Courageous Conversations

In the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown, Jr. in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri an interracial group of leaders from churches in our community came together to address racial issues that we were concerned about as people of faith. We made the decision to dedicate 3 hours on two Saturdays each month to share our experiences and perceptions about racial issues with the goal to develop mutual understanding, trust, and hopes for creating better race relations in our town. This sharing of personal histories and experiences with racial issues led to ongoing racial equity and justice initiative that we called Courageous Conversations Georgetown. Over the next several years, our Courageous Conversations group expanded when we invited other community leaders and citizens to participate with us in community racial awareness forums, cultural competency training, book reads on racial topics, and action teams aimed at addressing issues regarding race that impact public safety, affordable housing, public education, living wages, as well as community debates about removing our local Confederate monument from the county courthouse lawn and confronting white supremacy.  I have served on the leadership team of this racial equity and justice organization with a focus on affordable housing and living wage initiatives, along with addressing racial awareness issues around Confederate monuments and telling the historical truth about race matters.

Over the past seven years, our Courageous Conversations initiative has made significant strides in raising the awareness and engagement of our local community in racial equity and justice issues. This organization is guided by a Core Team of volunteers representing a variety of faith communities, non-profit partners, educators, and community activists who come together each month to address ongoing racial justice matters that emerge in our community.

The mission of Courageous Conversations Georgetown is “to promote a culture of justice and compassion in Georgetown for people of all races; and economic, religious and ethnic identities”.
The Vision of Courageous Conversations Georgetown is “to create locally the Beloved Community of compassion characterized by cross-cultural communication, collaboration, celebration, and courage” as expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our ongoing work is guided by this affirmation inspired by Dr. King-

I refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events which surround
us.
I refuse to believe that we are so bound to racism and war, that peace,
brotherhood and sisterhood are not possible.
I believe that there is an urgent need for people to overcome oppression and
violence, without resorting to violence and oppression.
I believe that we need to discover a way to live together in peace, a way which
rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of this way is
love.
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word
in reality. I believe that right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil
triumphant.
I believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies,
education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for
their spirits.
I believe that what self-centered people have torn down, other-centered
people can build up.
By the goodness of God at work within people, I believe that brokenness can
be healed, “And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and everyone
will sit under their own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid.”

You can learn more about Courageous Conversations Georgetown at:
https://courageousconversationsgtx.com/