness often escapes critical reflection and discussion among white people, but white people also need to think about race. This Tedx Talk was filmed in Cheltenham and is a great starting point for thinking about what it means to be white. The speaker, Ali Michael, works with schools and organizations across the country to help make research on race, whiteness, and education more accessible and relevant.
• Read a good book on race. One suggestion might be Caste: the origins of our discontent by Isabelle Wilkerson. You can listen to a great interview on NPR with Terry Gross here.
• Watch an interview with author and New York Times columnist Charles Blow on Firing Line. In this interview, Blow discusses his new book and some of the problematic themes associated with the relationship between white people and Black Lives Matter protests. Click here for the interview and click here for another story about the book on NPR.

None of these resources are easy to digest. All of them are challenging and thought-provoking. Please stay tuned for most content, contributions, and opportunities from the Anti-racism Team!