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Race Amity Day – June 9 – Pittsboro, North Carolina
June 9
Nearly a year ago, unbeknownst to those of us who agreed to partner to begin taking small steps toward the betterment of our community, the seeds of a powerful potential movement were sown.
The initiative began as a co-creation between Partners in Racial Justice and four Chatham County churches, two predominantly Black and two predominantly White. Our express intention was the connecting of hearts and the development of deep relationships toward the elimination of racism and every form of “othering”. Together, we were determined to break down he barriers in the most segregated part of the community. It started on a Sunday, often referred to as the most segregated day of the week. That day was June 11th. Race Amity Day, 2023.
This small but deeply inspired new community met every month without fail, in two separate church spaces, one in the county and the other in Pittsboro. For what should be obvious reasons, we chose to hold those meetings in each of the participating Black churches and to open each monthly program with arts based devotionals, celebrating Black culture in a quiet effort to root out anti-Blackness by lifting up a truly joyous experience.
We began to see ourselves as cycle-breaking agents of change, determined to stand against the increasing division in America, connecting our hearts with others who we have not before come to know in meaningful ways due to the centuries old walls of othering and racism that have been constructed.
Now we are calling those with a heart for this unifying work from every community of interest – the arts community, the education community, the business community, the law enforcement community, from every ethnic background, from every faith community and those of no faith, to join us in the co-creation of the next step in the expansion of what holds great promise of becoming the nucleus of a movement.
On Sunday, June 9, we begin with Pittsboro’s First Annual Race Amity Arts and Music Festival, a feature of which will be a Mass Choir, when some dozen choirs from predominantly Black and predominantly White churches and some beyond the churches will perform together with One Voice.
This historic gathering will be followed, that same afternoon, by Chatham County’s first area wide Diverse Communities Racial Justice Co-Creation Consultation. Everyone is invited to attend, to learn about the foundational structure and to add your voice as we consult together regarding the way forward toward the betterment of our community.
This unprecedented conversation will be followed by fellowship in an early dinner compliments of some of our gracious new partners including Doherty’s Irish Pub and Restaurant and Ben and Jerry’s Chapel Hill.
We hope you will join us for these exciting and most important events and do invite others to come as well!