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| Community Voices ... Serving a Multicultural Community! Opinions expressed on this Website do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Community Voices LLC, which has no control over, thus no responsibility for, the content of Linked sites to this Web page, financially or otherwise. Issues concerning content should be directed to Community Voices LLC Voicemail (269) 343-4653 * Write: P.O. Box 424, Kalamazoo, MI 49004 * Fax (269) 343-2270 * E-Mail Comvoices@aol.com About Us Advertise Contact Us |
In the End, we will remember not the words of
our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Martin Luther King Jr., 1(929-1968)
our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Martin Luther King Jr., 1(929-1968)
SOCIAL JUSTICE
By Dr. Robert Kaufman
Dr. Robert Kaufman has a Ph.D in Political Science, and taught
at WMU for 32 years. He specialized in American Government
and Public Policy. Since retirement he has focused on
community anti-racism, poverty and social justice.
By Dr. Robert Kaufman
Dr. Robert Kaufman has a Ph.D in Political Science, and taught
at WMU for 32 years. He specialized in American Government
and Public Policy. Since retirement he has focused on
community anti-racism, poverty and social justice.
KALAMAZOO’S EVOLVING FRAMEWORK TO REDUCE RACISM AND PROMOTE
SOCIAL JUSTICE*
ERAC/CE DRAWS FROM EXPERIENCE AND SCIENCE SEEKING TO END RACISM
The only mystery about ERAC/CE is the acronym. Once you hear the words, the
mystery vanishes to display its focus: Eliminating Racism and Claiming &
Celebrating Equality.
ORIGINS
Christian love and leadership created Erac/ce to seek social justice and the end to
institutional racism.
Just prior to turning a new century, unique circumstances set in motion events, which
led to the creation of Erac/ce. A church in Kalamazoo would be placed on the market.
Officials of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) in Lansing and the
local Pastor John Schleicher contacted Rev. J. Louis Felton, President of the
Northside Ministerial Alliance (NSMA). At the meeting they discussed an appropriate
use for the proceeds of the sale.
In 1998, the sale was completed, the funds, in the amount of $180,000 were offered
to Rev. Felton, who suggested the participants devise a plan for the proper use of the
funds.
Completed in January of 2000, the plan adopted was broadly concerned with social
justice, but tightly focused on anti-racism training. Those ideas were integrated into a
new organization called Erac/ce.
In its initial year the organization developed its classic workshop analyzing the race
problem as experienced in the United States. The workshop was offered six times
that year.
The workshops, composed of whites and people of color, were well received and the
format was continued. Normally the training program lasts 2 1/2 days, but in 2009,
as preparation for the forthcoming Race Exhibit, Erac/ce had held two 10-day
programs designed for teachers.
Erac/ce was designated as the agent to prepare teachers for an instructive role –
helping children relate to the Race Exhibit. Additional anti-race activities are being
planned before, during and following the exposition in Kalamazoo.
LEADERSHIP
Errac/ce leadership began with co-chairpersons of which the first two were Mr. Art
Hoekstra of Kalamazoo and Rev. B. Jo Ann Mundy of Three Rivers. The two leaders
had complementary talents, with deep commitment to anti-racism. Working as a
team they contributed heavily to build a reputation of competence and to set the anti-
race program on a successful trail.
Mr. Hoekstra comes from a family of missionaries but withdrew from this activity
when he concluded that the missionary work assisted colonial powers exploiting
people of color, their lands and resources. Art has been associated with Erac/ce
since its origin and still serves as an Erac/ce top leader.
Art’s leadership traits include his diplomatic skill with local institutions with which he
employs a two-step pattern - intense anti-race training followed by the careful
construction of an anti-race team to continue the process within the institution . He
also serves as a member of the Crossroads Board.
Rev. B. Jo Ann Mundy is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Three Rivers. She
holds several college degrees including a M.Div. from Northern Baptist Theological
Seminar and is pursuing a doctorate at the Institute of Worship Studies.
Pastor Mundy is adamant as she describes her distaste for racism. Her responses
are stern and she doesn’t smile. But she doesn’t display anger either. This gift is
essential to success in “caucus” sessions, where people of color and whites openly
discuss racism face to face.
