Roots of Justice - Blog

Christianity without Racism

5/16/2023

Facebook Live conversation with members of the ROJ Collective and friends
Thursday, May 25 4-5:30pm PT (7-8:30pm ET)

This Racism is Real conversation will be led by ROJ Trainer Thulani Conrad Moore and features panelists Bethany Stewart, Dr. Calenthia Dowdy and Dr. Nathan Pederson.

This was a free event, and we ask you to support our work with a $10-20 donation to continue to make important conversations like this one possible.
Please give here.
Join us on Facebook live: facebook.com/RootsOfJusticeInc
Click on "read more" to watch the recording.

Reparations Beyond the African Slave Trade: Understanding the Global Perspective

5/16/2023

By Thulani Conrad Moore, ROJ Trainer

Today, we need to expand our understanding of reparations beyond the African slave trade and explore the broader context of colonialism and its lasting impacts. It is crucial to recognize that the current influx of individuals from colonized nations seeking a better life in countries guilty of colonialism is not a mere coincidence. In this article, we will delve into the effects of colonialism, both historical and ongoing, shedding light on the reasons behind the migration flows and the need for reparations to rectify the injustices inflicted upon colonized nations.

Colonialism is a multifaceted process of aggression by a country towards another, characterized by the acquisition of land, exploitation of resources (including indigenous people), and the imposition of the colonizer's culture as the standard. While we often think of colonialism in terms of the past, it is vital to recognize that its legacy continues to shape our world today.

Stolen Land, Stolen People: Dismantling the doctrine of discovery

4/11/2023

Facebook Live conversation with members of the ROJ Collective and friends
Wednesday, April 12 4-5:30pm PT (7-8:30pm ET)

The conversation provided a brief history of the Doctrine of Discovery; described the impact on Indigenous and African people- past and present, and explored ways we can come together for our collective healing.

This Racism is Real conversation was led by ROJ Trainer & Accountability Council member Rev. Michelle Armster and featured panelists: Dr. Edward Valandra, Dr. Kyle Mays, and Erica Littlewolf.

While this was a free event, we ask you to support our work with a $10-20 donation to continue to make important conversations like this one possible.
Please give here.
Join us on Facebook live: facebook.com/RootsOfJusticeInc
Click on "read more" to watch the recording.

Healing Racial Trauma - Recovery, Resistance & Reclamation

3/23/2023

This Racism is Real dialogue specifically for People of the Global Majority (BIPOC) took place on Monday, Mar. 20 on Zoom.
It was led by Chantelle Todman with panelists: Sue Park Hur, Kris Henderson, Erica Littlewolf, and Ajulu Olok.

This key text helped to frame the conversation: Racial Trauma is Real.
It was a powerful conversation - thank you to all who participated and offered their perspectives. And stay tuned for when we schedule another time for BIPOC caucus on Zoom.

The recording is available for BIPOC/People of the Global Majority. Register here to receive a link to the recording.

Nikki Haley’s announcement might secure white male dominance again

2/16/2023

By Thulani Conrad Moore, ROJ Trainer

We are applying the antiracism analysis to Nikki Haley announcing her run for the presidency.

When many Republicans run for public office, they have to insult somebody. Nikki followed that pattern in her announcement yesterday. She did a two-for-one insulting women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In so doing, she could not have found a better way to demonstrate her low self-esteem. As we say in the analysis training, she showed her internalized inferiority or internalized oppression.

Nimrata Randhawa is her given name. She goes by Nikki now, perhaps because it was easier for her white friends to pronounce. There are claims that Nikki is on her birth certificate, and let’s see if Trump demands to see it.

Nikki announced that she was running for president of the United States yesterday. You ask how that says she has low self-esteem. In people of color, there is a manifestation of low esteem that makes it so that you think your value is in the approval of white people.

You then spend the rest of your life only seeking the approval of white people. Subsequently, you do not care what people of color think of you. If people of color don’t like you, you see that as evidence to white people that you are different, and different in this context means better.

