by Tom Sine
“On 17 August 1965, Martin Luther King arrived in Los Angeles in the aftermath of the riots. His experiences over the next several days reinforced his growing conviction that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) should move north and lead a movement to address the growing problems facing black people in the nation’s urban areas” (Watts Rebellion, King Encyclopedia).
I still remember that historic visit of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Los Angeles and the growing national spread of his important leadership for racial justice. I also remember another protest I attended in LA where several white protestors dressed up like members of the Klu Klux Clan to protest the Clan’s vicious work in the south. Fortunately leaders of this protest communicated over the speaker system to the huge crowd that that these individuals had dressed up in the garb to protest the lynchings that were still occurring in the south, not to sanction them.
As we celebrate the huge influence Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. had in advancing the rights of our black neighbors it is essential that people of faith realize that the struggle for equal rights for our black, latino and asian neighbors is far from over. Tragically there seems to be a resurgence of racial animosity and discrimination. However, people of faith are beginning to join those that are actively working to work for racial justice.
Pew Research has some very good news for Americans who are working for racial justice: Gen Y Millennials born 1981 to 1996 will be 39% non-white…and Gen Z Zoomers born 2018 to 2021 will be 48% non-white. Nearly half of post-millennials are racial or ethic minorities (Pew Research Center, November 15, 2018).
This very good news for not only racial justice
I wrote a book a few years ago celebrating what I called “the good news generation.” The good news generation is comprised of Gen Y And Z…essentially the under 50.
I call them the “good news generation” because they are the first digital generation. As a consequence these younger Americans are more aware of the issues of racial, environmental justice and economic justice. In fact in the last election these young Americans’ votes for racial justice made a difference in a number of local, state and even national elections. By the way my book where I celebrate Gen Y & Z has a bit of a rude title: Live Like You Give a Damn!: Join the Changemaking Celebration.
What makes this book a little radical for leaders in our churches is that I am urging churches to start collaborating with this good news generation, many of whom share many churches passion for racial, economic and environmental justice.
In Live Like You Give a Damn I show a couple of examples of churches that are actually launching social enterprise projects to promote, racial, economic and environmental justice projects…without requiring young change-makers to become church members first.
I am available to do webinars or to offer Innovative Workshops for Pandemic Times
Tom Sine 206-524-2111
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