In this episode the Tandem Ed team discusses the impact, resonance and future of black spirituality on community activism. In this episode we explore how black creatives and entrepreneurs use their black experience to influence their work in the community. This conversation is hosted by Dr. Norrell Edwards and Brian Barnes of Tandem Ed and features spiritual writer and consultant Claudia Allen and Morgan Malin-Grant of Own Your Story New Orleans. Learn more about Tandem Ed and Black Terms at TandemEd.com and Follow Us on Social Media at @TandemEd.co Highlights from the Discussion: Claudia - 12:10 – 12:33 And so I think that when we talk about whether or not our spiritual movements should be attached to our social movements, I don't think that we as a people can actually separate them. But I think what we do have to do in this more modern period, or this postmodern period, is to absolve ourselves of the idea that our social movements must be attached to Christianity. Morgan - 17:11 – 18:16 And like, that is where I think a lot of the younger generations are kind of approaching Christianity from. There isn't a problem with the depth of faith that Christianity teaches. That's the thing that we all are just so invested in. It's like, we believe these stories of love and commitment that we are told, we are just born of because we are born into this world. But then once you actually start reading the texts, which are also translations of translations, when you start looking at the history of how these texts were applied, and then when you start picking up your ancestor’s messages in the religion itself, and then you're being penalized for it, that I mean, that's a very difficult relationship for anyone to maintain. And so historically, we have done ourselves harm. And that is something that has to be healed. Brian - 28:47 – 29:49 At some point, we have to be able to assert and stamp our own ordinations, our own definitions of what constitutes ministry, our own definitions of what is reflective of our creative. And I think that that exercise in and of itself is liberation. Because oftentimes people, institutions, religions, etc, want to define and stamp and certificate, what is, you know, holy? So, so, so that's first. And then so so once we get there, and then I think it opens up the conversation of our communities coming together again, as we always have and saying, you know, let's refresh know, what are our collective values? What is collectively sacred to us? What is our collective destiny? What are our collective goals and purposes, and, you know, Spirit is a part of that.
