Poems for Pride: i love you to the moon &

Poems for Pride Month
Celebrate Pride Month by reading and sharing poems highlighting LGBTQ voices and experiences from Poets.org
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i love you to the moon &

not back, let’s not come back, let’s go by the speed of 
queer zest & stay up 
there & get ourselves a little 
moon cottage (so pretty), then start a moon garden 

Chen Chen is the author of When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities (BOA Editions, 2017).

Chen Chen is the author of When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities (BOA Editions, 2017).

with lots of moon veggies (so healthy), i mean 
i was already moonlighting 
as an online moonologist 
most weekends, so this is the immensely 

logical next step, are you 
packing your bags yet, don’t forget your 
sailor moon jean jacket, let’s wear 
our sailor moon jean jackets while twirling in that lighter, 

queerer moon gravity, let’s love each other 
(so good) on the moon, let’s love 
the moon        
on the moon

Social Justice Saturday: Culturally Responsive Teaching Resource

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and Reflection in Higher Education is now available in paperback. The essays explore the challenges and opportunities in creating a socially just and inclusive learning environment in colleges and universities. Rather than a list of “right answers,” authors integrate personal reflections and questions to engage readers in a critical discussion of issues related to social justice and inclusion.

The book includes chapters by a diverse group of authors and a variety of perspectives. A valuable resource for learning and reflection for educators in many settings.

Social Justice Saturday: What About Reparations?

There has long been talk about reparations our country needs to make to “re-pair” the inhumanity and damage done to black people, beginning with over two centuries of enslavement and continual racist policies. What exactly are reparations? Why are reparations controversial?

Here are two contemporary voices that address these questions.

Anthony Bogues, from the Choices Program, Brown University

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, speaking at the Brookings Institute

Social Justice Saturday: Reflections on Mother's Day

St. John’s sponsored an enthusiastic team of walkers for the Louis D. Brown Walk for Peace, and raised over the pledged amount for this important local organization. In doing so, they reflected the original vision for Mother’s Day. 

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 Julia Ward Howe, who wrote "Battle Hymn of the Republic," first imagined a “Mothers Day.”  Her call, in 1870, after witnessing the brutality and pain of the Civil War, was to urge women to act for peace. She wanted women to come together across national lines, to recognize what women hold in common above what divides them, and commit to finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts.  As she wrote:

 Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn

All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country,

Will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

If we want to truly celebrate and honor women, we would do well to draw on the sentiments that led to the establishment of such a day—that all women are valuable, that women on various sides of political issues or on various sides of a border have more in common than they hold in differences. Such sentiments are core to the success of the annual Walk for Peace.

 

Social Justice Saturday - Join us for the 2021 Mother's Day Walk for Peace

Learn more about the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute:

Darin Howell's Peace

Institute Story

How does the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute impact people's lives? Here the story of Darin Howell and why he walked to support the Peace Institute in 2018.

Darin Howell Shares his story

JOIN US FOR THE MOTHER’S DAY WALK FOR PEACE!

Mother’s Day is a week from this Sunday! It’s also the day for the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. The St John’s walk team will be walking locally in small groups of family or friends. (Walking is encouraged, but not required.) You can follow this link to register (or make a donation to the walk as a part of the St John’s walk team):

http://tinyurl.com/MDwalkreg

When you register select St John’s Church Jamaica Plain from the “credit this event to a fundraiser” drop down menu at the bottom of the online registration form.

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St John’s has set a goal of raising $1500 and we are about halfway to reaching our goal.

Those who register will receive information on activities they can do every day between now and Mother’s Day to support their mental health and to build support for the Walk and the Peace Institute.

We look forward to walking with you (virtually) and appreciate your continued support for the work of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.

Signed,

Members of the St John’s Social Justice Team

Social Justice Saturday: What Racism Costs Everyone

AN OPEN INVITATION TO A BOOK DISCUSSION FROM ST JOHN’S SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUP

The Social Justice Group is sponsoring a Book Discussion focusing on Heather McGhee’s book entitled The Sum of Us:  What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together.  Below are the details for the book group meetings, and following that, we’ve offered some links to more about the book, the author, and a link to the Reader’s Guide. 

From the author’s website:  “Racism…is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems, the core dysfunction of our democracy and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all.  How did this happen? And is there a way out?”  “…tallying what we lose when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm—the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others.”

