My favorite line in her speech is about acknowledging how uncomfortable conversations about race are, but calling us to have those conversations anyway. "We have to be comfortable with the uncomfortable conversation about race. ... We cannot afford to be color blind, we have to be color brave."
Mellody Hobson truly is brave for speaking up and bringing this topic from whispers to center stage. Here's my question: Why is she so brave? Why does it take so much courage to speak about hard things, and race in particular?
Speaking as a white person, I have seen white people paralyzed by fear at saying the wrong thing. I have seen people bring up a discussion on inequality that includes race and been vilified for saying the "wrong thing."
Granted, it probably was the "wrong thing" whatever that may have been in the context. But, the reaction I have seen with some white people is that they are afraid to say anything at all about culture or race and retreat into a myth of color blindness.
At Westminster, we are a growing multicultural church. It is the main reason that I was drawn to serve in this congregation. We have not shied away from difficult conversations.
In the coming months, I will be starting more groups and programs to build bridges and cultural understanding. I have a feeling some difficult conversations will be ahead. But, I know we can be color brave together and answer God's call to multicultural witness.