At the core of American racism is the belief that the things we the Blacks desire, the fact that we the Blacks desire, are perversions.

I do not believe the acts of oppressors are my people's shame.

I was born nine years after four little girls were killed in Birmingham, Alabama, and two other boys later the same day.

We teach girls to be likeable, to be nice, to be false. And we do not teach boys the same. This is dangerous.

Sometimes, there is no reprieve from the pain of this world. Sometimes, it is too big and too obvious to ignore.

The drug that says that whiteness is what matters most about white people is what makes so many of them think that is what must be protected at all costs.

Black men are not a species. They, you, belong to humanity.

It is now, when we are called to act on our values, not to hide, not to fear, but to be bold and loud.

Arm's length: What was once a defensive or suspicious expression has now become a gesture of care, an indication of love and protection.

We light this chalice to kindle a flame of warmth as a reminder of the connection that draws us in to a community that opens us up.

Like the sun moving toward the shortest day, each moment arises—and is gone before we know it.

Tip if you are video recording this story: you can have a clip of an adult stretching out their arm in one direction, then another clip of a different adult stretching out their arm in the other direction, so that when you edit it, it looks like they are stretching towards each other. It would be...

I feel disoriented when I’m in a new place or situation and can’t figure out whether the rules are real or imaginary.

May this chalice light guide us toward the courageous and openhearted apology, toward repair of relationships in our lives.

It’s important to honor the footprint others leave on our heart.

In these days of so much uncertainty, may we choose honesty over comfort, love over complacency, and truth over convenience.

Life is political, not because the world cares about how you feel, but because the world reacts to what you do.

None of us would be here were it not for those who lived and won a fight that they were not meant to survive.

When we feel overwhelmed, we gather to find a path, to find new ways forward.