A small panel of Venango County residents told their individual stories of racism to area leaders and residents at a discussion last week. The panelists described how they or their children have dealt with being victims of racial intolerance or cruelty. Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church in Franklin conceived of the forum titled "A Call to Listen" after the Black Lives Matter rally in Bandstand Park last weekend.
Powell organized and hosted the forum in hopes of shedding some light on a problem in his community.
And those in attendance heard firsthand accounts of racism in those neighborhoods, work places and schools.
As tears fell down her cheeks,as Kaia Dean, a rising senior at Cranberry High School, told of hurtful things she has had to endure her whole life.
Powell organized and hosted the forum in hopes of shedding some light on a problem in his community.
And those in attendance heard firsthand accounts of racism in those neighborhoods, work places and schools.
As tears fell down her cheeks,as Kaia Dean, a rising senior at Cranberry High School, told of hurtful things she has had to endure her whole life.
Powell welcomed everyone to the discussion and then turned it over to Lora Adams-King, Farrell School District superintendent and the pastor at Franklin's New Life Worship Center. "We are here to have a conversation. It may be an uncomfortable conversation, but it is a much needed conversation," Adams-King explained at the opening.
She invited the audience to ask questions and stressed the importance of asking difficult questions in order to learn and grow.
She discussed the protests around the globe after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer. She didn't shy away from discussing the riots that have broken out during the protests.
"You may ask 'Why are we here today; these things have not occurred in Venango County?' For that I say praise God," she said while emphasizing that racism still exists here.
She said she doesn't condone the violence or rioting, but did admit she can understand why it happens given the frustrations within the Black community that is still dealing with these issues after all these years.
She also called upon members of the audience to share their experiences of racism as those from the panel did as well.
She invited the audience to ask questions and stressed the importance of asking difficult questions in order to learn and grow.
She discussed the protests around the globe after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer. She didn't shy away from discussing the riots that have broken out during the protests.
"You may ask 'Why are we here today; these things have not occurred in Venango County?' For that I say praise God," she said while emphasizing that racism still exists here.
She said she doesn't condone the violence or rioting, but did admit she can understand why it happens given the frustrations within the Black community that is still dealing with these issues after all these years.
She also called upon members of the audience to share their experiences of racism as those from the panel did as well.
The panel consisted of two mothers, Rhiannon Graham and Angela Wofford, who have biracial children who have experienced racism within their school districts; Raymonde Washington, a Knox resident who upon moving into her home was told to go back where she came from and that she wasn't wanted here; and Dean.
Area police chiefs, the three Venango County commissioners, Franklin's city manager, Oil City's mayor and many other county and city officials were among the more than 60 people who attended to listen and broached some uncomfortable questions.
One attendee asked about the phrase "All Lives Matter" and how she feels, as a Christian, that no one life is more important than another.
Adams-King took the question seriously agreeing that all lives do matter, but explained the intent behind Black Lives Matter isn't to diminish the importance of any life, but to emphasize that Black lives haven't mattered to some and that is a reason so many acts of racism continue to exist.
The hour long discussion ended with attendees taking away stories of incidents they didn't know where going on in their backyards.
At one point Adams-King asked the audience for a show of hands of those who were surprised to hear the stories. When only about a third of the hands raised she said that's not enough hands as the the stories should surprise everyone.
She concluded by mentioning that she would've liked break into work groups to formulate possible solutions to the questions raised, but the social-distancing and time constraints of many made that prohibitive. She hoped the discussions didn't end at the end of the hour-long forum.
Adams-King took the question seriously agreeing that all lives do matter, but explained the intent behind Black Lives Matter isn't to diminish the importance of any life, but to emphasize that Black lives haven't mattered to some and that is a reason so many acts of racism continue to exist.
The hour long discussion ended with attendees taking away stories of incidents they didn't know where going on in their backyards.
At one point Adams-King asked the audience for a show of hands of those who were surprised to hear the stories. When only about a third of the hands raised she said that's not enough hands as the the stories should surprise everyone.
She concluded by mentioning that she would've liked break into work groups to formulate possible solutions to the questions raised, but the social-distancing and time constraints of many made that prohibitive. She hoped the discussions didn't end at the end of the hour-long forum.
Eight & 322 is an online publication focused on telling stories of the communities in the northwest region of Pennsylvania. To subscribe to the free Sunday Edition newsletter, email richardsayerphotography@gmail.com.
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