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Why Beloved Community: Alisha S. Keig
Unfortunately, I found out later, as we all eventually do, that I wasn’t told the whole truth about racism-which isn’t fair. I found out people misuse and decontextualize Dr. King’s speeches to silence people like me (young people, Black people, women, and others at the margin fighting for change) and discourage our involvement in civics.
Why Beloved Community.
I was drawn to Beloved and I remain at Beloved because I believe that this organization is a manifestation of Baldwin’s sentiment: “The place that I fit will not exist until I make it.”
Why Our Team is Going on Sabbatical This Month.
Our team at Beloved Community is going on sabbatical together. Not a retreat, not an internal strategy reflection, but a collective rest for the month of February.
What the Royal Team is Reading on Sabbatical
As we mindfully prepare to enter a period of rest and recharge, we here at Beloved have posed to ourselves, “How will I know when I am resting? When I am truly taking a break to recharge?” In response, a number of us on the Royal Team named “reading” as a way we know rest. As such, we joyfully share with you the books we look forward to diving into during our sabbatical as well as books with which we’ve had an ongoing love affair. We also share with you the names of a few Black-owned bookstores that we know, love, and seek to support in our communities.
What We Learned: Memphis, TN Equity at Work Cohort 2019-2020
In August of 2019, Beloved Community launched our Memphis Equity at Work Cohort which concluded in February of 2020. This 6 month series included 8 Memphis non-profit organizations: All Memphis, Building Memphis, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Arts Memphis, The Commons, Innovate Memphis, Momentum Nonprofit Partners, The Orpheum.
Sending Love to Lake Charles: Donations & Other Support Programs.
In this moment, we are sending abundant love and support to the folx in Lake Charles and the surrounding area. Ten people were killed and dozens of homes were damaged after Hurricane Laura moved ashore as a Category 4 storm just days ago.
International Youth Day: The Kids Are Alright But How Can We Support Them To Be Even Better ?
Celebrating 30 Years of ADA While Continuing Forward.
Today marks 30 years since the American Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted. This milestone was the first of its kind to prohibit employment, transportation, telecommunication, or public space discrimination based on a person’s mental or physical disability status. One of the most revolutionary aspects of the ADA is that it created tangible workplace rights for people with disabilities. Although this was particularly radical for its time, we still remain quite far from true equity for people with disabilities in 2020.
The Erasure of Black Women From History Needs to Stop.
Today is the 106th birthday of Thurgood Marshall, who was not only the first African American Supreme Court Justice but an integral figure in the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education. And although he is a triumphant leader in the outlawing of segregation, many people fail to realize that he did not do this alone. In fact, he likely would not have received such great recognition without the works of a revolutionary civil rights feminist, Pauli Murray.
Pride Isn't About Parades or Rainbows.
Don’t forget, the first pride was a riot. As we celebrate queerness and pride month we must uphold our black and brown trans community as the foundation and direct reason for our progress.