Racism in America Accepting that racism is a system Less than 10% of people on the planet control about 80% of the world’s wealth – and the majority are of European descent.
Racial Identity Hold on, just a little while longer I began to understand the oneness of religion after an old Czech woman told me she knew my grandmother in her heart.
Bahai Religion From Christian to Baha’i – via Christ In the Bible we’re told to watch and pray, that Christ will come again like a thief in the night.
Bahai Community Learning to pray in a diverse community Worship is an intimate act – you’re opening your heart to encounter the divine in the presence of others.
Bahai Community Filling institutions with the spirit of oneness The Baha’i teachings say it’s mandatory for our spirits and hearts to eradicate racism.
Bahai Religion A fountain of light Baha’u’llah says people of African descent are the “pupil of the eye” – it has caused me to reflect on my role in this world.
Racial Unity Taking the medicine If we had prejudice before, we’re going to have it as Baha’is. The difference is we’ve agreed to work it out.
Bahai Community Carol Mansour Carol Mansour was born in 1957 in Indianapolis, IN, in a religious Christian household and had little interaction with white Americans throughout her childhood. She worked as a broadcast journalist and met the
Segregation in America The only way to get to heaven My church and community were so segregated that I was in high school before realizing the world wasn't mostly black.
Racism in America A lack of diversity The national conversation on race wasn't on my radar when I was growing up.
Bahai Community A variety of races What attracted me was the Baha’i principle to actively work for the elimination of prejudice.
Interracial Relationships Giving God a deadline I met Suhail and it was mutual disinterest at first sight. But when he hugged me I thought, “I could get used to this.”
Bahai Community Building The opposite of love isn't hate - it's apathy If truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues, what does it look like to apply that to eliminating racial prejudice?
Bahai Religion Resolving racism for the good of all humanity The Baha’i writings say if we don’t address racism then the world will have nowhere to turn during its great turmoil.
Bahai Community Karen Streets Anderson Karen Streets Anderson, born in 1960, grew up in a Baha’i family. Her paternal grandparents were African-Americans, but could have "passed" as white; their choice to identify as African-Americans shaped Karen's own life. Today she lives in Nashville, TN, and is active in race unity work.
Bahai Community A choice for the ages My grandparents could have passed for white – but they were proud of being African-Americans and were active in Civil Rights.
Racial Identity Committed to the truth My fourth-grade teacher referred to First Nations people as “savages” – my mother then told him to get his facts straight.
Bahai Community Finding hope in a hopeless time Growing up in a Baha’i family in the 1960s gave me hope – otherwise I wouldn’t believe there could be justice for people of color.
Racial Unity What people think black people do I was an intellectual – my school didn't know how to handle somebody who wasn’t stereotypically black.
Racial Discrimination Trading in white privilege The border official couldn’t believe my white fiancee and I were getting married. We had to show him the wedding dress.
Racism in America Moving to the South Living in Tallahassee was one of my most difficult experiences – I had never experienced racism in that way.
Bahai Community Living the integrated life The Baha’i community in Nashville was a third black, a third white and a third Iranian. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
Bahai Community How Baha’i institutions can address race A high number of African-Americans get elected to our Local Spiritual Assembly – and the majority of voters are Iranians.
Bahai Community Building Being the change We saw that more of our African-American brothers and sisters engaged as we educated ourselves about race in America.
Racial Identity Mothers of black sons You have to be a warrior to raise black children in America today.
