Love The Neighbors

*Webmasters Note - this article was submitted by Melinda DiCarlo & Kris Morris however our website editor only allows one Author to be shown per piece in the byline.

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

As followers of Christ, we work to build bridges of love in our community, so everyone can live safely and in peace. On Tuesday, January 14, eight members of St. John’s attended the Community Response to Hate Forum at the YWCA Center for Racial Equity & Inclusion. Leaders from the community, including Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, Police Chief Scott Dempsey and US Attorney William Thompson, discussed an incident involving a white supremacist group that marched in Charleston last spring to intimidate those involved in the YWCA’s Race to End Racism. Discussion included response by law enforcement and city government at the time of the incident and since. People shared reactions to the event, including some gut-level responses of terror, which is what this hate group intended to inflict. How can we help our neighbors? The answer we heard to that question is: show up, stand with our neighbors of color.

The following Sunday, January 19, Shante Ellis, YWCA Racial Equity & Inclusion Director, braved the snow to address Connected Communities at St. John’s. Eliminating racism is one of two goals of the YWCA. The Center where Tuesday’s forum was held is one year old. They conduct sessions, do training, and offer other activities that support racial justice. Their next big community activity is the Race to End Racism, scheduled April 26, 2025.

Let’s show up for our friends.