#BlackLivesMatter

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28

Following on from last week’s post, I thought it important to share my experiences as a Black British woman but also to share some resources that may provide information or comfort to my peers and resources for all our allies.

For those who are unaware, Black children still need to be taught how to behave when they are out in public in the UK, so they are not thought of as the stereotypes society says they are or will become, diversity within companies is still at an all time low (true for all minorities, but for Black people more so), diversity in the media is still low especially for my darker skinned brothers & sisters, Black women are still five times more likely to die during child labour than any other race and history lessons in the UK negate Black history started way before slavery (and it was a thriving history). Why? Because we each carry our own biases and the structures built around Black people during slavery still ring true to today. No, it’s not a fun topic, yes it’s hard to believe and accept, but it is equally as hard to live it. We are all God’s children and we need to treat each other as such.

“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:31

So how can we help?

There are so many resources to support those Black and people of colour (POC) who are most affected by this issue:

Mental Health Support:

@blackmindsmatter.uk: Black Mental Health Resources and Therapy for Black Trauma. If it matters, we mind
@frontlinetherapist: A one-stop shop mental health platform to meet your mental health needs: affordable mental health counselling , ebook & planner

Books:

@blackstarbooks_ldn: A Black owned bookshop, based in the UK. We believe that all children should have the opportunity to see their beauty & experiences in books
@diverse_kids_books: Kids books with characters from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Let’s use books to help to form inclusive & kind children

History:

@theblackcurriculum: Teach Black British History in schools and out of schools to young people around the UK, – all year round using a range of art forms
Starter Reading List: Empowering Black minds and our actual history

Motherhood & Black Love:

@makemotherhooddirverse: Award winning platform trying to challenge the single story of motherhood. Curated by @candicebrathwaite
@fivexmore: Raising Awareness of Maternal Disparities for Black Women in the UK. Supporting Black Mothers With Our 6 Steps. Campaigning For Change
Hair Love: An Oscar®-winning animated short film from Matthew A. Cherry, tells the heartfelt story of an African American father learning to do his daughter’s hair for the first time. This shows kinks and curls are something to be proud of, not hidden or straightened

#BLM:

@blklivesmatter & @blklivesmatter_uk: Official IGs for the #BlackLivesMatter Global Network. BLM is a call to action & response to anti-Black racism. Join the movement.

For those who support the Black voice and experience and would consider themselves #allies, or for those who are intrigued to find out more:

Reading List: Diversifying your reading list can be a good place to start understanding the experiences of Black people and POC, becoming an active ally and making a change
@theconsciouskid: Parenting and Education through a Critical Race Lens. Diverse #OwnVoices Books (Black and Brown Owned)
@diverse_kids_books: Kids books with characters from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Let’s use books to help to form inclusive & kind children
Start A Conversation: It’s not up to the Black and POC around you to educate you, however, when they are talking about the issue, listen and engage
Check In With Your Friends: It’s a difficult time for us all, but when news like this breaks over and over, it is draining, so check in with the Black and POC around you no matter how strong they are

Children aren’t born with biases, they are taught and this is a cycle that needs to be broken now. We need to all be like these kids who embrace each other despite differences, despite any societal pressures or assumptions. We need to check our biases, all of us, to be that much closer to God.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27

Lastly what we can all do is be a bit more compassionate to each other and to pray for justice, peace, healing and equality. So if you have any hopes or fears you’d like us to pray for, please don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@churchatbr.com and we will include it in our weekly prayers. We will also be meeting for prayers 8-9pm on Wednesday nights fortnightly, starting from the 2nd September – feel free to join us for this. Zoom details can be found here.

Alternatively, if you or anyone you know would like to get involved with us as a church, you can join in here, send us an email or check us out on our social platforms: