Speak Up For Unity

originally posted November 7, 2016

This Saturday a neo-nazi white supremacist group held a rally at the state capital building in Harrisburg. At the same time, in a high school across town, an event called Speak Up For Unity was going on.

It was not a protest of the hate group's rally, but was instead focused on cancelling out all hate with unity, equality, and nonviolence.

I had the privilege of attending with a group of friends the Multicultural Council at Messiah College. It was such an incredible experience.

People of every age, from babies to grandparents, with skin in every shade, from different religions, different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, different political beliefs, different socio-economic levels, different education levels, and different level of privilege and oppression joined together to share community. As soon as I walked up to the school I was taken up in a bear hug by one of the coordinators, who was thrilled that students cared about unity. We sang "We Shall Overcome," listened to spoken word poetry that moved my soul, watched the performances of dancers and drummers and, most importantly, we were reminded of the importance of diversity.

Yesterday I was a part of an extended family . Yesterday I was able to stand up against racism, not with more hate, but with love. Yesterday we were unified, brothers and sisters standing together. I am so grateful that I had this opportunity. I am so grateful that I go to a school that sees the importance of speaking up against injustice and of celebrating diversity and equality. I hope that I can live every day reminding myself of God's love for the world, regardless of race, and of the importance of being unified.