Dismantling Structural Racism and White Supremacy

Stop Hate AAPI center and website which was created by three agencies, one of which is the Asian American Studies Department of the San Francisco State University, states on their website that the center tracks and responds to incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning and child bullying against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in California and where possible throughout the United States. From March to December 2020, there were over 2800 self-reported incidents. Almost half were from California and of those, over 700 were from the Bay Area.

Here are some of their stories:

I was waiting to enter a pharmacy to get my prescription when a group of construction workers (not social distancing) made fun of me by mocking me, fake coughing, spitting at me and making slant eyes gestures until I asked them to stop. No one else called these people out. (Oakland, CA)

I was standing in an aisle at a hardware store when suddenly I was struck from behind. Video surveillance verified the incident in which a white male used his bent elbow to strike my upper back. Subsequent verbal attacks occurred with “Shut up, you Monkey!, “Screw you Chinaman,” “Go back to China” and “Stop bringing that Chinese virus over here.” (San Francisco, CA)

On my daily walk in my hometown Sausalito, I was wearing a face mask when a white woman yelled at me, “I hate Chinese people! Why do they come to this country?!” when she passed me. I was stunned by her words which caused me to fear and be more alert of my surroundings.

We were outraged when Hispanic children were separated from their families at the border. We were horrified by the events that lead to the Black Lives Matter movement. And now we are terrified and angry of all the attacks against the Asian community.

We continue to fall short of God intentions for all of us. Our hearts are broken and we feel much grief at what our local communities and this country has become. We stand with all our Asian brothers and sisters during this tumultuous time.

May God continue to hold us in God’s care and guide us as individual, as the church and as the presbytery to be agents of peace and justice in our communities.

With Love and Care,

Your Presbytery Leadership Team:
Rev. InHo Kim, Partner for Congregational Vitality and Clergy Support
Jennifer Sacramento-Streett, Partner for Operations and Communications
Rochelle R. Shaw, Stated Clerk
Rev. Leonard Nielson, Partner for Finance and Property Assets

January 12, 2021

Dear Siblings and Friends of the Presbytery of San Francisco.

We write to you, having seen the abhorrent actions of Racism unfold at the seat of our government. This is a legacy of White Supremacy led by a number of leaders of our country. This is power through force that continues to yield unabated, allowing for the killing and pillaging of the rights and lives of all others.

Presbytery of San Francisco 2021 Events to Engage in Matthew 25 –
Dismantling Structural Racism and White Supremacy

1. Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training — for the next 18-months, Crossroads will help us deeply self-reflect and discern our way forward in dismantling structural racism within our own presbytery and beyond.

2. “What Lies Between US, fostering first Steps Toward Racial Healing,” by Dr Lucretia Carter Berry – led by Rev. Kamal Hassan. We hope that the deep internal work and honest public conversations could inspire what is needed at this time in our process as a Matthew 25 Presbytery.

West Bay Region Antiracism Meeting

Post Election Gathering: The Struggle Continues

• When: Sunday, November 22, 2020
• Youtube Recording

A Conversation with Dr. Kenneth Hardy:
How to be an Ally

When: Saturday, October 24, 2020

We are grateful to Dr. Hardy and to all that attended the event. For those unable to join in (or who would like to revisit the event) please view our Youtube video of the event:

• The Dr. Hardy Gathering Recording

We are called to engage in anti-racist practices that Dismantle Structural Racism and White Supremacy. The Presbytery of San Francisco is choosing to work together in the days, months, and years ahead to fully engage in this struggle—for healing, justice, and racial equity. We have invited Dr. Kenneth Hardy to share with us some first steps towards transformational healing.

