Alecia Baptiste

Writer, Speaker, Mentor

Real Talk: My Bias Against the Donald Trumps of the World

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successful white man

Donald Trump represents those that I’ve seen as my enemy:  A successful white man whose primary concern is to win at all costs!

It has been men like him who have exploited the poor and weak, who misuse and abuse women, who brutalized and stole from the Native peoples of America, and who enslaved and dehumanized my ancestors in order to maximize their profit.  These are the kind of people who have been a threat to my very existence.  Not that they are thinking and plotting against me or people like me in any particular way.  I do not matter to them.  I am just a pawn to be manipulated or a fly to be squashed.

And yet even as I consider my dislike and even fear of these men, I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that HE LOVES THEM, just as much as he loves me.  He treasures them, just as much as he treasures the sweet, gentle, kind and patient mother who cares for her infant.

I am reminded that these men are human beings, just like me.  No more. No less.

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Healthy Conversations About Race Part II

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Since I wrote the previous article on Healthy Conversations on race, I’ve found more resources that are so helpful for understanding racism, it’s historical roots, and the attitudes that allow racism to continue.  I’ll be honest, these resources have helped me understand the struggles of the modern African-American community, and it’s given me a greater sense of compassion for my friends who are a part of the majority culture.  My eyes have been opened to the racism that still exists today.  There have been some tears shed.  Like many of you, I believed the lie that the schools fed me.  I thought the civil rights movement got rid of most legal racism.  I knew it didn’t stop people from being racist, but I didn’t realize that racism still existed in legal forms, but in disguise.Continue Reading

A Letter from One on the Outside Looking In

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This is a creative writing that was originally written in 2009. At the time I was struggling with how the mainstream evangelical church treats those who are not apart of the dominant culture.  To be honest, I was weary of being taught that we must live for others, and yet also hearing that we must cater to the majority.  My family and I have attended a large predominantly white church for over 16 years, and we missed the soul-stirring worship of a black church.  More than that, we were weary of always having to be the one to sacrifice in order to make others more comfortable.  Of course, we could always go back to a black church, but that would simply perpetuate the problem.  Churches are still very segregated.  I believe God has much more for us than segregated churches.  

My hope in republishing this writing is to give you a small window into our world.  

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The Question that Reveals the Truth about our Hearts

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question treesI was recently listening to a podcast called Around the Table.  They discussed an interesting question.

What are you willing to struggle for?

I thought it was an interesting question because I believe it reveals alot about what’s in our hearts.  It also reveals the truth about what we really value verses what we say we value.

Because it is a natural human response to avoid pain and hardship, when one chooses the path that brings pain–especially when there is an easier alternative, it reveals alot.  No one chooses pain, unless it results in some great motivation or reward.

Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, because of the joy to come.

The writer of Hebrews teaches that we should not despise discipline because the pain of discipline will produce righteousness and peace if will cooperate with the training process. James teaches that we should consider it a joy when we endure all kinds of hardship because of the lasting good it produces in us.

Lasting Joy, and  peace are things worth suffering for.

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