Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut Update and World Water Day Blessings

BUF has supported Lummi Nation over the years in their efforts to secure the return of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut/Tokitae/Lolita, who was forcibly taken from our waters in the 1970s.  We’ve hosted two Totem Pole Journeys with her at the focus and have supported other efforts and events to protect the Salish Sea and the Southern Resident Orcas.  The USDA has recently told the Miami Seaquarim (MSQ) that they will no longer be allowed to publicly display her, use her to perform and the stadium where she now resides will no longer be open to the public.  Should MSQ decide they want to continue her public appearances, they will be required to apply for a new license.  This past summer the USDA conducted an investigation of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s health, treatment, and facility and found many problems, hence, the shutdown.  

Here's a background video:  https://vimeo.com/266726774

Here are updates over the past few weeks:  

• TokiTV Episode 1:  https://www.facebook.com/annette.martinez.562/videos/650675879476173
• TokiTV Episode 2:  https://www.facebook.com/annette.martinez.562/videos/652208605898662
• TokiTV Episode 3:  https://www.facebook.com/annette.martinez.562/videos/1034844380461638

On March 20^th, in honor of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut and UN World Water Day, we are calling on everyone to offer a Blessing for the waters which are so vital to our survival and to our relatives of the water and elsewhere.  Take a few minutes out of your day either on the 20th and offer up a prayer with us for the Qwe 'lhol mechen (Relatives under the Water-Orcas), Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut, Chief Tsi'li'xw Bill James - who tasked us to bring her home and protect the Salish Sea and for the Gift of Water that has been given us.  We will be livestreaming Blessings starting at 12:00 pm on YouTube and Facebook.  Watch the Orca Network Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529407417240057)

Multifaith Network for Climate Justice March 28th event

 

Common Patterns in of Whites

This was one of our handouts in the current Allyship Training this Saturday.  Enlightening exercise.

Directions: review these common group dynamics:

a.     Check-off any dynamics which you have observed or heard about.

b.     Make a note next to the different dynamics that you have personally participated in.

Some/Many Whites Tend to (consciously and unconsciously):

1. believe they have “earned” what they have, rather than acknowledge the extensive unearned advantages they receive; claim that if people of color just worked harder…

2. not notice the daily indignities that people of color experience; deny and rationalize them away with PLEs (perfectly logical explanations)

3. work to maintain the status quo and protect the advantages and privileges they receive

4. believe that white cultural norms, practices and values are superior and better

5. internalize negative stereotypes and believe that whites are smarter and superior to POC

6. want people of color to conform and assimilate to white cultural norms and practices

7. accept and feel safer around people of color who have assimilated and are “closer to white”

8. blame people of color for the barriers and challenges they experience; believe that if they “worked harder” they could “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”

9. believe that people of color are not competent and are only hired/promoted to fill quotas

10. interrupt and talk over people of color

11. resent taking direction from a person of color

12. dismiss and minimize frustrations of people of color and categorize the person raising issues  as militant, angry, having an “attitude,” working their agenda, not a team player...

13. focus on their “good intent” as whites, rather than on the negative impact of their behavior

14. focus on how much progress we have made, rather than on what still needs to change 

15. want people of color to “get over it” and move on quickly

16. get defensive when people of color express frustration with racism

17. “walk on eggshells” and act more distant and formal with people of color

18. live segregated from people of color and rarely develop authentic cross-racial relationships 

19. exaggerate the level of intimacy they have with individual people of color

20. fear that they will be seen and “found out” as a racist, having racial prejudice

21. focus on individualism and refuse to acknowledge cultural and institutional racism 

22. pressure and punish whites who actively work to dismantle racism to conform and collude with white racism; criticize, gossip about, and find fault with white change agents

23. expect people of color to be the “diversity expert” and address racism as their unpaid job

24. minimize, ignore, and discount the competencies and contributions of people of color 

25. rephrase and reword the comments of people of color

26. ask people of color to repeat what they have just said

27. assume the white person is in charge/the leader; assume people of color are in service roles

28. rationalize away racist treatment of people of color as individual incidents or the result of something the person of color did/failed to do

29. dismiss racism when shared by people of color with comments such as: That happens to me too...You’re too sensitive...That happened because of _____, it has nothing to do with race!

