being black in britain
Joan Young's journey with multicultural United Reformed Church
I am a Black British woman and Britain has been my home for 46 years. I have
served as an Elder of my local United Reformed Church for over 20 years. I have
seen many changes in the URC over time, and feel proud to be part of it. I have
always played an active part in my local church and enjoy doing so. I was one of
the lucky ones to have found a congregation of the URC that was welcoming and
made me feel relaxed.
A State Registered Nurse, I am also a qualified mid-wife, with neonatal
speciality. During my formative nursing experience, I encountered institutional
racism, but by being positive without aggression, I was able to question
decision-making and made improvements to my situation.
It is my experience that the impact of colonisation on many black people led to
diminished self-esteem causing the belief that they could only achieve the
lowest position in Western society. This explains why many become timid and
afraid of being forward, preferring to keep a low profile.
Back and minority ethnic (BME) members must be included in all aspects of the
church's life and witness. Sometimes BME members leave our churches to form
independent groups. I saw that a key reason was a feeling of alienation that led
to insecurity and perceived rejection. I work hard to ensure people are
welcomed, made to feel wanted and needed. I do not wish to encourage segregation
and the development of different forms of apartheid. But we all need to make the
effort to cross our own cultural and ethnic boundaries to gain a better
understanding of diversity around us, to give the achievement of true
multiculturalism a real chance.
Decision-making processes, which profoundly influence lives, often exclude
voices because of skin colour or ethnicity. Sometimes this happens
intentionally, other times it is uncritical acceptance of the way things are
done. Our churches and communities are then deprived of the gifts and skills to
build a healthy and balanced society.
I was fortunate to have a strong personality, very driven to accumulate
knowledge pertaining to my profession, to became one of the fortunate ones to
rise to one of the top levels in decision making and planning. To gain the
respect and admiration of my peers I had to be sincere, good or even better in
my vocation than they were. In the same way I made my life in my local church Ð
with confidence and faith. But for every one of me, there are hundreds who do
not have that confidence.
I understand that fear can make people act unkindly to others. Not so long ago,
a young man shouted out to me, 'oi nigger'. To me he was an ignorant buffoon and
I ignored him. This was a show of direct racism. I know from experience that
latent and direct racism are still present in our society. Also, institutional
and subliminal forms of racism are quite insidious that often appear
superficially inconsequential and harmless. All racism is destructive and
permeates our educational system, religious establishments, health care
providers, the military, law enforcers, the judiciary, politics, economic
institutions, and the media so deeply that often both victims and perpetrators
do not realise what is happening.
I believe that childhood images of blacks and other races portrayed in the
schools and homes continue to be prevalent in the 21st century. It is important
that in our homes, churches, work places, schools, and communities we are alert
to the destructive power of racism that divides our communities and damages the
humanity of both the perpetrators and the victims.
My journey in the URC has been a blessing. I have been treated with love,
respect and true fellowship that made it very easy for me to get directly
involved in all aspects of the church's life. I have experienced the URC as a
forward thinking community of faith. I have always felt privileged to be a
member of a church committed to treating all people justly and with equality.
There are always drawbacks in achieving these important goals but we have to be
resolute while pursuing them for Christ's sake. I am aware that many within the
church continue to be steeped in the attitudes and beliefs of the past. But I am
hopeful that the love of God and reconciling power of the Holy Spirit will
soften these hearts of stone so that repentance and healing can take place.
'Let us make racism history'.
Joan V Young is Racial Justice Advocate,
Roding District Council, Thames North Synod
Joan advocates the Multicultural Ministry Toolkit,
Available from the URC Bookshop
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