WrenFour months ago, I was in the fields of Scattergood Farm in rural Iowa, contemplating the diversity of the plants and animals there, oblivious to the possibility that soon I would find myself in a cubicle at FGC in urban Pennsylvania, supporting Quakers in contemplating and nurturing the diversity within the Religious Society of Friends. Yet here I am, involved with a project that seeks to help Friends realize, understand, and grow from the history and present day realities of prejudice, privilege, and social justice pioneering within Quakerism.

Over the past three months, I have been working as an intern for the Ministry on Racism and Publications programs of Friends General Conference (FGC). My primary role entails a variety of tasks that support the production of FGC’s newest book publication, Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship: Quakers, African Americans, and the Myth of Racial Justice. This position called to me through a variety of ways. Having graduated from Scattergood Friends School in Iowa I have stayed intimately connected to that community and the Quaker values I learned there--silence, service, community, and simplicity. While in college in Arizona, I took classes on race ideology, multicultural education, human rights, and Quakerism, among others and at times was involved with work surrounding border and immigrant concerns. Finally, witnessing acts of discrimination steeped in ignorance have deeply affected me throughout my life. It’s been both a difficult and rewarding process to work on understanding my un-earned privileges and my role in harmful ideologies, while simultaneously trying to find my own identity. Thus, finding a job that fuses Quakerism, racial justice, and a challenge to do my own work on these issues—all through the venue of a book—seemed a deeply fitting opportunity for me.

Fit For Freedom

As the title suggests, Fit for Freedom documents the relationship between Quakers and people of African descent in the United States from the mid-1600’s to modern times. As a historical text I found that it debunks the commonly held myths about all Quakers being abolitionists, strong proponents for equal rights, and inclusive in opening their meetings and schools to people of African descent. Ultimately, Fit for Freedom reveals that there is a much more complex and difficult truth to this relationship. As a way to facilitate what I believe is greatly needed dialogue, it asks Friends to look at the injustices and discrimination still prevalent in the Society of Friends today, to reflect on their testimonies in relation to these, and to work on healing the wounds that those injuries have been inflicting on people within and outside of Quakerism. Lastly, Fit for Freedom honors those individuals who over the centuries have struggled for an equitable Religious Society and nurtured the diversity that exists today. I believe that this is an invaluable faith-based text for those, Quaker and not, striving for a more equitable and peaceful society today, and for those who will inherit the history we will leave behind.

Weaving the Present from Our Past

In the epilogue of Fit for Freedom, Vanessa Julye, co-author of the book and coordinator for the Committee for Ministry on Racism (CMR), shares her sentiment regarding the state of Quakerism today.

Now that I have a better understanding of our history I see that the Religious Society of Friends is not now and has never been the Blessed Community that I was led to believe existed. This is wonderful news for me. Why? Because it means we have not lost anything. What we need is there ready and waiting for us—a Religious Society of Friends where its members honor our testimony of equality and truly see that of God in each person no matter how deeply it may be buried.

There are many who have come before us who, individually and collectively, scattered the seeds of justice and those of prejudice that we are sowing today. Their lives are still speaking, inviting us to ask ourselves what our lives will be saying a decade or a century from now. It is the hope of the Committee for Ministry on Racism that this religious society is asking and discerning which seeds it wishes to nurture.

As I sowed seeds throughout the season on the farm, I watched them sprout through extremes of environmental conditions, from insects, diseases, flooding, drought, and everything in between. It warmed me to know that those buds that survived would grow into food that would nourish not just the squash beetles and tomato hornworms, but the human consumers as well. It is heartening to see that there is a similar phenomenon happening here. I believe that Friends are planting new seeds into the soil of Quakerism through worship, ministry, and fellowship that will grow beyond the extremes of the social conditions of today and continue to nurture the spirit of the Religious Society of Friends.

Ways to Be Involved

It is a deep hope of CMR that meetings across the country will engage in the issues and messages presented in Fit for Freedom, its study guide, and the experiences that individual meetings face in light of their unique communities and situations. I strongly encourage you to be involved with your meetings in this work.

Listed below are many other ways in which we can all be a part of helping facilitate this dialogue:

• In January, the Committee for Ministry on Racism is hosting a three-day facilitator training workshop designed to train Friends who are called to guide meetings in delving into the issues and messages presented in the book and its corresponding study guide.
• February 5th marks the book’s official publication. We’ll be celebrating at Arch Street Meeting in Philadelphia, from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Included will be a keynote address from storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston; words from authors Donna McDaniel and Vanessa Julye; musical performance by Tribe1, led by Niyonu Spann; author book signings and more.
• Over the weekend of March 6-8, 2009 FGC’s Youth Ministries and Ministry on Racism committees will be hosting an intergenerational conference called Weaving Sacred Wholeness at Penn Center on St. Helena Island. Friends are invited to explore diversity through deep conversation and experiential activities and help identify ways to strengthen this faith community and build a more whole Religious Society of Friends.
• During the week of April 19-23, 2009, Pendle Hill will host a short course with both authors of Fit for Freedom, entitled, “Our Quaker and African American Ancestors”.
• There will be many other book events, workshops, Gathering events, and a pamphlet focused study series that will engage discussion in new directions. FGC’s Fit for Freedom website will soon be getting a new look and will include updates on these events, as well ways to interact with the material and dialogue on-line. Stay tuned to www.fgcquaker.org/fit-for-freedom.

Please feel free to be in touch if you would like more information on any of the upcoming events. I can be reached at wrena@fgcquaker.org, 215/561/1700, ext. 3055. 1216 Arch St. STE 2B, Philadelphia, PA 19107.