Together we stand united.

Reflecting On Last Week's NPU-V Meeting

One of our core commitments at Emmaus House is to elevate the voices of the community. We choose to listen to and support those in the neighborhoods that we serve, recognizing their wisdom and passion. After the police killing of Rayshard Brooks on June 12, we have listened to our community leaders as they have called for the reimagining of policing in our neighborhoods. We stand in solidarity with those who have suffered too many losses and who live in fear that they could be next.

Last Friday, we were honored to take part in a town hall and solidarity march with our friends who live in the neighborhoods of NPU-V. Several of our advisory board members are community leaders here in Peoplestown, and we stand with them as they demand that city leaders listen to their voices. I am grateful for Columbus Ward and Chris Lemon, who not only provide leadership to Emmaus House but who work tirelessly to make Peoplestown a more equitable place for all residents.  

One of our funding partners likes to say that we are not here to help children to overcome the odds. Instead, we are here to change the odds. Emmaus House does a lot of crisis intervention work, offering rent and utility assistance as well as food from our food pantry. We know that this work is essential. However, we also know that it is not enough. We need to engage on a deeper level that will bring about more profound change and will create opportunities for all people to thrive. 

At this moment in our nation’s history, we must come to terms with the racial injustice that oppresses Black people and robs them of opportunity. Many of the actions that we have seen in the past few weeks are a good start, but they are not enough. When the dust clears and people turn to other challenges, will we still have the energy and desire to dismantle the evil of structural racism? What will we who are white give up so that we can move towards a more just and equitable world? These are challenging questions that demand answers. 

For those of us who consider ourselves people of faith, what does it mean for us to proclaim that God creates each person in God’s image? What does it mean to proclaim that God calls us to respect the dignity of every human being? If we believe these two statements, then we have no choice but to be antiracists, making conscious choices based on careful reflection and unbiased analysis. As Ibram Kendi says, “to be antiracist is a radical choice in the face of history, requiring a radical reorientation of our consciousness.” Are we ready to make that choice? It will not be easy, and we will need to choose repeatedly. At Emmaus House, we commit to this journey, wherever it takes us. We invite you to join us as we move forward together.