Racial Justice Spots

Each week the Racial Justice Group offers a Racial Justice Spot, a quote and call to action/event/educational opportunity.  The events are usually time sensitive, but we are listing the links as some of them will have recorded Zoom sessions offered.
 
June 27th
Quote: “We believe everyone has a story and then once we bear witness to one another’s we become bonded. We use storytelling as a tool for change making.” – Dax-Devlon Ross
Book Recommendation: Letters to My White Male Friends by Dax-Devlon Ross
VOICE: 11 members of Trinity attended the VOICE Leaders Assembly on June 15th. VOICE voted to focus its advocacy on two issues this year: 1) fair housing and 2) the decriminalization of mental health, developmental disabilities and addiction. Click on the links to register for upcoming presentations on these issues from VOICE.
 
June 20th
“The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.” – Ijoema Oluo

VOICE: What is it? Why should Trinity be a part of it?

 Trinity has been a discerning member of VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) for one year and soon
 we need to discern whether we will commit our time and resources to them as a full, dues-paying member congregation. We had a Zoom call with a presentation about what VOICE is and hear from our members about the ways VOICE has allowed them to directly engage with racial justice issues in the community over the past year. If you missed it, please click here for the recorded Zoom meeting. Click here for a broader view of VOICE. contact the racial justice group by email.

June 13th

“The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.” – Ijoema Oluo

Racial Justice Committee meeting June 9, 7 pm. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84229036148.

– VOICE Leaders Assembly, June 15, 2021 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

VOICE will hold one of its largest events of the year- an important virtual assembly to vote on VOICE’s direction for the following year. We hope each institution can send a contingent. This is a great opportunity to introduce others to VOICE. Thanks to those who were able to make turn out commitments last night. Sign up to attend:  https://secure.everyaction.com/elVfF4WLok-1YUWt9MfTig2

 
June 6th

Quote: “You shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” Isaiah 58:12.

Event: This Sunday we invite you to learn about VOICE (from above:)  Trinity has been a discerning member of VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) for one year and now we need to discern whether we will commit our time and resources to them as a full, dues-paying member congregation. On Sunday, May 23, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. the Racial Justice Committee  is offering a presentation to the congregation about VOICE. We will talk about what VOICE is and hear from our members about the ways VOICE has allowed them to directly engage with racial justice issues in the community over the past year. This will be a Zoom meeting. Click here for the Zoom link. Questions? contact the office  or the racial justice group.
 
May 16th

“Racism is a visceral experience… You must always remember that the sociology, the history, the economics, the graphs, the charts, the regressions all land, with great violence, upon the body.” – Ta-Nehisi Coates.

The Racial Justice Group meets this Wednesday at 7 p.m.

 

Racial Justice History Walks

We will gather in three neighborhoods: Halls Hill, Columbia Pike and Green Valley to learn, reflect, and walk together. These walks will be an embodied exploration of the past and present racial history in Arlington. We will focus on housing practices.

Each walk will be offered twice, on Sundays from 1-2 pm and Tuesdays from 11:15 am-12:15 pm.

Each walk will begin with light stretching and prayer and will be a maximum of two miles. Walk at your own pace. Rev. Blair and Rev. Alice are hosting the walks. Meet up locations in the eblast the week prior or email Alice. The VOICE community is invited to these walks!

 

RSVP so we know if you are coming at the links below.

We will send you the meeting location and route a few days beforehand.
 
May 5th

Poetry: “If you close your eyes, you can see a gap in the dark, and you/ know that light is never really gone as long as you believe.” from “Light in the dark” by 7 y.o. Fiona Moats of Alexandria in the Washington Post

 

 Decriminalization of Mental Health and Substance Abuse – On April 8 VOICE, presented a research action on creating crisis centers that divert people in crisis from incarceration. Speakers were from a program in Arizona that has documented success. You can see a recording of the presentation here. The slides are here.

 

Action: Racial Justice Walks with Clarendon Presbyterian (see below)
 
April 26th 

Quote: “There’s a perception that whiteness is working for white people. It’s not ….White people must join the world in fighting the pernicious ideas that created their category.” – Quinn Norton

 

 Helped by the recent letter-writing campaign, The Arlington County Board this week took several key actions that VOICE had strongly supported regarding affordable and sustainable housing. Board Vice Chair Katie Cristol said: “We appreciate so much your thoughtful engagement throughout the budget process, and your counsel to us and recommendations, which are always rooted in the faith that we can do better by our residents with lower incomes and our shared values of inclusiveness.” The whole message from the VOICE Arlington Strategy Team is here.

 

Action: Walking tours by Clarendon Presbyterian Church

We will gather in three neighborhoods: Halls Hill, Columbia Pike and Green Valley to learn, reflect, and walk together. These walks will be an embodied exploration of the past and present racial history in Arlington. We will focus on housing practices.

Each walk will be offered twice, on Sundays from 1-2 pm and Tuesdays from 11:15 am-12:15 pm. 

Each walk will begin with light stretching and prayer and will be a maximum of two miles. Walk at your own pace. Rev. Blair and Rev. Alice are hosting the walks. Meet up locations in the eblast the week prior or email Alice. The VOICE community is invited to these walks! 

 

RSVP so we know if you are coming at the links below.

We will send you the meeting location and route a few days beforehand. 