Presbytery Day 2020:
The Road From Reflecting, Through Confessing, to Repairing

When: Saturday, September 26th

We are grateful to all who made for another successful Presbytery Day. For those unable to join in (or would like to revisit the event) see:

• The Presbytery Day Powerpoint

• The Presbytery Day Recording

Denise Anderson is our keynote speaker this year. She was Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and now works as the PC(USA) coordinator for racial and intercultural justice, working in connection with the agency’s Compassion, Peace & Justice and Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries. She also staffed the Special Commission on Racism Truth and Reconciliation. This experience with church-wide examination of racism and the call to reparations is what she will bring to our Presbytery Day as we seek to answer these questions together:

• “How can we move from talking to walking?”
• “What will it take for us to trust one another?”
• “How can we truly journey together?”

This is our 2020 special speaker meeting. All presbyters are encouraged to attend, and all members of Presbytery congregations are warmly invited as well. This is an important conversation as we seek to live out our Matthew 25 commitments.

Presbytery Day Schedule

JUSTICE RALLY CAR-A-VAN VICTORY AND THANKS!

On Saturday, August 29, Presbytery of San Francisco hosted a Car-a-Van. Up to 70 cars –with plenty of passengers–joined in the Car-A-Van.  We took off from two locations, one from San Mateo in the West Bay and another from El Cerrito in the East Bay.  We had several people join via ZOOM to participate in the prayer and send off by Rev. Kamal Hassan, before driving through the streets in support of Black Lives. The Presbytery of San Francisco joined with other Presbyterians from presbyteries across the US to promote and to commit to dismantling racism in all its forms and to be in solidarity with Black Lives in our communities and across the country.

• View the day we shared for Black Lives Matter
  • Video of start & send off of the Car-A-Van
  • Video of end of rally and charge “to action”
• As this was all day PCUSA event– part of the Week of Action. Participants from Detroit, Louisville, New York, San Jose and San Francisco was able to share the goings on in our cities through a livestream. Video of  PCUSA participating in the Justice Rally.

THANK YOU for being a part of this Black Lives Matter Event! 
We will continue in our quest of Dismantling Structural Racism and
we pray that you continue this journey with us– working towards love, healing and justice!

Week of Action – Town Hall Gathering on Tuesday, August 25th

The Town Hall Gathering was an opportunity to engage with theologians, community activists, pastors and practitioners on the intersectional work of anti-racism, how the PC(USA) in all its expressions grapples with the legacy of white supremacy and racism in our history and theology, finds ways to do prophetic and renewing work in current moments for racial justice, and how we can listen to and come alongside community and national leaders to show up together for racial justice.

This event was facilitated by the Rev. Denise Anderson, former co-moderator of the 222nd General Assembly of the PC(USA), coordinator of Racial and Intercultural Justice; Samantha Davis, founder and executive director of Black Swan Academy; the Rev. Kamal Hassan, pastor of Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Calif.; Chanelle Helm, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Louisville; the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Helsel, associate professor of homiletics at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and Dr. William Yoo, associate professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary.

• Watch the recorded video
• Presbyterian special committee discusses race and reparations with Mark Lomax

Presbyterian Justice Week of ActionOn August 24-30th there will be a Presbyterian Justice Week of Action. This endeavor is structured to provide a public witness that facilitates education, visibility, and action that reinforces our PC(USA) statements and policy around the support of eradicating racism and acknowledging that God loves all Black lives. By joining together as national staff and the greater church, we hope to provide faithful leadership in the area of justice, love, and equality within our denomination and communities. Presbytery of San Francisco is participating in this event: Link to Event | Schedule of Events

Invitation to Dismantle Structural Racism

We are called to lead – to create space for God’s purpose to manifest. What do we do now? How do we learn, connect and engage the work required to dismantle structural racism. You are invited into action in the following ways:

• Although the the 21-Day race Challenge ^© is over, we encourage you to take it alone. Click here.
  • View the recording of our 21-Day Gathering and Discussion from 7/26
  • Download 21-Day Challenge Powerpoint Presentation from 7/26
• Participate in “The White Love Project” (This project seeks to deal with the spiritual and emotional traumas of white supremacy by exploring love, as an opposing framework to hate.)
• Support Black-owned Businesses and other important Organizations focused on Racial Justice and Equity:
  • Directory of Black-owned businesses
  • Directory of local Black-owned restaurants courtesy of Soleil Ho of SF Chronicle
  • Occur Community Capacity Building Organization.
  • Black Earth Farms
  • East Oakland Collective
  • Equal Justice Society
  • PolicyLink
  • Roots Community Health Center
  • YouthUprising

