In early 2019, UUCR entered into a partnership with First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond in Virginia to bring The Pledge to End Racism Program, now called The National Pledge to End Racism Initiative, to Roanoke. We also entered into a local partnership with Williams Memorial Baptist Church to work together to implement the program in our community. The Pledge Steering Committee includes members of UUCR and Williams Memorial and leads the joint work of our congregations in this effort.

In November of 2019, our two congregations shared in a Pledge to End Racism worship service at Williams Memorial. After the service, more than 100 members and friends of both congregations signed the following Pledge to End Racism, adapted from the famous 1998 Birmingham (Alabama) Pledge authored by lawyer Jim Rotch:

I believe that every person has worth as an individual.

I believe that every person is entitled to dignity and respect, regardless of race or color.

I believe that every thought and every act of racial prejudice is harmful; if it is my thought or act, then it is harmful to me as well as to others.

Therefore, from this day forward, I will strive daily to eliminate racial prejudice from my thoughts and actions.

I will discourage racial prejudice by others at every opportunity.

I will treat all people with dignity and respect.

I will commit to working with others to transform my church and community into a place that treats people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures with justice, equity, and compassion, and

I will strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the world will be a better place because of my effort.

Program co-founder Annette Marquis says “A pledge is a sacred vow, a promise to stay true to a commitment we’ve made. The Pledge to End Racism holds each of us accountable to engage every day in the work of addressing racism wherever we find it, from interpersonal interactions to the institutions we support and the systems we participate in. It’s more than saying, ‘I’m not a racist.’ Instead, it is a solemn promise to study, learn, interact, and join with others to take action to ensure that all people truly experience justice, equity, and compassion.”

The program includes:

• A Sunday service at which people are challenged to sign the Pledge to End Racism.
• An optional workshop called Living the Pledge which is designed to help people move from the individual action of signing The Pledge into collective action to dismantle racism.
• Information on opportunities in the community to put the Pledge into action
• Optional follow-up gatherings to provide encouragement and support in meeting personal commitments.
• Knowledge and skills to develop leadership in the movement to end racism.

For more information or questions, please e-mail us at roanokepledge@gmail.com.