Bahai Community Billy Roberts Billy Roberts was born in 1951 in Boston, MA before moving to Los Angeles. He attended the University of Massachusetts, where he became a Baha'i, and later trained as a therapist. In 1987, Billy started the Baha’i “Black Men’s Gatherings” to encourage Baha’i men of African descent.
Bahai Community Racism and constructive resilience African-Americans have always understood that it’s very hard to simply become racist in response to acts of hatred.
Bahai Community Creating the Black Men’s Gathering I didn’t see enough African-American men active in the Baha’i community and I began to ask why.
Bahai Community A Liberian reunion in Ghana We walked in and there was an uproar at the back – a group of young men said “We know him!”
Bahai Community Robin Chandler Robin Chandler was born in Boston, Massachusetts became a Baha’i at university. Her family background includes African-American, Cherokee and Scottish ancestry. Robin is an artist, sociologist, author and speaker and is active in race unity work across the United States.
Bahai Community A hotbed of political activity My sense of how to be a person and a Baha’i moved me to leave a legacy behind.
Bahai Community American Baha’is & heavenly training Abdu’l-Baha came to the United States at the turn of the 20th century – like a first responder.
Bahai Community The behaviors needed for change The Baha’i writings defined “implicit bias” 70 years before Harvard came up with the idea.
Racial Identity Racism at home and abroad South African Baha’is of different races would meet and be visited by the police.
Bahai Community Nancy Wong Nancy Wong was born in 1969 in Minnesota and became a Baha’i through a childhood friend. Her parents had emigrated from Hong Kong. Nancy first became aware of race in the US because of racist customers at her family’s Chinese restaurant. Today she works as a photographer and youth worker in Chicago.
Racial Discrimination Turning anger into search My interest in social issues and injustice was my soul searching for answers and the truth.
Bahai Community Unity in diversity Nature understands it – there’s so much diversity just in plant life but it all works together.
Slavery in America Facing up to a legacy of entitlement I was impressed when Bahai friends from European backgrounds weren’t afraid to acknowledge their own slave-owner ancestors.
Bahai Community Larry & Lurenza McGhee Larry McGhee was born in 1952, became a Baha'i as a young man and worked as an academic counsellor. He introduced the Baha'i faith to Lurenza when they met. Lurenza Wesley McGhee was born in 1972 and has worked in behavioral sciences research and education administration.
Bahai Community Finding a husband and a new religion This handsome young lad introduced me to the Baha’i faith – I was overjoyed when I became a Baha’i.
Bahai Community Maya Mansour Maya Mansour was born to African-American and Iranian-Palestinian parents, and grew up in the Baha'i community. She received her BA from Evergreen State College, where she studied the intersection of the art world and the prison system.
Bahai Community African-Americans and Iranian Baha'is are both treated unjustly Maya Mansour: Tahirih was the first woman to be incarcerated in Persia.
Bahai Community Ken Bowers Ken Bowers currently serves as a member of the national governing body of the Baha'is of the United States. He was born into a Baha'i family in Harrisonburg, VA, in the years just before the Civil Rights Movement.
Bahai Community Growing up as a white Baha'i in a segregated world Ken Bowers: Growing up, everybody in our Baha’i community, black and white, was my family.
Bahai Community Building Building community to achieve race unity Ken Bowers: We're challenged to think consciously about the implications of justice and of building a united community.
Bahai Community June & Richard Thomas Richard Thomas, born in 1939 in Detroit, MI, became a Baha'i after his Navy service, and is professor of history at Michigan State University. June Manning Thomas was born in Orangeburg, SC, in 1950, became a Baha'i through Richard, and is professor of urban planning at the University of Michigan.
Bahai Religion From South Carolina to Michigan My church was filled with Civil Rights protestors – one of them said I should explore the Baha’i faith.
Bahai Community Leaving home If you’ve been in a black church you know how dynamic it is – leaving it for an inter-racial community was traumatic.
Bahai Community Growing up as a Civil Rights warrior The Baha’i community taught racial unity and they also lived it – which was the goal of the Civil Rights movement.
Bahai Community Abdu’l-Baha in America The head of the Baha’i faith visited the United States in 1912 and described blacks and whites as sapphires and pearls.