Rev. Mundy is well known for her skill in expressing the harm inflicted on people of
color as white supremacy penetrates every institution in the nation. But, she is
equally explicit that racism harms whites and the entire community.
ERAC/CE AND RACISM
Erac/ce teaches anti-racism using material, which draws from history, social, and
physical sciences, as well as biography and experience. The Crossroads Manual,
Understanding & Analyzing Systemic Racism integrates this knowledge into an
effective analysis of racism in our nation.
Most participants (including the writer) find this approach both challenging and
thought provoking. The instructors’ role is to present the important concepts but also
to invite an open discussion of the materials.
There is much to integrate including history, institutional racism, personal identity
and the drive for a new culture of diversity and equality.
The curriculum for Erac/ce anti-racism courses makes clear, that in this system the
people of color are deprived of Constitutional equality and opportunity. Creating a
lower order of citizen has had a direct and depressive affect on how people of color
think of themselves. Further this deprivation robs minorities of respect, hope, and
options for a meaningful life.
Racism penetrates our culture; that means that every system and every institution in
society offers preferences to whites, which are denied to people of color. The goal for
Erac/ce is to achieve a culture of equality and diversity.
The case against racism is well done; most participants accept the new ideas and
many are willing to discuss their changed behaviors. In my own case personal
thinking and attitude toward people of color was changed in a remarkable way. In a
later column there will be a discussion of how my thinking changed because of
Erac/e course work.
* This series will discuss organizations, leaders, programs, social conditions and
relationships, which impact social justice and racism in Kalamazoo.
Robert Kaufman is a member of the South West Michigan Erac/ce Team. His
daughter, Julie, was recently appointed co-chairperson of Erac/ce.
Copyright 2009 by Robert Kaufman.
----------------------
Posted CVs March 12, 2010
SOCIAL JUSTICE*
ERAC/CE DRAWS FROM EXPERIENCE AND SCIENCE SEEKING TO END RACISM
The only mystery about ERAC/CE is the acronym. Once you hear the words, the
mystery vanishes to display its focus: Eliminating Racism and Claiming &
Celebrating Equality.
ORIGINS
Christian love and leadership created Erac/ce to seek social justice and the end to
institutional racism.
Just prior to turning a new century, unique circumstances set in motion events, which
led to the creation of Erac/ce. A church in Kalamazoo would be placed on the market.
Officials of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) in Lansing and the
local Pastor John Schleicher contacted Rev. J. Louis Felton, President of the
Northside Ministerial Alliance (NSMA). At the meeting they discussed an appropriate
use for the proceeds of the sale.
In 1998, the sale was completed, the funds, in the amount of $180,000 were offered
to Rev. Felton, who suggested the participants devise a plan for the proper use of the
funds.
Completed in January of 2000, the plan adopted was broadly concerned with social
justice, but tightly focused on anti-racism training. Those ideas were integrated into a
new organization called Erac/ce.
In its initial year the organization developed its classic workshop analyzing the race
problem as experienced in the United States. The workshop was offered six times
that year.
The workshops, composed of whites and people of color, were well received and the
format was continued. Normally the training program lasts 2 1/2 days, but in 2009,
as preparation for the forthcoming Race Exhibit, Erac/ce had held two 10-day
programs designed for teachers.
Erac/ce was designated as the agent to prepare teachers for an instructive role –
helping children relate to the Race Exhibit. Additional anti-race activities are being
planned before, during and following the exposition in Kalamazoo.
LEADERSHIP
Errac/ce leadership began with co-chairpersons of which the first two were Mr. Art
Hoekstra of Kalamazoo and Rev. B. Jo Ann Mundy of Three Rivers. The two leaders
had complementary talents, with deep commitment to anti-racism. Working as a
team they contributed heavily to build a reputation of competence and to set the anti-
race program on a successful trail.
Mr. Hoekstra comes from a family of missionaries but withdrew from this activity
when he concluded that the missionary work assisted colonial powers exploiting
people of color, their lands and resources. Art has been associated with Erac/ce
since its origin and still serves as an Erac/ce top leader.
Art’s leadership traits include his diplomatic skill with local institutions with which he
employs a two-step pattern - intense anti-race training followed by the careful
construction of an anti-race team to continue the process within the institution . He
also serves as a member of the Crossroads Board.
