My Father’s Name

The following James Baldwin quote has been turning up a lot recently: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”  It is a statement that calls us to look at our world with honesty and integrity – to face the hard stuff so that we can choose responses that heal and make the world a better place.

Can you imagine facing a painful truth about a beloved member of your family? This is what Jan Frazier did. Long after her father’s death, she learned that he had participated in a lynching as a young man. Her memories of her father were of a kind and loving father. Reconciling these memories with the story of the lynching were painful and difficult.

Jan’s story is beautifully and sensitively told in the 20-minute film: My Father’s Name. I was blessed to host this film at Unity Church of the Hills last fall. Following the viewing, we had a rich and meaningful discussion about our experience with the film and with racism. It touched me and opened me deeply.

As we concluded our discussion, people were saying, “More people need to see this film. There need to be more open discussions of this kind.”

I am delighted to be hosting this film and another discussion through IMN (the Interim Ministry Network) on Feb 17. It is an opportunity for us to face something hard together and to work collaboratively towards a better future. I hope you will join us.

You can register for this event at: https://imnedu.org/my-fathers-name-2/