11th National Black Land Loss Summit

The Summit is here. Charla and I find it interesting to land in North Carolina once more. We'll be seeing old friends and making new friends. This is not a "family reunion" per se, but some of the attendees are indeed like family. There's family in the blood and there's family in the spirit. Some are tighter than others. A righteous cause brings together like-minded people in an effort o make a difference in the world.

We joined this righteous cause in an unsuspecting way in the early '90s. The stories of African American farmers captured us then and hold us now. We all get it that most, though not all(maybe "some" would be a better word), of Jim Crow's racist policies have ended, the more subtle forms of racism remain prevalent. Not only are they prevalent but they are pervasive and cut to the quick day in and day out for people of our land.

This summit will be shifting the focus to the future of Black farmers and their livelihood. A shift toward the future is a good thing, but we must never forget the past, especially if the past lives on in the present. The signs of white privilege are all around us. It catches us and holds us, even when we attempt to deny it. When we unpack our "invisible nap sack," so to speak, we can make a difference in the world. Some call it "unconscious habit," something we've acquired via being seduced into believing certain things about ourselves, or assuming certain things about ourselves that go unquestioned.

My contribution to the Summit will be modest at best, minimal in all probability. However, the Summit's contribution to my life and work will be immense. It will continue to fuel the passion for justice that flows through my veins.

The Summit brings together like-minded people.

This weekend I will miss more than I can say those good people from Abilene Christian University who formed Social Justice Teams I, II, III, and IV. They will be here in spirit. I am indebted to them for the influence they had and continue to have on my life and this Righteous Cause.

Pray for this noble event and how it will influence things in these parts and around the country.