Looking at Racism in Social and Cultural Constructs

Along the Path to Accountability

Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley writes "Our first task in approaching another people, another culture is to take off our shoes, for the place we are approaching is holy." Cornrows, Kwanzaa and Confusion: The Dilemma of Cultural Racism and Misappropriation

In Unitarian Universalist (UU) worship and ceremony, is the the integration of rituals, symbols, and ideas of other traditions affecting those whose traditions are being "borrowed"? To learn more read Reckless Borrowing or Appropriate Cultural Sharing?

Who owns a particular musical or cultural tradition? Who has the right to invite others to participate? Once invited, must a person seek permission again and again in order to bring that tradition into her or his own life? The Reverend Jason Shelton asks these and other questions in A Perspective on Music and Cultural Misappropriation.

Are we aware of how we are using the words and symbols of other cultures? Building relationships can be key to understanding. UU voices reflect on When Worship Becomes Cultural Misappropriation