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WHAT WE DO

The BlackQuaker Project (1) celebrates the lives and contributions of Quakers of Color worldwide and (2) documents and addresses their concerns. It is an outreach and inreach ministry of Wellesley Friends Meeting, guided by the Quaker testimonies of Truth, Peace, Equality, Community and Justice.

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TRUTH

  • "Do we need a reminder that our name was first the 'Religious Society of Friends of Truth'?"

  • "Non-violence and truth are inseparable and presuppose one another." (Gandhi quoted in Facing Unbearable Truths, 2008)

PEACE

"We must expand our peace testimony, making it more inclusive, more comprehensive. It is much too narrow, ordinarily encompassing only 'direct violence,' that observable, intentional physical or mental violence unwanted by the victim, whether an individual or a collective (e.g., a nation). The major prevailing violence is 'systemic or institutional violence,' which in reality appears to lead to or to cause or to facilitate 'direct violence,' which is usually what we mean when we use the term 'violence.' However, that is only one minor meaning. Hence, we cannot afford to be merely nonviolent but must be 'anti-violent,' as we are 'anti-war.'" (Weaver, Facing Unbearable Truths, 2008)

JUSTICE

"Without justice there is no peace; even in the absence of open strife there is no peace, only a manipulated lull in hostilities. Justice has two connotations. One is fairness, righteous dealing, integrity; necessary, but not sufficient conditions for lasting peace. The other, to quote the Oxford English Dictionary, is observance of the divine law; righteousness; the state of being just before God. When the bonding force of love unifies the two dimensions, the temporal and the spiritual, the task of the peacemaker is fulfilled. Truth has been established: true justice reigns." (Adam Curle, True Justice: Quaker peace makers and peace making, quoted in Facing Unbearable Truths, 2008).

EQUALITY

"Our equality testimony flows inevitably from our belief that there is that of God in every person. If we believe in Equality, we must work for Justice. British Friends remind us: 'Are you alert to the practices throughout the world which discriminates against people on the basis of who or what they are, or because of their beliefs? Bear witness to the humanity of all people, including those who break society's conventions or its laws. Try to discern new growing points in social and economic life. Seek to understand the causes of injustice, social unrest, and fear. Are you working to bring about a just and compassionate society which allows everyone to develop their capacities and fosters the desire to serve?'" (Facing Unbearable Truths, 2008)

Why The BlackQuaker Project?

Why is The BlackQuaker Project needed at this time in history?

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While Quakers of Color comprise over half the world's Quaker population,

  • little is known about the lives and achievements of Quakers of Color

  • little is known about the contributions of Quakers of Color to Quakerism and to Quakers

  • Quakers of Color are under-represented in leadership roles and grass-root levels in Quaker organizations worldwide, giving little opportunity to impact decision-making and to express and implement their unique perspectives

  • Quakers of Color and their perspectives seldom represent Quakers and Quaker organizations at meetings and conferences of religious bodies, peacemakers and peace builders, academic societies, and ethnic and racial groups worldwide

  • Quakers--and the world--need constant reminders and evolving 21st century interpretations of Quaker testimonies, values, and principles, including Truth/Integrity, Peace, Equality, Community, and Justice, and their application in witness

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