We Can’t Breathe Virtual Vigil

On June 21st (Freedom) Sunday, we joined together for the We Can’t Breathe Virtual Vigil, led by Rev. Kamal Hassan

We are grateful to have gathered in this sacred time to share in Lamentation, Learning and Leading. We encourage you to share and reflect on this work towards Racial Justice and Equity, and to use the resources that we will continue to have available for the work.

We Can’t Breathe Virtual Vigil Information:

• We Can’t Breathe Virtual Vigil Video
• PowerPoint Presentation
• 3 Videos Shared during the Vigil:
  • What is Juneteenth?
  • Tulsa Race Riot
  • White Love Project

Presbytery Letter: In Solidarity with Black Lives

“. . . if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” – John 20:23

Beyond the Covid19 pandemic, as we watch what is unfolding before us in cities across the United States, we know that the sin of racism is alive and continues to be “retained” in our society. In the past week, we all have been witnesses, again of a Black man dying at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve, but misuse this as power instead. In the past few months, we have witnessed more Black lives taken from us at the hands of others in power. The ones we know about include George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. And there are more that we don’t know about because they were not recorded by those who witnessed it. Every day Black Americans face spiritual, psychological and physical deaths at the hands of those in power. Racism is alive and it even exists here in the Bay Area, known as one of the most liberal places in America.

RAISING OUR VOICES

Response from Mary Jane Gordon, Co-Moderator, Presbytery of San Francisco

My initial reaction to the George Floyd killing was one of dismay. I couldn’t believe that a man’s life was snuffed out by an unmerciful policeman in spite of the man’s cries for help. Then my mind flashed back to the mid-sixties when police dogs and firehoses were unleashed on peaceful protesters and I thought this can’t still be happening over fifty years later.

What’s Going On? by Rochelle R. Shaw, Stated Clerk, Presbytery of San Francisco

I want to share my feelings about what’s going on.

I posted this on my Facebook page when I awoke the day after George Floyd’s murder was revealed: “Lord have mercy! Please! Please watch over and PROTECT ALL our African American sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews and family members. (To my sons) Eric and Daniel Shaw we taught you all your life what you must do to survive. Watch over and teach your sons how to protect themselves. This behavior is so wrong and frightening.”

Sobre George Floyd: Letter from PSF Latino Brothers and Sisters.

As leaders of churches, congregations and new communities of worship (NWC’s), of the Presbytery of San Francisco, we stand in solidarity with you, our African American brothers and sisters from this presbytery and beyond. We join together with you as allies in your pain, sadness, mourning, despair and anger in this time of chaos and injustice. At the same time we condemn the brutal and disgusting murder of George Floyd (05/25/2020) and so many other people of African descent, at the hands of police officers in the service of an unjust, and clearly racist, criminal justice system.

In This Moment By Rev. Dr. Arlene W. Gordon

I am a retired African American Presbyterian Pastor. In this time of pain and sadness over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, and the state of our nation at this moment. The tears will not stop. The pain will not go away because it is a constant reminder of the many years I have been praying, striving and longing for justice for my people. My hearts aches. It is difficult to realize, having grown up in VA during the years of the Civil Rights Movement, that this moment feels like more of the same. I am angry! I am upset! I am sad! I am furious! I am disgusted! I feel helpless! My soul cries out in the words of the Psalmist: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? . . .”How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?” (Psalm 13)

Rev. John Adams, from Elmhurst PC in Oakland – We Stand In Victory Together
Michael Kim-Eubanks of Bethel Presbyterian – “Just a Few”