Sunday May 2 1:00 pm Green Valley (led by Clarendon’s Alice)

Tuesday May 4 11:15 am Green Valley (led by Clarendon’s Blair)

Sunday May 23 1:00 pm Columbia Pike (led by Blair/ Alice and Rev.Ashley Goff)

Tuesday May 25 11:15 Columbia Pike (led by Alice)

 
 
April 19th
 

“It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.”  James Baldwin

Learn: Fair Housing – Slides and other documents from VOICE on Fair Housing in out area, including an excellent slide show on how we got here, can be viewed here.
Learn: Decriminalization of Mental Health and Substance Abuse – On April 8 VOICE, presented a research action on creating crisis centers that divert people in crisis from incarceration. Speakers were from a program in Arizona that has documented success. You can see a recording of the presentation here. The slides are here.
 
April 11th 

Allyship, what is it?  Click here for an article. Allyship the Key to Unlocking the Power of Diversity.

The NCP is offering Allyship Training:

Allyship Training April 29 and May1st. Sign up now for Allyship training from the National Capital Presbytery with Service Never Sleeps in May. . Click here to learn more. SNS trains allies who can actively promote social justice as a way of life. The workshop teaches individuals about the causes of social injustice, how to be effective allies for marginalized communities, and how to actively influence and educate others. If you would like to talk to someone who has done the training from Service Never Sleeps: Many Trinity members took this training last year, please contact the office for names if you have a question.

 

April 4th

Fact: Since 2000, the County has lost almost 11,000 affordable units. The Master Plan to remedy this has so far produced much less than what’s needed.

 Action: Send at letter to the Arlington Board of Supervisors before their April 6 meeting letting them know that you support affordable housing for Arlington. For more information and suggested texts for the letter, contact Dan/

Sign A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities  led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

 Watch: Don’t Be A Bystander: Six Tips for Responding to Racist Attacks, a video production by BCRW and Project NIA

 Volunteer: Black Girls CODE Hackathon 2021: Just Hack It “Black Girls CODE, along with the DC chapter, is looking for both tech and creative/product development volunteers for the BGC Hackathon 2021! Black Girls CODE is hosting a virtual hackathon that will explore the intersection of sports and activism through the lens of technology. Dubbed Powering Human Connection, during the event our future tech bosses will develop innovative digital projects to cultivate community around matters they’re passionate about.” To volunteer, register and choose your role here.

 
 

 

March 28th

Fact: Since 2000, the County has lost almost 11,000 affordable units. The Master Plan to remedy this has so far produced much less than what’s needed.

Action: Send a letter to the Arlington Board of Supervisors before their April 6 meeting letting them know that you support affordable housing for Arlington. For more information and suggested texts for the letter, contact Dan Campbell at dancampbell@aol.com.

Sign A Community-Centered Response to Violence Against Asian American Communities  led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta
Watch: Don’t Be A Bystander: Six Tips for Responding to Racist Attacks, a video production by BCRW and Project NIA

Volunteer: Black Girls CODE Hackathon 2021: Just Hack It “Black Girls CODE, along with the DC chapter, is looking for both tech and creative/product development volunteers for the BGC Hackathon 2021! Black Girls CODE is hosting a virtual hackathon that will explore the intersection of sports and activism through the lens of technology. Dubbed Powering Human Connection, during the event our future tech

 
 
February 17th
Without a vision the people perish, but without courage dreams die. – Rosa Parks
 
Education: Dismantling Racism training sponsored by the National Capital Presbytery: Cohort One Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. begins Holy Week and runs for four classes from March to May. Go here to learn more and register.
 
Action: 1) Become familiar with the Movement for Black Lives here.
            2) The Virginia Rent Relief Program was developed with the advocacy of VOICE . The federal moratorium on evictions expires on 3/31/2021 but there is rent relief available to qualifying families reaching back to 4/1/2020. Rent relief can cover a cover up to 15 months, including paying forward 3 months. Citizenship status is not considered in awarding relief. However, 65% of available funds must be allocated by 9/30/2021 in order for the program to extend past that date to the end of the year. Therefor, we must make every effort to spread the word and encourage families in danger of eviction to apply. Do you know a way to get the word out? Contact Dan Campbell.
 

February 10th

“Engaging in self-reflection and inspired dialogue, we can help dismantle the wall of separation by removing our personal ‘brick.’ If we each take responsibility for doing that, eventually the wall will crumble.”  Milagros Phillips, 8 Essentials to a Race Conversation: A Manual to a New Dialogue 

 

Event: Politics and Prose Live! Robert Jones, Jr.— The Prophets – in conversation with Maurice Carlos Ruffin: https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/pp-live-robert-jones-jr-prophets-in-conversation-maurice-carlos-ruffin. 

Action: Trinity is a discerning member of VOICE which is focusing on housing equity and criminal justice reform. Become familiar with the Arlington Affordable Housing Plan here. More information about criminal justice reform is coming. To learn more, attend the Racial Justice Group meetings by sending an email to Magda Hanna
 
February 3rd

 “I am no longer accept the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Davis

Action/Education: 

VOICE Research Action Series: February Events: VA’s Rent & Mortgage Relief Program

February 4, 2021 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM

Meet with the one of the heads of VA’s Rent & Mortgage Relief Program. Agenda will include: 1) What is it? 2) How has it changed since it has received over $520M in federal monies for rent relief? 3) How do tenants and landlords get needed rent relief? Hear updates from VOICE leaders on what they have learned about the program as they have worked to get out the word about it to renters, school staff, landlords and others, and more…. Sign up here.