Chair:

Rev. Kendra Grams

Kendra.grams@fpchudson.net

Task Force Coordinator:

Rev. Anna Kendig

ptca.anti.racism@gmail.com

Anti-Racism Task Force

External website address: https://anti-racism-ptca.weebly.com/

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The Anti-Racism Task Force (ARTF) of the Presbytery of Twin Cities Area (PTCA)’s purpose is: To identify and eliminate racist narratives, practices, procedures, structures, etc. within the PTCA and equip and empower congregations and congregational leaders to do likewise in their churches and communities​

What We Do

Past and current initiatives of the ARTF include:

• Sharing of anti-racism educational resources

• Scholarship support for members of PTCA to attend anti-racism educational events and conferences

• Sacred pilgrimage of silent tribute of apology and peacemaking at site of the hanging of the Dakota 38

• Year of “spiritual pilgrimage” directly engaging the legacy of racism and resistance in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin through hosted encounters of truth telling, reflection, and action — guided by the voices and/or scholarship of black, indigenous, and people of color community leaders.

• An institutional assessment on race and equity of the PTCA, undergirded by the following values:

  • To understand and claim the gospel imperative to undertake anti-racism work (versus just “not being racist”)

  • To build a common understanding as a presbytery about how racism functions within systems like our committees, interactions, and norms—instead of focusing on individual attitudes, intentions, or options

  • To be honest about our complex history as a presbytery regarding equity, but also to have concrete steps towards change, including supportive space for BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) people and communities in the PTCA

  • To develop, from intentional outreach and analysis, tools for self-analysis, change, and further growth that we practice together as a presbytery