Reparatory Justice Series
This webinar series provides education about the national and global reparatory justice movement in order to take faithful action to “repair the breach” as commanded in Isaiah 58:12.
Live webinar on the third Wednesday of each month.
2:30pm – 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Zoom.
NEXT SESSION:
More information coming soon
Video Recordings of Past Webinars:
Black Maternal Health and Reparations details the brutal history of violent abuse against Black women’s bodies in this nation and the factors that underlie the systemic racism against Black women that exists in the US medical system today. The webinar includes an introduction by Rev. Sekinah Hamlin, Minister for Economic Justice at the United Church of Christ, National Ministries; a presentation by Rev. Dr. Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder, Professor of New Testament and Culture and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at Chicago Theological Seminary; a detailed historical overview by Rev. Laura Kigweba James, Program Coordinator for Grassroots Organizing for the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, and Christian Brooks, MDiv, MSPPM, of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness; and final comments/prayers from Rev. Antonia M. Ruth, Program Coordinator, The Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation, and Remediation of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc. The webinar calls upon each of us to contact our elected leaders in Congress and ask them to support and vote for the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 and H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act.
Reparatory Justice “Housing, Land, and Debt” features A Welcome from Rev. Sekinah Hamlin (Moderator), Minister for Economic Justice at the United Church of Christ, National Ministries; Prayer and Theological Premise from Pastor Alexander Clemetson of the United Methodist Church and Executive Director and Founder of Together We Compost; A Presentation on Pigford Legacy Farmers, land debt cancellation, the plantation economy, and the USDA’s history of discrimination by Attorney Tracy Lloyd McCurty, Esq. Executive Director of Black Belt Justice Center and Co-Alchemist of the Acres of Ancestry Initiative/Black Agrarian Fund; and A Closing Prayer by Rev. Antonia Coleman, Program Coordinator, The Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation, and Remediation at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference.
“Reparatory Justice 101, Part 2” features a Welcome from Mr. Jarrett Smith, Government Relations Advocate, NETWORK Lobby; Theological framing by Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Presentation on the Global perspective including a review of the compensation to slave owners and the Caricom 10 Point Plan for Reparatory Justice by Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister for Global Engagement and Operations and Co-Executive for Global Ministry of the United Church of Christ; and a Call to action and Closing Remarks by Rev. Antonia M. Ruth, Program Coordinator, The Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation, and Remediation at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference.
“Reparatory Justice 101” provides an explanation of the difference between equity and equality and an overview of the faith community’s US and global engagement in the reparatory justice movement. Features: Welcome by Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq., NCC Associate General Secretary, Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace (Moderator); equality/equity explanation by Christian Brooks, Representative for Domestic Issues, PC (USA) Office of Public Witness; the Jewish perspective that supports reparations by Israel Harris, Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; the Christian biblical perspective from Jennifer De Leon, Director, Racial Justice in the Office of the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; worker justice by Rev. Sekinah Hamlin, Minister for Economic Justice at the United Church of Christ, National Ministries; the main presentation on reparations in relation to the US and the United Nations given by Dr. Iva E. Carruthers, General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference (SDPC); and a Q & A with Andrew Fuller, Program Director, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
“The Interconnection of Reparations and Voting Rights” reflects on the theology of this justice work and the important connection between voting rights and reparations. Features: Welcome by Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq., NCC Associate General Secretary, Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace; Introduction by Rev. Antonia M. Ruth, Program Coordinator, The Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation, and Remediation; Overview of HR40 by Christian Brooks, Representative for Domestic Issues, PC (USA) Office of Public Witness; Theological Reflection by Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould; a Voting Rights Panel with Christian Brooks and Israel Harris, Legislative Assistant at Religious Action, how reparations connects to voting rights with Rev. Mark Thompson, and a call to action by Mary Novak, Executive Director of NETWORK.
Reparative Justice Series: Racial Wealth Gap Simulation” This webinar on the Racial Wealth Gap was led by Christian Brooks, MDiv, MSPPM, of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness, on November 17, 2021, and included an interactive wealth gap simulation to help participants understand the connections between racial equity, poverty, and wealth.
Produced by the Reparatory Justice Table:
This series is produced in coalition with the Center for Reparatory Justice, Transformation, and Remediation at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; Church World Service; The Episcopal Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Religious Action Center for Jewish Reform; Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; National Council of Churches; the Presbyterian Church (USA); Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc.; and the United Church of Christ.
