Equal Justice Initiative

Reflections from our February 2023 trip to Alabama

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Thu, 2023-03-23 09:49

The four of us traveled to Montogmery and Selma and honored Stacia Robinson's appointment to the cabinet level postion of Director, Governor's Office Minority Affairs & Economic Development. My three guests shared their reflections.

Lawrese Brown

I left Montgomery, Alabama on Sunday, February 26th thinking…

Black people were given symbolic rights with the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, but  no ability to protect their rights in America's legal or government systems.

Tags: 
Alabama
Stacia Robinson
Equal Justice Initiative
Kim Smith
Alabama State University
HSBCU*
Michelle Browder
Selma Center for Non-Violence

Reflections from November Trip to Alabama

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Sun, 2020-02-02 18:39

A third group of women traveled with me in November to visit Selma and Montgomery. Their personal reflections are both sobering and inspiring. Our photo above on the last evening in Montgomery includes our guests at dinner, each of whom is a leader and a change agent.

From Chris Cheesman

This was my first time to the "deep south". I have traveled to many cities in the US, Asia, Europe, Australia, etc., but I have never been to the deep south in the US.

Tags: 
Selma
Montgomery
Alabama
Equal Justice Initiative
Rosa Parks Museum

Reflections from our July Trip to Alabama

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Tue, 2019-08-13 00:39

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. 

                                                                                                                                    — Maya Angelou

A second group of six women arrived in Selma and Montgomery on July 23, and by the time we left on July 25, we were changed  -– forever. Here are brief excerpts from our reflections upon returning home. A longer version has been shared with the twenty incredible women we met during our time in Alabama.

Tags: 
racism
social justice
Equal Justice Initiative
Black Belt Community Foundation
healing

Refuting 'The Downside of Diversity' My Letter to the Wall Street Journal

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Sat, 2019-08-10 00:06

The Wall Street Journal published a shortened version of my letter to the editor August 9-10, 2019 refuting Kronman's 'The Downside of Diversity' here. In case you cannot access it, here is the unedited version:

Mr. Kronman’s “The Downside of Diversity” August 3-4, 2019 is cleverly constructed to convince, but also ignores America’s own history. Diversity is not the equivalent of identity politics, much as that would help him convince us.

Tags: 
diversity
racial justice
social justice
Equal Justice Initiative
Morehouse College

Principle Quest in Alabama July 2019

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Mon, 2019-07-22 14:12

Another goup of seven of us are headed to Selma and Montgomery for three days this July to gain invaluable insights from many generous women who have once again offered wonderful introductions and a warm welcome! Our hoped for outcomes are even more ambitious, and we plan to report on this second experience once we return. This list of podcasts, books and articles prepared us for our trip, and here is the report from our April 2019 trip.

Tags: 
Selma
Jake Williams
Montgomery Tours
JDB Hospitaity
Black Belt Community Foundation
Montgomery Chamber of Commerce
EJI.org
Legacy Museum
National Memorial for Peace and Justice
Equal Justice Initiative
Rosa Parks Museum

Next Steps for Principle Quest - Why and When

Submitted by Charlotte Beyer
on Sun, 2019-05-05 11:00

I grew up in Dallas in the 1950’s, during the Jim Crow era. When I was 8 years old, I walked with our housekeeper’s daughter, who was Black, to the local drugstore to buy a soda. We were told by a not-so-nice waitress to get off the stools at the counter. Feeling shame and hurt, we walked home in silence. I did not know how to act or what to say. I told no one about this.

Growing up a girl in Dallas back then had other restrictions. I was supposed to be pretty, dress in frills, and not be too smart.

Tags: 
Principles & Skills of Loving
Equal Justice Initiative
Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire
Black Belt Community Foundation
Powered by Drupal