This holiday season I had the bittersweet experience of standing-room-only, balcony-full crowds in our sanctuary. While this sounds like what every pastor wants, the circumstances make all the difference. And this was not what I wanted.
The first time was Wednesday, December 22 for the funeral of 19-year-old Tyrice Spencer, shot outside a basketball game at Clyde C. Miller. Spencer was a member of Resurrection Temple, led by my friend the Rev. Kevin Anthony.
The second was Thursday, December 30 for the PASS THE MIC Youth Town Hall on Violence convened by a growing coalition of activists, religious leaders, attorneys and youth. This was unfortunately the same day 17-year-old Ranisha Cole was eulogized and Orlando Willis, a 16-year-old student, died from the Christmas Day shootings at The Pulse.
While the outpouring of loving support was as compelling as the crowds, both gatherings were prefaced and perpetuated by pain in the community.
Sitting in the community forum to discuss ways to reduce these shootouts, I was reminded of the words of my grandfather: “There are only three things you’ve gotta do in this life: find your place, get in your place and stay in your place.” Perhaps this simple philosophy could help us by first reducing some of the infighting, operational disunity, organizational distrust and competitive striving between non-profits and religious sects working to turn around our community.
Collaboration was modeled for us in the civil rights era. As Dennis Dickerson illustrates in his biography of Urban League leader Whitney Young, heads of the leading organizations were in constant public and back-channel communication to leverage the most from the country’s leaders. Often this meant purposefully marginalizing one group to push leaders into the arms of another, all to benefit the movement.
A contemporary, local effort must begin by assessing all partners’ strengths and weaknesses. So, inspired by the civil rights example and utilizing the method of Dr. Robert Franklin in Crisis in the Village, in order to make transformative change in the trend of violence, key leaders and organizations must “find their place”: in the streets, sanctuary, structure or support.
One of my Jewish brothers said a coalition with which I worked included people he called anti-Semitic. I suggested that when it comes to the door-to-door, street-level work of disarming dangerous figures in our neighborhoods, “the Nation is willing, the Church is weak and the Jewish community is absent.”
Perhaps the leaders in the streets should be brothers and sisters from the Muslim community. They have a unique credibility with gang-affiliated youth, ex-offenders and distressed urban communities. While others will be needed, this group has the current position to lead. They will also need to restrain from attempts to lead in areas where they are not best-positioned.
My place in the coalition as a Christian leader was to provide sanctuary. Of the people in the coalition, I had access to the largest venue. Similarly, no entity in the black community has more real estate in distressed areas than the church. By opening our doors, real impact can be made. It allows access to the broadest swath of African Americans who remain faithful to the church as their source for faith formation and resource for counsel.
Structure is best provided by longstanding, reputable non-profit agencies with interests squarely tied to communal transformation. There is no need for another not-for-profit “competitor” in the “marketplace.” A sole entity with established infrastructure for fiscal management, expertise in social work program delivery, and credibility with corporate and governmental sources can be identified as the administrative agent. Viable potential organizations include the Urban League, Grace Hill, Neighborhood Houses, Better Family Life and Human Development Corporation.
Finally, any successful effort must be informed by research, fully-funded and facilitated by favorable legislation. These are roles of support to be filled by academia, corporations, philanthropic individuals and elected officials.
Washington University is a leading research institution and home to a school of social work, institute for public service and center on religion and politics. We have one of the most generous corporate communities and largest black philanthropic initiatives in the nation. And, while the mayor seems deaf to the cries of children with gunshot wounds and their parents’ grief, the presence of several aldermen at the forum and offers from our state senator provide glimpses of hope.
My grandfather didn’t see the reality of struggles like ours, but his wisdom may very well be helpful. We have the resources, power and strength to resolve these painful issues if we check our egos and get in our places.
The Rev. Starsky D. Wilson is pastor and teacher for Saint John’s United Church of Christ, a progressive congregation in North St. Louis.
