Graduates of Color Celebration
On May 20, 2009, PANA co-hosted a special worship, celebration, and reception honoring GTU graduates of color and two departing professors.
Each graduate spoke for a few moments about the occasion. Below are some of the words shared, by Jeffrey Acido, Lai-Shan Yip and Chris Long.
Jeffrey Acido:
Aloha, everyone.
As I stand here and look at the proud parents, friends and loved ones I am reminded of my mother. Right now she is working at a hotel in Waikiki, preparing beds and cleaning toilets for the tourists visiting Hawaii. In about an hour, in which she will finish her first shift, she will take an hour-long bus ride to go to her next job, at a local bank, cleaning toilets and cubicles, similar to the offices of our professors.
I stand here before you as a proud son of a Filipina working-class immigrant mother. It is her dedication to her children that have allowed me to go as far as I am now. And yet at times, I feel that I would willingly trade this position for a moment of rest for my mother. It is her dedication to her children that has fueled my dedication for economic justice.
It took my family at least one hundred years, starting from my great-grandfather harvesting sugar and pineapple in the plantations of Hawaii, to my mother working at a hotel, to see someone in their family graduate with a master’s degree. One hundred years of self-deprecation, one hundred years of believing that they are not worthy or smart enough to go to school, one hundred years of substandard living! 100 YEARS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT! In the words of a Civil Rights leader, Rev. Joseph Lowery, “WAKE UP, YOU CHAPLAINS OF THE COMMON GOOD!” we must look beyond the walls of our seminaries and get off the Holy Hill and pay attention to those that cannot read our books. Some days I am convinced that the seminaries and universities deliberately try to keep people of color out of their classrooms.
We graduates of color have come a long way but never long enough. The work is not over. We are still in process. And we must never stray from the path of our people’s liberation.
I want to reserve a more personal appreciation for my mother when I finally see her in the latter part of the summer.
Right now, I want to thank a brother and a sister, brother Michael James and sister Deborah Lee. Together they have profoundly affected my intellectual and spiritual maturity here at the Pacific School of Religion.
I’ve worked closely with Rev. Deborah Lee, and despite the many mistakes that I have made, never has she scolded me and never was I made to feel inadequate. Her careful
words and poetic sense of justice has showed me a way to create a more just society, a society where everyone counts, no matter what color, class, or gender, and where everyone is not just unique but also a person of consequence. For this I am forever indebted to you.
I have never met anyone who has placed more trust in the wisdom of the community than Michael James. You have taught me a great deal in finding god in the most marginal of places and in the most queerest of moments. The audacity of your words and humility in your actions has shaped the way I better serve the community.
Lastly, I remember filling out the application to apply at the Pacific School of Religion. It asked, “What is your reason for applying to PSR”. I wrote in my letter of statement that I do not yet know what it means to have faith or even what faith means. I said that I wanted to be around people of faith in hope of developing one, or at least to understand people who have faith. I can honestly say that with your guidance and care I now have at least a sense of lived faith, a faith that allows me to walk in the uncertainties of the future without fear.
Thank you Sister Debbie and Brother Michael for your wisdom and dedication to the larger struggles of the community.
May God’s grace make loud those voices that have been silenced. Amen.
Lai-Shan Teresa Yip:
Prior to my study here, I have not known PSR at all as I have involved mostly in the Catholic circle in HK, engaging in social justice ministry, feminist and social movements. However, don’t think that I come from a family that likes to discuss social issues and politics – no, not at all!
There are three critical issues in my life that shape my political consciousness and the justice orientation of my faith. First of all, it was the Jun 4 Incident in 1989 when tanks crushed down the democratic movement at Tiananmen Square, Beijing. I wished I were there to suffer with the people. Today, the wound is still here; the truth is still to be uncovered. Under the influence of my mentor priest, I start to integrate my calling of being a Catholic with the commitment to human dignity, justice and democracy.
The second issue was the issue of 1997 when Hong Kong would be returned to China on July 1, 1997. My father had lost his job security due to his Taiwanese university degree. Since then, my father’s personality had changed and so had my family. Later, I realized that for some people, they simply could not enjoy the privilege of being politically apathetic.
The third critical issue was that since I was young, I have always questioned the privileges of my eldest brother and the unfair treatment of my sisters and myself. I do not want to be fooled by the patriarchal tradition and eventually find empowerment in the feminist struggles.
However, the pursuit of justice is full of huge challenges. The differences in ideology and political strategy replace mutual understanding and dialogue with mistrust, bias and demonization. I always ask how my faith should respond to all these painful divisions. The recent “Protection for Family Value” campaign in Hong Kong and some of the sexist and heterosexist ideologies in Christianity have led me to pursue graduate study. I have learnt from my schoolmate, Prof. Boyung Lee that PSR is one of the progressive seminaries, so I come to PSR, hoping to renew my faith, re-examine the Christian tradition and reflect on the political struggles.
In this two year of study here, I have found that there are actually much more issues for me to deal with such as racism and colonialism. While I have not got all the answers to all these issues, I am happy to find that I am not alone. I am blessed to have known a number of sojourners – my mentors, study buddies and friends at GTU – in all these struggles.
Chris Long:
Hold Up The Light
(words and music by Donnie Harper, recorded by New Jersey Mass Choir)
Chorus:
Hold up the light (3x),,
all ye heaven bound soilders.
Hold up the light (2x),
let your light shine around the world.
I have been reflecting over the last four years of my JOURNEY here at the Graduate Theological Union. What a journey it has been! Amen! The number of hours reading books so foreign to my social context I still have work to do understand what I have learned, having the honor of meeting folks from all over the world and being able to build a community of color with many of you here. What a blessing!
I must admit, I have also been uber privileged to study at Starr King, where "Educating to Counter Oppressions for JUST and Sustainable Community" is the cornerstone of its theological and educational vision and this school aims high at addressing Racism and White Supremacy Culture, especially by the administration!
But what does this mean when many of my colleagues of color are in schools where racism is never discussed, studied or even worse, discussion about transforming the oppressive systems within their seminary are avoided and students are locked out of board meetings. This is happening in seminaries on at the GTU! Can we settle for this! AMEN!! If we can not address these issues here, then where!
To the faculty and staff who have do endure under such conditions, KNOW that our ancestors are always with you in your struggles. Keep the faith and know you are not alone!
For the students that have just a few more years to go, HOLD ON! Choose your battles wisely, do your own work of studying the systems, take care of yourself in the struggle and PRAY!!
To my fellow colleagues, may we all continue to hold up the light, knowing our work is truly just beginning!!!
