Emmaus House Stations of the Cross

Peoplestown was established as a streetcar suburb in 1885 and throughout its history, its residents have struggled to fight racism and the destructive effects of police brutality, expressways, urban renewal, baseball and Olympic Stadiums, and white flight. Peoplestown has approximately 2,700 residents. 40% live below the poverty level, 80% are Black, and 70% rent their homes. It’s a politically active neighborhood undergoing rapid gentrification

Beneath those statistics and obstacles are the stories of resilient human beings made in God’s image. For a Lenten reflection this year, we recontextualized elements of the traditional Stations service to present the stories and the history of the Peoplestown community. Stories that shed light on the injustices we are fighting to overcome while bringing hope to our community.

Our 3-mile walk began with a devotional on the front steps at Emmaus House (1017 Hank Aaron Drive). We gathered for this pilgrimage centering our baptismal promise to seek and serve Christ in every human being, while reflecting meditatively on the impact white supremacy and systemic racism has had on the lives of Black residents of Peoplestown.