Jul 27 2017 36 mins
A few months ago I had the opportunity, along with 1500 others, to hear Dr. Takiyah Nur Amin on a panel discussion representing BLUU, Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism. Our Unitarian Universalist denomination is courageously discussing its past and present participation, along with the rest of America and religion, in white supremacy. BLUU is critical in helping our organization get woke.
Three weeks later at the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in New Orleans, after we had recorded this interview online, I had the very brief opportunity to swap a quick, real-life hug with Takiyah after a panel discussion she was leading. She was super busy but, of course, I had to say hello!
You will certainly be able to tell from this interview that Takiyah has a very sharp mind and a very gracious heart. If that sounds like the making of a great faith leader, teacher, and social justice advocate then I would have to agree with you. But there's at least one more important ingredient that's important, passion around at least one subject. And she's got passion! About what? It's better if I let her tell you in her own words in the interview.
Notes from the interview:
Hypervisibility and misrecognition (Melissa Harris Perry), 'when you're a black person in the room, everyone sees you but they don't really know what they're looking at.'
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman
"I don't believe that you can teach people who you don't love." - Takiyah Nur Amin
"Maybe none of us deserves anything but we're all worthy of everything." - Takiyah Nur Amin
Links:
Sponsor: United Faith Leaders
Unitarian Universalist Association
Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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