FSR Team’s Weekly Recommendations | August 17

In support of our vision for ELPC to live into its designation of being a Matthew 25 Church, the Facing Systemic Racism team recognizes that we cannot achieve this vision absent all of us being better informed about issues related to race, and, specifically African Americans in the United States. There are many resources available, so we will suggest a few options each week. Whether you chose from this list or have other books, films, etc., on this topic, please consider making time for this important faith work this summer. The FSR team challenges us to as a congregation read, watch, or listen to 1,000 books, TV programs, webinars, podcasts, or articles by Labor Day, September 7, 2020.

Below are resources for the upcoming week. Let us know what you and our family have watched, read, or listened to in the comment section!

Read

Confederate Symbols Have No Place in Public Spaces from the Southern Poverty Law Center
Examines the legacy of Confederate monuments in America, with a close look at the fight over the monument at Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Listen

White Too Long: The Legacy Of White Supremacy In American Christianity from Fresh Air
Interview with Robert P. Jones, founder and CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, whose new book examines how white supremacy infected churches in the North and South during and after slavery.

Watch

Decade of Fire from Vivian Vázquez Irizarry
Throughout the 1970’s, fires consumed the South Bronx. Black and Puerto Rican residents were blamed for the devastation even as they battled daily to save their neighborhoods. Decade of Fire is a documentary that looks at the truth surrounding the fires—uncovering policies of racism and neglect that still shape our cities, and offering hope to communities on the brink today..

Kids and Families

Lee & Low Books
Lee & Low Books is a minority-owned children’s book publisher that specializes in multicultural titles and authors. Their mission is to publish contemporary, diverse stories that all children can enjoy. From their site you can order books by grade and level, access resources related to social justice, and attend and watch webinars to support building a love of reading diverse stories in ALL young readers.