30. judge a person of color as over-reacting and too emotional when they are responding to the cumulative impact of multiple recent racist incidents 

31. accuse people of color of “playing the race card” whenever they challenge racism; instead of exploring the probability that racist attitudes and beliefs are operating

32. if racially confronted by a person of color, shut down and focus on what to avoid saying or doing in the future, rather than engaging and learning from the interaction

33. look to people of color for direction, education, coaching on how to act and what not to do

34. compete with other whites to be “the good white:” the best ally, the friend of people of color

35. aggressively confront other white people and distance yourself from your own racist patterns

36. seek approval, validation, and recognition from people of color

37. if confronted by a person of color, view it as an “attack” and focus on HOW they engaged  me, not my original comments or behaviors

38. disengage if feel any anxiety or discomfort; remain silent in discussions of race and racism

39. avoid confronting other whites on their racist attitudes and behaviors

40. when trying to help people of color, feel angry if they don’t enthusiastically appreciate you 

41. believe there is one “right” way or “fit”, meaning “my way” or the “white way”

Feb/March Allyship Training

Registration form for the second part of our training is:  https://forms.gle/w7WNteZr2joDdxHf9.  Registration is due by February 10th.

This training will be facilitated by Kimberly Harris of Distinctive Voice Consulting in Bellingham.  Class size is limited to 20 people, so please keep this in mind.  Those attending will be expected to take the information and lessons they’ve learned back to their congregations and/or groups.

How to be an Ally 2 (2 hours) Introductory level
The purpose of this workshop is to build upon concepts identified in Ally 1 by learning additional concepts and definitions and to continue work around learning about their privilege with the goal of giving participants further confidence to be advocates for equity and inclusion and dismantle oppression and unchecked privilege.

How to be an Ally 3 (2 hours) Intermediate level
Purpose: The purpose of this workshop is to expand upon the concepts learned in How to be an Ally 1 and 2, and continue learning on how to be allies for marginalized and oppressed groups of people.

Beyond Allyship: How Othering Destroys Democracy (2 hours) Intermediate level
Our society has reached a watershed moment with respect to polarization and the global awakening of U.S. systemic racism. U.C. Berkeley Political Science Professor Taeku Lee outlines a framework to identify sources of this polarization and division. The U.C. Berkeley Institute of Othering & Belonging also posits the widespread problem of othering as well as a framework to structural processes and how promoting belonging is the “most important good we distribute in society.” Learn ways to move beyond allyship to explore ways to create welcoming and inclusive environments in hopes to create greater unity and preserve our democracy.  Explore how othering divides our communities and therefore our democracy and how creating a sense of unity and belonging are next steps for allies.

Classes will be held as follows.  Each class builds upon the other, so please don't miss any of them.

      Saturday, February 19, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 
      Saturday, February 26, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and 
      Saturday, March 05, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

Due to the current state of the Coronavirus 19 variants, it is mutually agreed upon that the workshops will be held online via the Zoom platform. There is no cost as it is covered under existing grants and donations.

 

Register here.

 Arson destroys Bellingham’s Ukrainian Evangelical Church

Friday Sept 10 about 4:30 in the morning arsonists set fire to the Ukrainian Evangelical Church of Bellingham, 2530 Cornwall.   This is a congregation of about 200 members who had been hoping for 20 years to find a church for their congregants.  They purchased it two years ago and spent those two years with their sweat equity to rehab it. 

The arsonists, yet unknown, knew what they were doing as they opened the gas [most likely from the stoves] and set fires throughout the building and the annex. I understand that the building is now a “tear down,” a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

NOTE:  At least four members of our congregation (Ann Stevenson, Henry Ohana, Beth Fuller, and Judy Fruhbauer) had been using church space with the Interfaith Coalition’s Conversations and Sandwiches Together.  They made sandwiches and packed supplies that are handed out to the homeless four times a week.  The church was supportive of the work and shared space for the prep work in the kitchen, and for storage, a refrigerator, and shelves in the basement.  BUF Members said it was wonderful to watch the progress of the renovations done by members of the congregation.

Three ways to donate:

• GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/904e1c0d

• Through BUF, 1207 Ellsworth, Bellingham, WA 98225 (Check go BUF, memo: “Ukrainian Evangelical Church”) This is tax deductible, and your name will be shared with the church.

• Check sent to Pastor Alex, addressed : Aleksandr Gamdsey, PO Box 2096, Blaine, WA 98230 

Personal Letters will be Comforting:

Please write personal letters and mail to Pastor Alex, at address above.