21-DAY YOUTH, RACE, FAITH, & MOORE CHALLENGE©
Curated by Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Christian Antwi, Michelle Thomas-Bush, Adam Alexander, Brian Shivers,
Genie Richards, and Vance Stiles
©2014-2024 All Rights Reserved America & Moore, LLC
“It is impossible to do Christian theology with integrity in America without asking the question, What has the gospel to do with the Black struggle for liberation?”
– Rev. Dr. James Cone
The Christian Church, for many, has been seen as a catalyst for justice and righteousness across the United States. After all, the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement was grounded in the Church. Leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, Rep. John Lewis, and Rosa Parks cite Christian theology and biblical teachings as influencing factors in their fight for equity.
Though, for many others, the Christian Church has dominated and oppressed. Enslaved peoples were forced to abandon their identities and adopt the faith. The bible was even used to continue the enslavement of our Black and Brown neighbors.
No human institution is perfect, the Church is no exception. The good news is that we are in the midst of an opportunity to use the Gospel as a means of anti-racist liberation and education in our own lives. As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught, “Our goal is to create a Beloved Community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”
READ
LISTEN
Access most where you listen to podcasts
MUSIC
Gil Scott Heron, “The Revolution will not be Televised”
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Otis Redding, “Change Gonna Come”
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Billie Holliday, “Strange Fruit”
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Marvin Gaye, “What’s Goin’ On”
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Terrain, “Let Love Lead”
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Buffalo Springfield, “For What It’s Worth”
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Michael Jackson, “Black or White”
Janis Ian, “Society’s Child (Baby, I’ve Been Thinking)”
James Brown, “Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud”
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Beyonce, “Freedom”
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Liz Vice, “Empty Me Out”
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The Porter’s Gate, “Daughters of Zion”
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The Porter’s Gate, “We Labour Unto Glory”
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TobyMac, “Diverse City”
Kirk Franklin, “Revolution”
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Kirk Franklin, “Strong God”
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Lecrae, “Tell the World”
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Chance the Rapper, “How Great”
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David Lamotte, “God of the Movement and Martyrs”
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The Many, “These Bodies”
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The Many, “Let Justice Rain”
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WORDS:
Spoken
Poetry
Sermons
Langston Hughes “Kids who Die” (read by Danny Glover)
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Sterling Brown “Old Lem”
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Brian Shivers Untitled- June 24th
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Brian Shivers Unpacking Stories
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Morgan Harper Poetry
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Friends – Spoken Word
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Sarah Ogletree “From Domination to Dominion”
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MLK JR “Mountaintop Sermon”
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William Barber “Preaching is more than Words”
WATCH
CONNECT
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow racial justice activists, educators, organizations, and movements on social media. (You can explore posts without having an account.) Consider connecting with any of the people or organizations you learn from other actions.
Pro Tip: Check out who these organizations follow, quote, share, and retweet to find more people and organizations to follow.
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Clint Smith on Twitter @ClintSmithIII
Antiracism Center @antiracismctr (Twitter, Instagram)
Audre Lorde Project @audrelorde (Twitter) @audrelordeproject (Instagram)
Black Women’s Blueprint @BlackWomensBP (Twitter)
@blackwomensblueprint (Instagram)
Color of Change @colorofchange (Twitter and Instagram)
Colorlines @colorlines (Twitter) @colorlinesnews (Instagram)
The Conscious Kid @consciouskidlib (Twitter) @consciouskid (Instagram)
Equal Justice Initiative @ej
ENGAGE & ACT
Engagement can be the hardest part for people new to racial justice work. Engaging in racially mixed settings can trigger age-old power and privilege dynamics. The goal is to be a learner, more than a know-er, exactly the opposite of what dominant US culture teaches us to be.
How to confront racism with the people you are close with
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Research which businesses in your area are black owned and transfer one weekly purchase to that business
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Engage with your friends and family who are of voting age. Are they registered to vote? Have they voted? Engage with them to make sure they are registered and will be voting! Use vote.gov to figure out your state’s details!
Who to call for action
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Pick a local bill or issue to make your representative more aware of and send them a letter using these guidelines
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Community Building within your High School:
Become a member of the National Museum of African American History and Culture to help elevate the African American experience to its rightful place at the center of our nation’s history and culture
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Stop the Hate – Take action against Racism Resources
REFLECT & STAY INSPIRED
WHY REFLECT
Difficult emotions––such as shame and anger––though uncomfortable to feel, can guide you to deeper self-awareness about how power and privilege impacts you and the people in your life.
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Reflecting and journaling enhances learning. By using a 21-Day Reflect tool each day, you discover how much you are actually understanding and making meaning. It helps you to transform your personal experience into a learning experience, and thus build your racial equity habits.
WAYS TO STAY INSPIRED
Disrupting white supremacy, white privilege, and other forms of oppression can be emotionally taxing and exhausting. You will need to fuel up to stay in the work. We offer ideas to explore through the link below.
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Helpful Articles:
Youth, Faith, Race & Moore Edition Reflections:
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