In conjunction with the Black Lives Matter “Charleston 9” solidarity march held July 7, the First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) of Seattle invited people of all colors to attend a July 11 roundtable discussion on race and hate crimes. Pastors, church directors, community organizers and leaders, and residents from various neighborhoods around Seattle attended with the same goal of strategizing ways to eliminate racism and hate crimes.
“Sitting at home talking to my husband about racism wasn’t enough,” resident Patreese Martin said. “I wanted to do more.”
After a few brief presentations from leaders of the event, more than 30 tables with about eight participants and one facilitator each went to work identifying how institutions such as media, education and the justice system perpetuate racism and racist violence.
Local artist and activist Queen Pearl Richard had the topic of media at her table. “The media presents the story with no cross-pollination,” she said. “They are too focused on violence and not telling the stories. Even more, there are no real stories of black people or black heroes. What is communicated is white culture. We leave black out.”
Discussions continued for an hour among the multiracial tables, determining what institutions could have done before the massacre in Charleston and what specific actions individuals can take to effect change on these institutions in order to eliminate racism.
“These systems perpetuate stress among blacks,” Richard said, “but I will continue to be the person that I am. I will continue to be vocal on black issues.”
Social justice speaker LueRachelle Brim-Atkins, who led the event, said these roundtables aim for a change of heart, not just a change of mind and that communities need to unite through a respectful process of sharing history and ideas before any healing or change can begin.
In efforts to unite the community against further injustice on African Americans, fame will facilitate future roundtable dialogues on a quarterly basis.