I remember the immediate connection I felt with ME when I found out about Pauli Murray, who she was and how she chose to show up in the world. The legacy to which she tirelessly committed herself gave me permission to be seen and heard in a world that prefers to invisibilize those considered to be a 'problem'. Because of choices she made and uncomfortable/uncommon conversations she made room for, my Black womanhood has agency, not because of permission given, but because I am. The members of the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice have committed themselves to a mission and vision that represent the heart of the Rev Dr. Pauli Murray. The Center's programming consistently calls forth the wisdom and presence of this mighty ancestor and Just Conversations is one of the latest iterations of this insightful and intentional space-making.
Just Conversations gives voice to some of the more complicated societal dynamics that are inevitable and present in places where social justice is centered. Through setting the intention to dive deeply into the ways that being human impacts how we show up when we are forced to face our own challenge areas, Just Conversations requires accountability of the compassion and awareness we say we have as it pertains to diversity, equity and inclusion. What a courageous way to call us into Pauli Murray's own definition of community. Murray said, "True community is based upon equality, mutuality, and reciprocity. It affirms the richness of individual diversity as well as the common human ties that bind us together." Welcome to an opportunity to come face to face with who you really are, the good, the bad and the ugly. Welcome to the conversation!