Hey friends,
This week I will transition out of my role as Global Executive Director with Word Made Flesh. My wife Donna and I will begin diving deeply into our work with The Voices Project, along with a few other things that we feel fit our gifts for the kingdom at this time. I am excited to see Clint Baldwin take on the leadership as the new ED at WMF and will support him fully in his new role. Clint has worked with me as Associate Global Director the past year and is a great leader. I will remain an advisor for him and the organization as it moves forward.
My time with Word Made Flesh has deepened my commitment to leaders of color. Visits to fields around the world combined with the assault on black lives in the US, and the release of my book, “Red Brown Yellow Black White,” I am more committed now than ever to justice and the lifting of leaders of color. We are in a place where these leaders are desperately needed at all tables. We invite you into the work of Voices and our partners as we together pursue Beloved community.
We have been able to work with a collective of organizations and develop partnerships that allow us to work even more wholistically as a community against systems of oppression in our world. Things like the prison pipeline for black boys, poor immigration policies, education and wealth disparities all work tragically against people of color. Systematic injustice needs to be challenged by a systematic justice movement, which Is why my work at Voices touches many. We, along with many others, are quite frankly tired and desire to see systematic change. It’s time to raise the flag of justice even higher and invite a diverse group of leaders to guide the way. Our male dominated, mono cultural ways have fallen short and cry for diversity.
The following are organizations we will be working with moving forward in various capacities.
Voices Project is in our 5th year with a commitment to continue gathering and supporting leaders of color. We invite you today to see our new website launch.
Imago Dei – A commitment to multicultural congregation and community engagement as well as assisting leaders of color as planters and pastors in multicultural context.
Holla- A culturally relative mentorship organization committed to changing the story of black and brown kids living in poverty.
Kilns college – Academic training with emphasis on justice and leadership using voices of color as major part of the curriculum.
Writing and speaking – We will continue to write and speak on the messages of justice, poverty, leadership, missions, race, and Community Development with partners like CCDA, Compassion International, Q, The Wesleyan church, and Missio Alliance.
Our partners have all committed to leaders of color and to a process of seeing systematic injustice corrected. The day has come where leadership and culture needs to be diverse if we are going to experience shalom. Churches, mission organizations, universities, and any justice related organization looking to change the world.
Today we launch our new website,www.thevoicesconference.com, and invite you to take a look and join our work.
LEROY BARBER,
Founder, Voices Project
College Pastor, Kilns College
Pastoral team, Imago Dei Eastside