Locs, Heels, and the Bible

As a human being and a United Methodist clergywoman of Color, I approach Project 2025 with a deep concern for its implications on justice, inclusivity, and the mission of the Church. I am pissed, actually. I spent a lot of time cleaning up this post before publication because... This initiative called Project 2025, which is proposed as a comprehensive conservative plan for the future of America, poses several theological and ethical challenges that necessitate a critical response from a perspective rooted in liberation theology and my Wesleyan tradition of social holiness.  A Commitment to Justice and Inclusion The United Methodist Church is founded on principles of justice, mercy, and the inherent worth of all individuals. Our theological commitments compel us to stand against any initiative that undermines these core values. (I am not presuming to speak for The UMC). The way I see it, Project 2025, with its agenda to roll back protections for marginalized communities, restrict re...

I was born in the colonized Caribbean island of Antigua and raised in the first village to receive the news of emancipation from slavery. Every summer, Antigua hosts its vibrant carnival to celebrate the emancipation that took place on August 1, 1834. Carnival comes alive with the sounds, colors, and joy of the island's African culture. According to the Monarch King Short Shirt, Antigua's carnival is "the greatest summer festival!" Additionally, on November 1 each year, Antigua celebrates its hard-fought independence from England. The British freed slaves in Antigua in 1834 as part of their broader move to abolish slavery in the Caribbean colonies, believing it hindered modernization. However, the lives of the formerly enslaved did not significantly improve. They continued to toil under conditions barely distinguishable from slavery. With no place to live, many remained in plantation housing, where residence implied an agreement to work on that plantation. They lacked...