Blog archive
August 2024
1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024
1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024
First Anniversary
08/19/2024
Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024
Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024
The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024
Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024
Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024
Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024
Future Housing Options
08/15/2024
Message from the President
08/15/2024
There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024
Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024
A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024
Haikus
08/13/2024
One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024
Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024
July 2024
Alma Stokes, The Struggle in Pasadena
07/25/2024
A Poetry Gathering: Liberating Experiences Available
07/19/2024
Civil Rights Movement Series
07/19/2024
Happy Hours in Pasadena: A Villager’s Perspective
07/19/2024
Pasadena Village and the National Dialogue on Villages and Healthy Aging Research
07/19/2024
President's Message
07/19/2024
The Kern River Rafting Caper
07/19/2024
The Village Artists Group creates creative camaraderie
07/19/2024
An Example of Inherent Racism
07/14/2024
Current, Upcoming Events
07/04/2024
June 2024
No Real Recourse For Discrimination
06/30/2024
A Personal Statement of Strength and Well-Being
06/25/2024
Juneteenth Reflections
06/24/2024
Reflections on 2023-2025
06/21/2024
Reactions and Reflections Re: Juneteenth
06/19/2024
As Our Organization Grows, Villagers Recall Personal Highlights
06/17/2024
From the Outgoing President
06/17/2024
Letter from the Incoming President: Beginning Our ‘Lagniappe’ Year
06/17/2024
The Editorial Team Looks Back: Creating the Voice of the Village
06/17/2024
This Year's Resource Fair was the Most Successful Ever
06/17/2024
Telling the Whole Story
06/12/2024
Nashville
06/10/2024
May 2024
Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024
Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024
Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024
Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024
Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024
Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024
Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024
Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024
Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024
Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024
Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024
No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024
An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024
Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024
Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024
The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024
Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024
April 2024
Rumor of Humor #2410
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2411
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2412
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2413
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2414
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2415
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2416
04/28/2024
Stimulated by "Caste"
04/22/2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
Telling the Whole Story
By Richard MyersPosted: 06/12/2024
Notes by Sharron Jarrett:
The 1619 Lingering Imprint Discussion Group met on June 6th at 10:00 AM PST. Dick Myers opened the meeting and introduced Brian Biery, whose presentation included a panel working with the "Telling The Whole Story Project,” at All Saints and Saint Barnabas Episcopal Churches in Pasadena, California.
These two historic, more than 100-year-old churches, one white congregation and one colored, have history that is being examined. All Saints was an integrated institution in the early Pasadena days, with social change in the early 1900’s, St. Barnabus was created as an Episcopal congregation for people of color. Today, the two churches are looking at that history and exploring what it means to their current congregations.
The meeting was recorded is available on the Pasadena Village YouTube channel as "Telling The Whole Story”.
The members of the panel included:
Steven Williams. All Saints Church member, member of the Telling the Whole Story Project,
Member of the Racial Justice Ministry
Bill Gould. All Saints Church member, Racial Justice Advisory Co Chair, Vestry Member,
member Telling the Whole Story Project
Marco White. Saint Barnabas Church member, Vestry member
Walter Little. All Saints Church Junior Warden
Brian Biery. Telling the Whole Story member, local historian
The meeting began with a overall explanation of the work of the Telling The Whole Story Project. The project tries to determine the role of community members in building a caring and ethical community. This includes the development of an inclusive community which acknowledges the effects of racism and the need to heal injuries.
The members initially acknowledged the content of the discussion would make participants uncomfortable, but, this was important for meaningful change.
The focus of the panel was:
* understanding the truth of the saying "history is written by the victors"
* acknowledging micro experience reflects broader experience connected to the community
* answering the question "what do we do with the information, how do we look at the world, what can you do as part of a network or an individual?"
* acknowledging we ask people of color to address racism which places the burden on the people who were harmed.
Next, the panel explained the founding of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. St. Barnabas was founded because American History is white centered. No one knows much of the broader history of the founding. In the early 1900s Blacks were excluded from attending All Saints Church. The African American Episcopal community worshiped in homes for ten years. Most of the homes were in Northwest Pasadena which was an area that African American could live in due to red lining and other restrictive practices. Over time the group of worshipers were recognized by the Episcopal Diocese as "Mission of the Episcopal Diocese" in 1924.
In 1933, land was donated on Fair Oaks by the Dobns family to allow a church to be built. The Fleming Family donated money for constructioning the church that exists today. This raises the question "why land and money" outside All Saints. The answer provided by the panel was the congregation was willing to expend funds to have Black congregants worship in their own separate church, essentially indicating people of color and with fewer economic resources were separate from the All Saints parish. This decision was both racist, but, also based on wealth inequities.
The panel next addressed the question "why is All Saints working on reconciliation?" Many of the parishioners at All Saints knew nothing of the history of the separation of the churches. The panel indicated some parish members needed to be "shamed" into acting. And the panel acknowledged some parish members remain resistant to discussing the racial divide.
Black parishioners acknowledged the discomfort created and the lack of participation as conversations about the history evolved. One panel member pointed out turning Black parishioners away has harmed the congregation. The panelist indicated this has created a moral debt that is subject to compound interest. The panel raising the question "is the church ready for change?"
In closing the panelists asked participants "what does the beloved community look like?" And "what do we want to accomplish?" Panelists made the following closing statements:
* vulnerability is needed and we have to be willing to build relationships
* we are not in a post racial society, we need to work as allies
* how can everyone help create meaningful action to repair and heal
* healing takes time and must be a life change.
The panel concluded with the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, "we will not remember the words of our enemies, but, the silence of our friends."
During this meeting the following books, organizations and projects were noted:
BOOKS
These are available at Vroman’s Bookstore
1. Black and Episcopalian: The Struggle for Inclusion
Gayle Fisher Stewart
2. Hearts on Fire: The Evolution of an Urban Church
Bill Lane Doulas
3. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Isabel Wilkerson
ORGANIZATIONS
Aware LA
Alliance of White Anti Racists Everywhere, Los Angeles
PROJECTS
Telling the Whole Story Project
All Saints Episcopal Church
https://allsaints-pas.org/ministries/telling-the-whole-story-project/
Brian Biery also provided some links to references that might be of interest to our viewers:
LA TIMES
A church rises from racism to celebrate a centennial of triumphs in Pasadena
STAR NEWS
This historically Black Pasadena church just turned 100, with a message: Love
LA SENTINEL
Historically Black St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Celebrates 100th Anniversary in Pasadena
PASADENA WEEKLY
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church to celebrate centennial
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE
At 100 years old, Pasadena’s St. Barnabas Episcopal Church keeps serving up the ‘love’
COLORADOBOULEVARD.NET
St. Barnabas Church: A Surprising Story
NAACP: WALKING TOUR OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY OF PASADENA
Walking Tour of the African American History of Pasadena
The Episcopal News
Still they rise: St. Barnabas’ Church, Pasadena, celebrates 100th year
Historically Black St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church, Pasadena, to celebrate 100th anniversary
LA DIOCESE
Historically Black St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, Pasadena, to celebrate 100th anniversary
The next meeting will be June 21st at 12:00 PM PST. It will be an interesting start for this coming meeting to discuss the June 7 meeting and the topics brought up in that session. This is the story of two, 100+ year old Episcopal Churches in Pasadena; two different congregations, one white and one colored. Their histories are intertwined and there is an effort to get the whole story known and to have a conversation between the churches about their current relationship. This is a current discussion about what our 1619 group is exploring. Our goal is to clarify and understand our history and the impact it has on the community we live in today, specifically in regards to the institutional slavery and how it has influences our current racial views.