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Part of the outgrowth of Meta Commerse’s work in racial healing is the development of The Race Relations Station. The Race Relations Station is a community action project which has the vision of a well, diverse, and just community and has as its mission racial healing and relationship building through story.
In this episode my guests, Liz Huesemann and Father Dennis Fotinos, introduce us to The Race Relations Station, its beginnings, and its ongoing work.
As I say in the episode, healing work is a form and part of peace work. For those of us who are Christians, peace is rooted in the Jewish concept of shalom. Shalom is a state experienced not only as a lack of conflict but also as one of being well and whole. Peace, for Christians (and not just for Christians), is brought about and sustained by expressions of love. Among those expressions of love is the practice of edification, or the practice of building a person up to enable her or him to be fully who she or he can be. Edification occurs as much through little daily behaviors of caring as it does through bigger gestures. Consequently, healing work and peace work must always mover beyond awareness, understanding, and acknowledgment to specific actions in daily life. The work of The Race Relations Station gives us specific practices that enable us to brings about both healing and peace. You can learn of these practices in detail by participating in the resources offered by The Race Relations Station. You can learn more about those resources from Meta’s website: storymedicineworldwide.com and from The Race Relations Station page on that website.
Liz Huesemann has over 40 years of working in the non-profit world in both administration as well as direct services. She has been an activist for human rights since she can remember.
Father Dennis Fotinos is an Episcopal priest who, since 1972 has served churches in South Florida, Western North Carolina, Western Louisiana, Pittsburg, PA, and Houston, TX. Since retiring to Asheville, Father Fotinos has been active in issues of racial justice and healing, including helping Meta start The Race Relations Station. He also assists with the Diocese of Western North Carolina in providing guidance to congregations in the search and call process of new clergy.