Sustaining Through Struggle
Pastor Harrison’s words have become the banner of our collective work: remembering the importance of sustaining our community through struggle and celebration. The accompanying photograph is just one of many representing the work of these last five years of bringing people together, in this instance, to make history by honoring the legacy of Yonni Chapman. Chapman, a lifetime activist and civil rights historian, celebrated with us on our first MayDay, donated his 600 volumes of historical resources, and inspired much of our civil rights education work today.
Reverend Troy F. Harrison
from Martin Luther King Day Address
January 2009 First Baptist Church
There’s a struggle going on
yet dreams
never die.
It is in the midst of struggle
that dreams become a reality
It’s in the midst of struggle
that dreams take on new meaning and
provide new hope for those who are oppressed and struggling
Dreams never die.
But not just in our nation
do we still experience injustice, corruption,
but even in our own community.
There’s a struggle
going on.
And what we have to come together as a community and understand
is that Chapel Hill is--is not just
the historic district
Chapel Hill is not just
the elitist district
but Chapel Hill is composed of Richfield uh-huh
and Rogers Road c’mon
and Northside. yes
clapping
And decisions and policies that we make
ought to embrace dreams.
Dreams of a better place
--and a better time
--and a better situation
for all of Chapel Hill.
And the dream is embodied in each of you who are under the sound of my voice.
. . .
It is important that we come together
as a community
To speak out and to continue to cry loud and spare not,
be the voice of crying out in the wilderness for righteousness
and justice,
in the face of injustice
when there is environmental injustice in our community .
I say to you
don’t let the dream die . . .
Like Doctor King, I too have a dream. alright
My dream is embedded in the vision
that God has for his world,
that the faith community
would be his--his kingdom building agency
that will eliminate injustices
that would kill racism
that would stop economic
corruption
in this country.
I have a dream.
I have a dream that people will still be judged by the content of their character
and not the color of their skin.
Because let’s think about it as we think about gentrification
and this--this progression of sustainability
Sustainability as defined by who?
What has sustained this community
is the cohesiveness of brothers and sisters working together
What has sustained this community
is churches working together and lifting the voices of the angels
and the archangels
What has sustained this community
has not been brick and mortar
What has sustained this community
has not been an influx of greed
What has sustained this community has been faith.
Faith in a God that never fails- say it
Faith in a God who will always see his people through-
Faith in a God who will always stand by the oppressed yeah, say it
And the downtrodden say it, that’s right
That’s what has sustained this community.
And I would dare anyone who would challenge me on that definition
of sustainability. alright
But what we need is faith amen
in a God who is unable--to fail.
What we need is faith
in each other.
And what we need
is love,
love for
-- all God’s creation.