The fight against Critical race theory: An attempt to erasE white history

2/8/2023

Facebook Live conversation with members of the ROJ Collective and friends
Friday, Feb. 17 7-8PM ET / 4-5PM PT

Join Thulani Conrad Moore (ROJ trainer), Dr. Tobin Miller Shearer (ROJ co-founder and former trainer - pre-recorded segment), Dr. Monica Smith (ROJ Accountability Council), and Dr. Drick Boyd (apprentice trainer) for a conversation on the true motives behind the fight against Critical Race Theory - an attempt to erase White history.
For too many years school students have had romantic story time masquerading as history class. The fight against CRT is only making it worse.
What is needed--now more than ever--is a common analysis and diagnosis of racism and White supremacy.

While this is a free event, we ask you to support our work with a $10-20 donation to continue to make important conversations like this one possible.
Please give here.
Join us on Facebook live: facebook.com/RootsOfJusticeInc
Click on "read more" to watch the recording.

Is Maryland interrupting white male dominance?

1/19/2023

By Thulani Conrad Moore, Roots of Justice Trainer

Congratulations to Wes Moore and Aruna Miller for their hard work to break the pattern of rich white male dominance over the governorship of Maryland. Maryland, like most of the United States, has always voted for candidates based on race and gender. The only time we hear people question that is when a candidate is a person of color or a woman. It is then that we hear, “don’t you think voting is too important to vote for a person based on race or gender?”

Check the statistics for your state. How old is it? How long has it maintained white male dominance in government? The system of white male dominance requires that whether Democrat or Republican, the candidate has to be white and male. My state, Georgia is also a white dominant state as it relates to the governorship, with the same shameful historic white dominant pattern.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: Racism, Stolen Land, and Stolen Inheritance

12/30/2022

By Thulani Conrad Moore, Roots of Justice Trainer

If U.S. businessmen supported by the U.S. government had not plundered the resources of the people of Latin America, and the Caribbean the people of those nations would not be at the southern border looking for their stolen inheritance.
When people feel compelled to leave a place, it may be that they are running from something or to something. In the case of Latin America, pundits always tell us that they are running from violence, socialism, dictatorships, drug cartels, etc. For many that may be true. However, if we dig a bit deeper, we expose other reasons.

Some say the end of Title 42 heralds the Latin American invasion. They are coming here to steal the jobs of hard-working Americans. That is the cry of uninformed Americans who claim to understand why “they” are coming.
I don’t usually quote Fox news guy Tucker Carlson but as usual, he said something stupid about U.S. history so I feel compelled to set the record straight. Tucker said “...This is the biggest story in recent American history; a total change in the American population. Millions and millions and millions of new people, the country will never be what it was five years ago…”

Tucker could not have found a better way to demonstrate his stupidity. If you really want to put current events in perspective you have to know your history. The Supreme Court led by Justice Roberts is ruling on when to end the Trump administration's policy called Title 42. Basically, immigrants legally seeking asylum in the United States have to remain in Mexico while their cases are being adjudicated. Ending that policy will result in many immigrants coming to the U.S. But, Do we even want to understand why? Do we want to go beyond the “taking our jobs” jargon?

Black Women Talk Back II: The Elders

12/1/2022

Facebook Live Conversation with ROJ Trainers:
Wednesday, Dec. 14: 7-8PM ET / 4-5PM PT

The "elder" Black women of the ROJ Collective will close out the year reflecting on what they have learned on 20+ years of their antiracism journeys--the highs, lows, their bodies, antiblackness in academia, the pastorate, restorative justice work, in leadership, and practices that have led to self-care and healing.

This is a free event and we invite you to support our work with a $10-20 donation to continue to make important conversations like this one possible.
Please give here.
Join us on Facebook live: facebook.com/RootsOfJusticeInc
Click on "read more" to watch the recording

RACISM IS REAL: MEN DARING TO INTERRUPT WHITE MALE DOMINANCE PART II

11/29/2022

Click "read more" to watch the recording of this conversation.