[Note: Love Walk III, originally scheduled in May 2020, has been postponed due to the shelter-in-place response to the Covid 19 virus.
Once again, we have been reminded by the recent racist episode against a high school coach that racism and prejudice exist in the hearts and minds of some members of our community.
Yet there are many more occasions when words and actions full of prejudice, fear and hate go unreported and are unseen by our community.
Several months ago, an African American woman sitting with her friends at Memorial Park while their children played was harassed, then punched in the face and called a (racist epithet) by a drunk white man, who was also accompanied by his child. And before that, a young man of color was harassed and called racist names as he walked on Mill Street. Soon afterward, a child was called racist names as he rode his bike in downtown Nevada City.
The list could go on and on. But all hurtful words and deeds born of prejudice, fear and hate are symptoms of spiritual disease and mental affliction that affect all of us and have been passed on to us by generations of unresolved trauma and unquestioned beliefs.
Creating Communities Beyond Bias was born in response to racism in our community. We are committed to offering support to anyone who experiences a racist or hateful act. We find ourselves at a point of extreme polarization in this nation’s political story where violence and threat of violence, bullying and ridicule are accepted tools of dominance and power over others. We see the problems our behavior has created. We even know what is required to right the wrong, but we seem unable to collectively choose a good and healing way for ourselves and our communities.
If we would be free from the burdens of fear, hate, prejudice and injustice, we need to accept responsibility for healing ourselves and then engage with others in healing our community. We who would heal our communities and make them just and nurturing, so that unkind hate-filled words become uncommon rather than the norm, must understand the past and heal our own hearts and minds.
We have individuals and groups within our community who are dedicated to healing minds and spirits. Many are adept at sharing tools and practices as well as educating and inspiring us to be awake, aware, creative, cooperative and collaborative for the sake of our communities and for the wellbeing of future generations.
Creating Communities Beyond Bias was born in response to racism in our community. We are committed to offering support to anyone who experiences a racist or hateful act, and we also offer events, classes and workshops to help folks recognize and undo bias and discrimination of the hurtful kind.
Our next event is Love Walk 3, a celebration of community and diversity, on May 9, 2020 with workshops at the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains and music and entertainment at the Center for the Arts.
We invite you, dear reader, to come and meet your allies in the transformation to a more just and equitable community.
We invite you to come and see what hope looks like as your own latest step in healing the trauma handed down to you by the past and the day to day damage of navigating a hurting world.
We invite you to take part in a celebration intended to open minds and hearts to a good way to be with one another and to thank participants, volunteers, donors and sponsors for their contributions in making possible a community event with that intention at its core.
Guarionex Delgado is a member of Creating Communities Beyond Bias, a project of Earth Justice Ministries, an organization which he serves as chair of the Board. He lives in Nevada City. See the original article Love Walk 3: All About Healing our Community in The Grass Valley