A most modest proposal for boycott

My grandfather was a professional opera singer; he absolutely loved to sing. Well into his 80s, he would break into song at some point during every family gathering.

Of all the stories about my grandfather and his opera career, the one that stands out the most was the moment when he refused to sing to a segregated audience in the South. He knew the risks: If he refused to sing, he could lose the job he loved. But if he chose to sing, he would be complicit in perpetuating the scourge of racism.

When he refused, he lost his job. His love of justice was deeper than his love of career.

As we mourn and lament the reality of racism in our world today, I wonder how we, too, might respond and raise our voices to speak out against injustice. As we become more aware of the desperate need for change, how might we continue to combat racism and all systems of oppression? We may not be on an opera stage, but what are the steps we can take today to pursue justice in our areas of influence?

Personally, I have much work to do in this space and humbly propose a most modest (and overdue) step: a simple boycott of any event that does not elevate diverse voices, especially as keynote speakers.

Latasha Morrison, founder of Be the Bridge, shares that the first steps in addressing racism are to listen and learn, then to lament and leverage. But if speaker lineups today are still predominately white males, we simply aren’t taking that critical first step of listening.

Several years ago, I decided that I would not speak at any conference where there is not a diverse panel of speakers. My voice shouldn’t be added if it crowds out brothers and sisters of different races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and experiences.

But the real influence comes from the audiences: those who vote with their presence and ticket purchases. What if we collectively chose not to attend or participate in any conference that does not intentionally elevate diverse voices from center stage? And instead, what if we chose to attend, celebrate, and feature events that elevate voices that haven’t been heard nearly enough.

Last week, we celebrated Juneteenth, an annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Just as Juneteenth came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation (too late!), I recognize that this proposal is long past due as well. But I’d like to stop attending events where we don’t see a reflection of God’s Kingdom. After all, we believe that we serve a God of all nations who cares about equality and justice, and it’s long past time for the Church to reflect the beautiful world God created.

Who’s in?