Author: westwoodparents9001

JUSTmove Block Party Tomorrow!

Westwood’s Racial Equity Team is hosting the evening with a featured performance by JUSTmove. JUSTmove is Joe Davis and Dave Scherer (Agape)’s antiracism education thru the arts organization. They use music, poetry, and storytelling to inspire people into deeper conversations about race and culture.  This is a great way to spark family conversations! 

There will be 6pm worship led by JUSTmove, educational booths, BLM t-shirts & JUSTmove CD sales, Hope Speaks Project booth, activities for kids, & free ice cream treats for all. It’s also our Westwood + Redeemer Night! We hope you can come!
While you’re at it, bring friends, family, & neighbors!  We hope anyone who is interested will come enjoy the evening and learn with us!

Healing Our City- A Virtual Prayer Tent for Minneapolis

If you’re searching, here is a place. If you’re needing a re-start, here is a place. If you’re hurting, here is a place.

https://www.healingourcity.org/

Racial equity and anti-racism is a commitment that requires constant re-commitment. Westwood is a community that supports the journey.

The city of Minneapolis is going through a very challenging time. Some are grieving, some are hoping, and many are fearful and anxious about what is to come as the trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer charged in the killing of George Floyd, concludes. We believe that there is One who is present and active even and especially in times of disorder and loss. We have all been involuntarily called to witness the injustices of the system of racial inequity and oppression. Now we are called to voluntarily be in prayer and action for the healing of our city.

A Kids Book About: Podcast!

This series is a staple in our children’s ministry at Westwood. Now they have a podcast! I have been on the look out for a podcast that I can listen to with my kids about racism & privilege- here it is!!

A kids podcast about the things that matter, like Racism, Body Image, and Belonging. Each episode opens up the dialog we’ve begun in our groundbreaking A Kids Book About series. Created by folks who’ve been there. Honest. Important. Relevant. Start the conversation. We know you’re ready.

Family Anti-Racism Movie Night: Small Foot

Small Foot is one of my FAVORITE movies- it wrestles with racism in a way that kids and parents have tons to talk about. Don’t forget to play the soundtrack! Over and over again! The lyrics are so honest. I wrote a humble family discussion guide, fully knowing that my family has watched this movie over and over and over and found new conversations each time. Little tiny important moments in the movie that pop up from one family member and open us to all-hands-on-deck anti-racism discussions. Highly recommend it!

small foot discussion guideDownload

Speak up! Responding to Everyday Bigotry

From Teaching Tolerance, Speak up! calls on everyone to take a stand against everyday bigotry.

No agency or organization counts or tracks these moments. They don’t
qualify as hate crimes, and they rarely make news. That’s part of their
insidious nature; they happen so often we simply accept them as part of life.
Left unchecked, like litter or weeds, they blight the landscape.
In the making of this book, the Southern Poverty Law Center gathered
hundreds of stories of everyday bigotry from people across the United
States. They told their stories through email, personal interviews and
at roundtable discussions in four cities: Baltimore, Md.; Columbia, S.C.;
Phoenix, Ariz.; and Vancouver, Wash.
People spoke about encounters in stores and restaurants, on streets and in
schools. They spoke about family, friends, classmates and co-workers. They
told us what they did or didn’t say — and what they wished they did or
didn’t say.

speak-up-responding-to-everyday-bigotryDownload