Dialogue On Race Set For Bristol Church

The Peace Center (TPC) and Compassion Creates Communities is continuing their Dialogues on Race at the Bristol Hope Church, 343 Wood Street, Bristol Borough on Tuesday, November 29 at 7 p.m.

The most recent dialogue was held at the Macedonia Baptist Church, an African American congregation, in Newtown Borough. Leaders of both organizations stressed how important it is to continue the dialogues for the community to heal.

Gayle Evans, The Peace Center Educator, and Barbara Simmons, TPC executive director, led the dialogues.

“We had another rich dialogue on issues of race and discrimination,” Evans said about the recent event which was attended by more than 60 people.

The dialogue, which has been scheduled for many months and is one of many that have been held, came after incidents in the Council Rock High School North and the presidential election with Donald Trump becoming the president-elect.

Evans said the process of healing as a community and a nation could take years, but is very necessary.

At the recent Day of Healing and Reconciliation in Langhorne Borough, she talked about recent acts of reported violence and hate crimes in the Council Rock School District that were related to the election.

“We saw a swastika painted on bathroom walls, derogatory comments made about gays and lesbians, and people of different colors,” she said.

“We’ve seen a young lady who received a note for her to go back to Mexico which was tucked into her school bag,” Evans said.

The Peace Center educator also recounted a personal story of something shocking that she recently witnessed just a block away from the First Baptist Church where the Day of Healing and Reconciliation was held.

“I saw a pick-up truck riding through the intersection with a huge Confederate flag flying,” she noted.

Evans, an African American whose family goes back several generations in Bucks County, said after the dialogue in Newtown, “The primary focus of this dialogue was based upon the most recent presidential election and the horrific events that have occurred in our community.

“I personally have been saddened by the number of people who have expressed their concerns about the physical and emotional safety of themselves and their families. There was a great sense of anxiety and fear filling the air at the start of the dialogue,” she said.

 “In order to process those emotions, we made an effort to work through the concerns people had as well as the opportunities that could be developed from these events,” Evans added. “I think many people came away feeling as if they had emotional support from others as well as a clearer focus on their next steps to healing the pain and anger they’re feeling. 

“I am optimistic that in the months and years to come that fear, hurt and anger will subside but not without a lot of support from the community,” she said.

Meanwhile, The Peace Center’s Simmons gave an update about the situation in the Council Rock School District.

“The Council Rock School District is working with The Peace Center and parent groups to ensure that all students feel safe no matter what their race, ethnicity, religion – no matter what their differences,” she said. “The school district is committed to make the changes needed.”

Regarding the Bristol dialogue, she explained why that location was chosen.  “We had a request to hold it in another area in the county,” Simmons said. “This one is going to involve the borough police department.”

Plans are underway to hold more dialogues, but The Peace Center has been dealing with more phone calls than usual.

“Right now, we’ve been responding to the hate crimes at Council Rock and elsewhere,” Simmons said.

She extends an invitation to the Bristol dialogue. “Please join a diverse group of people discussing social change and justice. We urge deep listening of one another for both healing and identifying ways to help make our communities and our nation a safe and accepting place for everyone.”

For more information, call The Peace Center at 215-750—7220 or visit www.thepeacecenter.org.

Editor’s Note: Petra Chesner Schlatter is a representative of The Peace Center.