Reflections on a day at the White House
Robette Ann Dias, UUA anti-racism program associate, Department of Faith in Action

The White House event, "Call to Action: The President's One America Meeting with Religious Leaders," was an opportunity for President Clinton to confirm a partnership between the President and religious leaders of the United States, a partnership to end racism and bring wholeness to the people of the United States and to our nation. It was also an opportunity for faith leaders to describe to the President the ongoing anti-racism work of the religious community, pledge support for the 'Building One America' initiative, and commit to continuing to fight racism within religious institutions and the larger society.

The 'Building One America' initiative consists of new and existing federal programs designed to:

• spur economic development in urban and rural communities,
• improve education and health care for all peoples in the United States,
• prevent hate crimes and civil rights abuses,
• promote community service,
• encourage diversity in the U.S. population and work force, and
• engage in ongoing dialogue on race at all levels and in all corners of U.S. society.

The religious community also had various initiatives and programs to describe to the President; in addition to working within our own institutions, the faith community is working together as a whole to end racism and facilitate racial reconciliation in our nation. The efforts of the faith community are administered by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), whose mission is to eliminate discrimination bias, bigotry and racism in the United States.

NCCJ was requested by the President to sustain the momentum the President's Commission on Race generated in the religious community. NCCJ has been working with the leaders of the religious community to reinvigorate racial justice programs to create bold new initiatives addressing anti-racism and racial reconciliation. Both the Unitarian Universalist Association and Crossroads Ministries have played key leadership roles in shaping the anti-racism agenda and vision of the religious community. Mel Hoover, the director of the UUA's Faith In Action Department, was part of the Planning Committee for this event.

As a collective, the faith leaders made the following commitments to the President's Building One America initiative:

• to speak out on racial justice,
• to identify and label racism as a sin, an evil that must be addressed and a problem of the heart.
• Faith leaders will name overcoming racism and classism as top priorities and engage in anti-racism activities within and outside the faith community.

The religious community will also work at national and community levels to transform societal institutions of privilege to insure access and opportunities for all persons. To do this, the faith leaders will work on three areas of interventions: personal, group, and systemic.

Faith leaders will distribute and advocate effective programs which boldly address racism for use by denominations and national faith-based and community organizations. The UUA's 'Journey Toward Wholeness' program has been identified as one of these promising programs and practices.

Faith leaders have agreed to continue meeting on a regular basis to collaborate and share resources, and also to "cuss and discuss" similarities and differences in analysis and approach to working to end racism. The next gathering will be held in the spring/summer of 2001.

Personal Reflections:
Because Mel Hoover and I had participated in the first gathering of faith leaders assembled in 1998 by NCCJ to address racism, this latest event served as both a reunion and rejuvenating experience for us. It was a time to reconnect and network with colleagues from other faith traditions, and to welcome more Unitarian Universalist leaders into the process as well. It was very exciting to share this moment of history with the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX, and with Eunice Milton Benton, District Executive for the UUA's Mid-South District.

One of the many lessons I have learned as part of the Journey Toward Wholeness is the value and necessity of doing anti-racism in an interfaith context. The religious and racial diversity represented at this event was astounding! It was exciting and inspiring to be with this committed group of religious leaders. Every major faith tradition was represented, even Native American religious traditions through the presence of Jake Swamp, a Mohawk tribal and spiritual leader who many Unitarian Universalists met at the Rochester General Assembly.

Standing outside the White House, waiting to be "processed" by White House security, the sunny day was abruptly interrupted by a brief thunderstorm and downpour. There we were, a multitude of colors and religious traditions standing in joyful clusters, five and six people huddled under a single umbrella. The metaphor was not lost on anyone, the cleansing rain, the rainbows over and under the umbrellas, it was profound and beautiful.

We entered the White House amid the pomp and circumstance of military escort and the music of a military ensemble. The press arrived in a sudden flurry of equipment and bright lights. Then finally President Clinton entered, accompanied by White House staff and members of Congress. This was a highly ritualized event, down to the prepared speeches of the White House staff and faith leaders.

There was, however, a brief question and answer period which gave faith leaders the opportunity to engage the President in more informal dialogue on pressing racial matters. President Clinton acknowledged that he has been "tone deaf" to the concerns of Native Americans in the early days of the President's Initiative on Race, and has learned a great deal since then; that he is committed to addressing the concerns of American Indian people.

He also spoke movingly about the Amadou Diallo case, expressing condolences to Mr. Diallo's family and friends. Mr. Clinton emphasized the need to respect the decision of the jury and integrity of the judicial process, while at the same time he acknowledged the tragedy never should have happened in the first place. He shared his conviction that if Diallo had been a young, white man on the street in a white neighborhood, the police shooting would not have happened. The time for dialogue was frustratingly short, and while the President only took questions from a few male faith leaders, he did greet each and every one of us individually in a receiving line.

We each had a moment to share with Mr. Clinton what was foremost on our minds and in our hearts. I thanked Mr. Clinton for acknowledging he had made some mistakes with the Indian community, but also said I could see he was trying to move forward by meeting with tribal leaders, visiting Pine Ridge and ensuring that new economic development programs targeting Native American communities were initiated. I also asked him to do one more thing before leaving office -- to remember incarcerated Indian activist Leonard Peltier — and grant him executive clemency. While Mr. Clinton did not acknowledge one way or another whether this would happen, I did find it interesting that the Associated Press report on the meeting included a substantial reference to Native American issues.

As one of only two Native Americans present, and as someone who grew up as a poor Indian kid in California, this event was an extraordinary opportunity for me to represent both Native American people and Unitarian Universalists. I am deeply grateful to the administration of the UUA for this opportunity, and to Unitarian Universalists and congregations all over the United States and Canada who are committed to anti-racist transformation.

(For more information on 'Building One America' see the following URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/Initiatives/OneAmerica/america.html )

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