The Committee for Racial Justice (CRJ) will host a workshop entitled “Is there a debt owed to black America?” tonight, Aug. 10 at the Thelma Terry Building in Santa Monica’s Virginia Avenue Park.
Organizers say while racial inequality exists in practically every area of American life: wealth, education, employment, health, within the criminal justice system, etc., how can true racial equality be achieved?
These questions will be addressed by guest speaker, Reverend Kelvin Sauls, Senior Minister of Holman United Methodist Church, and by Bob Gordh of the CRJ Steering Committee. Comments, questions and discussion will follow.
Reverend Kelvin Sauls was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a bridge-builder for cross-cultural and multi-ethnic development in racially diverse communities.
He is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. He is a mentor and advocate in the areas of transformational spiritual leadership, multi-cultural/ethnic/racial/lingual congregational development, community/economic development, and justice ministries for equality & dignity.
Sauls is co‑founder of Black Alliance for Just Immigration (www.blackalliance.org) and the Priority Africa Network (www.priorityafrica.org).
He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of National Justice for Our Neighbors (The United Methodist Committee on Relief/UMCOR –www.umcor.org), with the Convocation of Pastors of Black Churches, and as Secretary for Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR).
Dr. Bob Gordh, a long time philosophy and English teacher and political activist, currently serves on the steering committee of the Committee for Racial Justice and chairs its anti-mass incarceration subcommittee.
He also does anti-mass incarceration work as a member of the L.A. No More Jails Coalition. Though he officially retired from teaching in 2013, he still teaches English on a volunteer basis for Free L.A. High School at the Chuco Justice Center.
The workshop is from 6 pm to 8:30 pm (potluck supper at 6 and program starting at 6:30), on Sunday, August 10, at Virginia Avenue Park, Thelma Terry Building, 2200 Virginia Avenue Park, Santa Monica (served by Big Blue Bus lines #7 and #11).
Co-sponsors of the event will be the African American Parent, Student, Staff Support Group; Virginia Avenue Park; and the Church in Ocean Park.
For more information call 310.422.5431.
