Emo Yango on Anti-Racism and Interculturality at The United Church of Canada When Emo Yango started working with The United Church of Canada in 2019, he looked at what was available on racial justice, interculturality, and intersectionality in the United Church archives and on the website. He found many resources that, although designed several decades ago, had held up so well that he suggested to Michael Blair that they could be sold outside the church.
In a recent interview with Zoë Chaytors, he calls the United Church’s call for interculturality and anti-racism a “rediscovery of those prophetic voices,” referring to the strong traditional roots of that work in the denomination.
Emo’s current work with the Church in Mission Unit as the Network Coordinator for Identity in Mission keeps him centred in the church’s important anti-racism and racial justice work, and its efforts to address issues around the world stemming from systemic racism and geopolitical unrest. His work also involves the church’s efforts to address disability and accessibility issues. The Network’s current projects include building the work of the Young Black Scholarship Program into an app and writing a training manual for The United Church of Canada (UCC) staff on engaging people with disabilities.
Emo acknowledges the fact that many United Church communities of faith are in decline but feels that the thriving United Church communities of faith aren’t having their stories told. He talks with Zoë about the importance of making these stories known. He later muses about the strengths of the networking spaces that Church in Missions likes to use–how they provide a way for people to talk about the ways that people want to live into the commitments of The United Church of Canada, not necessarily solving issues but learning to live healthily with people as they make their voices heard, even if we don’t always agree with what they say. There is always more work to be done.
Emo says that the most surprising part of his work has been that, even though The United Church of Canada's resources from years past show a call for anti-racism that was ahead of its time, the central voices involved in making UCC an anti-racist church remain white. He agrees that the world requires more awareness of how racism operates but that it’s not enough. “Knowledge helps people to move forward together.”
We look forward to hearing more from Emo in the future! Hear his full EDGEy conversation with Zoë Chaytors.
[Image credit: Deposit Photos] |
|
Public Performing Video Licensing Now Available
After over two years with limited opportunities to see movies in theatres, people will welcome economical opportunities this summer to return to movie-viewing outside their homes with family and friends. It’s a perfect time for communities of faith to step in with fun, low-cost, family friendly movie screenings that let members of the congregation have fun together while reaching out to the community and raising funds.
However, before they make plans to run these sorts of events, communities of faith need to know that doing public screenings without a public performance license puts them at risk. Without a public performance license, the following activities break copyright law:
- Showing a clip from a copy of a movie or a TV show episode that you personally own.
- Limiting your “audience” to just a few people (even just over Zoom from your church office)
- Showing a movie or a TV program (or clips from one) for free, or for educational purposes.
- Using video material in your worship services or as a fundraiser.
If you plan to show movies or television programming (or clips from them) in your church building as part of worship, programming, or fundraising, protect yourself by getting a public performance license for all of it. Keep in mind that one license won’t necessarily cover everything that you want to show, which can potentially make video licensing an expensive proposition, depending on what you want to show.
Video licensing from Buying United makes it possible to show movies and clips from most production companies, including 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight, DreamWorks SKG, Lucasfilm, Miramax Films, Pixar Animation Studios, Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Films, and Warner Bros. (and many more) for a reasonable fee.
Buying United can help by offering a video licensing package for communities of faith that lets them publicly screen films and film clips licensed in Canada by Criterion Pictures and Audio Cine Films, for July and August, for a low rate that EDGE negotiates with the companies involved. See Buying United for Pricing and Frequently Asked Questions.
Apply by June 8 for a license that’s valid from July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023. Another application period begins in October 2022 for licenses valid between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
EDGE administers the Video Licensing Program–please address questions to abelaskie@united-church.ca.[Image credit: Geralt on Pixabay.com] |
|
Other Learning Opportunities  Mark your calendars for these opportunities to connect with others and learn new skills!- Idea Day: June 6, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. An opportunity to hear about innovative ideas from others and to present your idea and get feedback on it. Register, and find out more.
- Theory of Change Summer Session: June 13–August 5. A Theory of Change is your ministry’s story of how you believe change will unfold. Working on your Theory of Change aids creative thinking, strengthens your effectiveness, provides a solid framework for evaluation, and helps you demonstrate the impact you envision. A Theory of Change grounds your ministry in mission delivery and explore links between your ministry's activities and outcomes for the purpose of planning, participation, and evaluation. This 8-week “train-the-trainer” version of the regular workshop is geared towards participants who want guidance leading their stakeholders through the Theory of Change process, though facilitator Chris Rotolo welcome anyone who wants to develop a Theory of Change on their own. Please email Chris at chrisrotolo@gmail.com with questions or register here. This workshop is a $450 value offered for only $50!
Email edge@united-church.ca with any questions.[Image credit: Nick Morrison on Unsplash.com] |
|
Embracing the Spirit is a learning network and innovation fund. It offers funding and support for innovation ideas hatched out of faith communities and communities in ministry. Some of the stories and best practices that are happening throughout The United Church of Canada are shared in this newsletter. If you have an idea that you want to launch, reach out and tell us about it! Proposal deadlines are quarterly, and due on the 15th of the month: January, April, July and October. Find out more. |
|
| Sign up for the Embracing the Spirit newsletter! |
|
|
| Donate to The United Church of Canada and help fund life changing work around the world! |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment