“In July of 2015, I participated in a Day of Dialogue which was planned in response to the Charleston shooting. There was a good racial mixture within the group of thirty to forty people who participated. The dialogue was productive, respectful, and rather informative. I left feeling encouraged that there were many other people who shared her passion for racial reconciliation.

Last December, I visited my friend (my bi-racial friend) in Washington, DC. We went to see the Lincoln Memorial. As we exited, I noticed that we were looking down the mall just as Martin Luther King Jr. would have been the day he made his famous “I Have A Dream” speech.  We found the tiles marked where Dr. King stood to deliver this speech. As I stood there on those tiles, I wondered if we would have been able to be friends when this iconic speech was made. It made her very thankful, for the work of Dr. King, people like him, and Mission Mississippi. This was a “Mission Mississippi Moment” for me.

Mission Mississippi has influenced my life beyond helping me to build new relationships. My work with the organization has also taught me to be more patient. I have learned to pause before I speak my reaction and listen to what someone on the other side is saying. I try hard to listen more effectively and not minimize the pain the other person is feeling. This is valuable because I don’t know what it’s like to be an African-American.”

Ericka is a Christian and attends Pinelake church. “I believe there is a solid link between faith and racial reconciliation. Genesis says that people are made in the image of God. Therefore, we should all look at one another through this lens. I believe Christians are in a special position to work for racial reconciliation because of Christ’s teachings. ‘Love God and then love your neighbor as yourself.’ the church needs to put feet to what it preaches.”