Rev. B. Jo Ann Mundy is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Three Rivers. She
holds several college degrees including a M.Div. from Northern Baptist Theological
Seminar and is pursuing a doctorate at the Institute of Worship Studies.
Pastor Mundy is adamant as she describes her distaste for racism. Her responses
are stern and she doesn’t smile. But she doesn’t display anger either. This gift is
essential to success in “caucus” sessions, where people of color and whites openly
discuss racism face to face.
Rev. Mundy is well known for her skill in expressing the harm inflicted on people of
color as white supremacy penetrates every institution in the nation. But, she is
equally explicit that racism harms whites and the entire community.
ERAC/CE AND RACISM
Erac/ce teaches anti-racism using material, which draws from history, social, and
physical sciences, as well as biography and experience. The Crossroads Manual,
Understanding & Analyzing Systemic Racism integrates this knowledge into an
effective analysis of racism in our nation.
Most participants (including the writer) find this approach both challenging and
thought provoking. The instructors’ role is to present the important concepts but also
to invite an open discussion of the materials.
There is much to integrate including history, institutional racism, personal identity
and the drive for a new culture of diversity and equality.
The curriculum for Erac/ce anti-racism courses makes clear, that in this system the
people of color are deprived of Constitutional equality and opportunity. Creating a
lower order of citizen has had a direct and depressive affect on how people of color
think of themselves. Further this deprivation robs minorities of respect, hope, and
options for a meaningful life.
Racism penetrates our culture; that means that every system and every institution in
society offers preferences to whites, which are denied to people of color. The goal for
Erac/ce is to achieve a culture of equality and diversity.
The case against racism is well done; most participants accept the new ideas and
many are willing to discuss their changed behaviors. In my own case personal
thinking and attitude toward people of color was changed in a remarkable way. In a
later column there will be a discussion of how my thinking changed because of
Erac/e course work.
* This series will discuss organizations, leaders, programs, social conditions and
relationships, which impact social justice and racism in Kalamazoo.
Robert Kaufman is a member of the South West Michigan Erac/ce Team. His
daughter, Julie, was recently appointed co-chairperson of Erac/ce.
Copyright 2009 by Robert Kaufman.
----------------------
Posted CVs March 12, 2010
| Questions? Comments? ...CONTACT CVs |
----------------------------------------------
New Leadership and a NewStrategy
meet wih wide Approval at Kalmazoo
Branch of the NAACP
The NAACP is planning a new strategy
designed to improve institutional and
diversity relationships in the Kalamazoo
community. The strategy and policies are
attuned to the political and cultural tones
of a new age in which the President of the
United States is an African American. But
the organization retains its fundamental
purpose; the pursuit of freedom and
equality for all. ...Read/Print Strategy!!
meet wih wide Approval at Kalmazoo
Branch of the NAACP
The NAACP is planning a new strategy
designed to improve institutional and
diversity relationships in the Kalamazoo
community. The strategy and policies are
attuned to the political and cultural tones
of a new age in which the President of the
United States is an African American. But
the organization retains its fundamental
purpose; the pursuit of freedom and
equality for all. ...Read/Print Strategy!!
| Dr. Charles Warfield President Kalamazoo Chapter NAACP |
The Metropolitan Branch of the NAACP
honors local citizens on occasion of the
NAACP's 100 Year Anniversary
Celebration
Veteran of the Year
Ms. Joyce Jones-Davis
Presented at the NAACP Gospel Music Program,
November 6, 2009
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Humanitarians of the Year for service to
the community ...
Dr. Harvey Myers
Mrs. Pamela Roland
Presented at the Annual NAACP banquet,
November 7, 2009,
WMU Bernhard Center
honors local citizens on occasion of the
NAACP's 100 Year Anniversary
Celebration
Veteran of the Year
Ms. Joyce Jones-Davis
Presented at the NAACP Gospel Music Program,
November 6, 2009
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Humanitarians of the Year for service to
the community ...
Dr. Harvey Myers
Mrs. Pamela Roland
Presented at the Annual NAACP banquet,
November 7, 2009,
WMU Bernhard Center
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