How to join the discussion

If you are not already on the book group mailing list from last time, and are interested in participating in all or part of this book discussion, contact the Parish Administrator at parish.admin@stjohns-jp.org so you can get the zoom link and further info.

Meeting Info

Meetings will be from noon to 1:30 on the following Sundays:

Apr 25 - Chapters 1 – 4

May 23 - Chapters 5 – 7

June 27 -Chapters 8 – 10

 

Getting the Book

There is a long wait list for the library book, so we encourage interested buyers to purchase it from:  Frugal Bookstore, 57 Warren St, Roxbury, 617-541-1722; or Papercuts, 60 South Street, JP, 617-522-3404.

 Links

·       Reader’s Guide:  https://heathermcghee.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/McGHEE_TheSumOfUs_HC_DiscussionGuide_Final.pdf

·       Interview with Heather McGhee on Fresh Air:  https://www.npr.org/2021/02/17/968638759/sum-of-us-examines-the-hidden-cost-of-racism-for-everyone

·       Explore videos and presentations on Heather McGhee’s website:  https://heathermcghee.com/

·       Bookshop.org  https://bookshop.org/books/the-sum-of-us-what-racism-costs-everyone-and-how-we-can-prosper-together/9780525509561

Social Justice Saturday: Asian-Asian Violence Resources

ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE RESOURCES

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At the this link, you’ll find resources that have been gathered to help individuals educate others, take action, donate, and more.

”Anti-Asian racism and violent attacks on Asian elderly have only increased in recent months. Since COVID-19 became news in the United States, hate speech and violence against the AAPI community has run rampant. In February 2021, attacks, particularly on elderly Asian Americans, have spiked. Unfortunately, many of these incidents are not being reported and are invisible to major media outlets. We hope to change this by offering the following resources with our community. Please join us in taking action whether it's by
educating yourself and others around you or donating to non-profit organizations.”

Social Justice Saturday: Supporting the Dorchester Food Co-op


Here’s a local anti-racist action you might consider!

The Dorchester Food Co-op is a grassroots initiative to build a community & worker-owned grocery store. The website explains: The Co-op envisions a diverse inclusive community with opportunities for employment, ownership, and access to healthy food.  As a food co-op, we will serve and reflect the wide variety of cultural, racial, and socio-economic groups that make up the neighborhoods of Boston.

Ellen Davis has been a member of the co-op for a couple of years and says, “They have made incredible progress in that time, moving from an idea to a relationship with a developer who is creating a building that has the store on the ground floor and affordable housing above. It is in Dorchester, which has historically been a food desert, and is accessible by public transit.”

Ellen continues, “Memberships is a one-time payment of $100 which can be paid in increments of $25 or $50. Members don’t have to volunteer (or even shop there). I see it as an easy way to support better food options and community development and support in Dorchester. They have about 946 members and the goal is 955 members by the end of March. They are also working on a community fund where you can purchase a membership for someone who cannot afford the membership.”

For those who want to do more than just joining the Co-op there are a number of volunteer opportunities.

https://dorchesterfoodcoop.com/


 Dorchester Food Coop in the news:

https://www.dotnews.com/2020/food-co-op-urban-farms-seeding-sustainable-food-economy

https://www.edibleboston.com/blog/2020/6/24/the-past-and-future-of-boston-food-co-ops

Social Justice Saturday: A Poem for Lent

I often turn to Howard Thurman, educator, philosopher, and poet, for inspiration and challenge. This poem seems especially appropriate for this season of Lent.

I Confess

 The concern which I lay bare before God today is

My concern for the life of the world in these troubled times.

I confess my own inner confusion as I look out upon the world.

There is food for all - many are hungry.

There are clothes enough for all - many are in rags.

There is room enough for all - many are crowded.

There are none who want war - preparations for conflict abound.

I confess my own share in the ills of the times.

I have shirked my own responsibilities as a citizen.

I have not been wise in casting my ballot.

I have left to others a real interest in making

a public opinion worthy of democracy.

I have been concerned about my own little job,

my own little security, my own shelter, my own bread. 

I have not really cared about jobs for others,

security for others, shelter for others, bread for others.

I have not worked for peace; I want peace,

but I have voted and worked for war.

I have silenced my own voice that it may not

be heard on the side of any cause, however, right,

if it meant running risks or damaging my own little reputation.

Let Thy light burn in me that I may, from this moment on,

take effective steps within my own powers,

to live up to the light and courageously to pay for

the kind of world I so deeply desire.

                                                                                    -Howard Thurman