by Heather Hedlund

Do you find it awkward or difficult to talk about race? It may be that you haven't had much practice. Many of us were raised in an environment that aspired to be "colorblind." We thought that the best way to end racism was to be colorblind: to not take race into consideration at all. We tried to not even notice race. While this concept was well-intentioned, it turned out to be not possible, not helpful, and most importantly, not biblical. One of the outcomes of the colorblind philosophy was that we avoided talking about race at all. Since we weren't supposed to notice it, we didn't mention it. Now it feels uncomfortable to talk about race because we're out of practice.

It can be difficult to dive into deep and meaningful conversations about the impact of racism in our society today if we're not comfortable talking about race at all. So, maybe it's time to build up our comfort level with a bit of practice. If you're a parent or a grandparent, you could start by having conversations with your kids as you read books with them or as you see opportunities in your daily routine. If you need some pointers there are great resources from EmbraceRace and Be the Bridge. Lots of little one-minute conversations will help your children learn to be comfortable in these conversations from an early age, and they'll give you practice so that you're ready to take it to the next level in adult conversations.

Another way to practice is to share stories and experiences with other adults. I don't remember talking about race very much in my family when I was young. Now, as an adult, I'm curious about my parents' experiences. Recently I asked them what they remembered from the Civil Rights Era. They would have been pre-teens during that time, and I wondered how much they were aware of. That question led to memories of what school was like for them, and then into a deeper conversation. I'm looking forward to asking more questions and learning new things about how they've experienced the world. Asking people to share their stories is also a great way to practice your listening skills, which is another crucial element in conversations about race.

Let's be brave together and start initiating conversations about race. With practice, we'll get more confident, and we may hear some really interesting stories along the way.