Emanuel AME Church: In Memoriam

This morning, I awake with the same sick feeling in my stomach, to the same troubling reality: Nine praying people, nine believing people, nine shining lights of Christ blown out… “blown away” they say by a 21 year old named Dylann Roof.  They sat at a table in the presence of an enemy who poured […]

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Charleston: A Sign up Sheet

The details of the shooting in Charleston at the historic Emanuel AME Church continue to unfold.  We had a picture of the suspect and his car.  Then, we had his name: Dylann Moody.  Now, there is a suspect in custody. The names, pictures and stories of his victims are being released.  In turn, our grief […]

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Charleston: Killing Prayer

Many of us are waking up to the news of a shooting in Charleston at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.  The shooter, a 21 year old man now identified as Dylann Roofer, actually attended the prayer service with his would- be victims before taking nine lives.  One woman who survived the shooting spree said that […]

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Hiding Whiteness: Rachel Dolezal changes the conversation on race

Her adopted brothers are speaking out about the many layers of lies that Rachel Dolezal applied in order to pass as ‘black.’  Their interview with ABC News suggests that the change was intentional and carefully thought out.  But, the real question of why she made this choice still remains unanswered. Her parents have confirmed that […]

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Rachel Dolezal: Faking race and the construction of identity

I am still thinking about the story of Ms. Rachel Dolezal, the now former NAACP president in Spokane, Washington as the details continue to unfold as well as our understanding of her choice to self- identify as an African American.  Her choice is confusing for some and angering for others due to the history of passing […]

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