Trying to Build Bonds With Immigrant Stories

Posted by Brenda González  December 26, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/us/26religion.html

Black church leaders have come up with answers both idealistic and pragmatic. Brian K. Woodson Sr. pastors a church, the Bay Area Christian Connection, that is near Chinatown in Oakland and shares its building with a Vietnamese congregation. To him, the immigrants make more sense as allies on issues of economic justice than as rivals.

By bringing immigrants like Mrs. Dominguez into church, sympathetic blacks have been able not only to put a human face on the immigration issue but also a face that is brown-skinned and Christian, affirming two common bonds. The attacks on Latino immigrants on talk radio and cable TV have also encouraged a certain dynamic of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” NYTimes

Tags: Black Churches
Topics: Building Community, Immigrant Integration, Immigration, Religion, Storytelling


Comments

Using stories to bring peace

Submitted by Gale Petersen on December 28, 2009 - 2:52pm.
Brenda--I'm glad you published this article on our site. I like how the minister compared the flight of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus into Egypt to the flight of today's immigrants.

Gale Petersen
Media and Technology Co-Director
  • 1 vote