Last month, PIIN was joined by more than 225 individuals for a community hearing on racism, equity, and policing at St. James AME Church. Our time together underscored the importance and necessity of the faith community beginning a frank and honest conversation about dismantling structural racism in our nation and our communities.

On August 18th, we took the conversation one step further by hosting A Deeper Dive into Structural Racism & Inequity. Led by Dr. Rev. John Welch, Gamaliel’s Board Chair, we took a closer look at the discriminatory framework of racism that our Republic was founded upon. This racism, interwoven into the very fabric of America, gave birth to policies that disenfranchised Indians, Asians, and African Americans. Today, its impact is felt in housing and employment practices, transportation and education policies, and mass incarceration.

We know our work is far from finished, but we are thankful to those who attended and listened as we traced the origins of race and discussed its present-day impact.