212 - Transition in Proximity to Whiteness with Dante Stewart
In this episode, Latasha talks with writer and speaker Dante Stewart about his experiences with assimilation in predominantly white institutions, including his time as a cornerback at Clemson University and his journey in ministry at a white evangelical church. Latasha guides listeners by adding context to the conversation, and Dante gives encouragement to Black Christians and white churches to spur them on in the pursuit of racial justice and healing.
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor & Music By - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Brittany Prescott
Quotes:
“People say, ‘Hey, I'm adaptable in many environments.’ Oftentimes adaptable means you gotta lose a serious part of yourself.” - Dante
“In order for you to make it you can't be too Black going into these spaces. You keep your head down, you do your work, and you handle your business...our parents knew that to be really Black in these white spaces oftentimes would work against us.” - Dante
“I'm not someone who says, you know, ‘My first identity is Christian.’ That's just not the case. I mean, it's a meaningful identity. But when I walk outside into the world, the first thing people ain't seeing is ‘Christian.’ The first thing people see is Black. And that means I need to make sense of that somehow.” - Dante
“None of us are walking into a neutral story. There is no such thing as a neutral kind of religious environment. There's no such thing as a neutral story. There's always a story here before I got here that's inviting me to see myself as a certain type of person and kind of embody a certain type of action.” - Dante
“If we want to get free, there is no freedom without literature and critical engagement with literature.” - Dante
“Even if the demographic makeup of one's church doesn't change, the kind of spiritual, political, religious, and moral bent and framework of one's heart, and the heart of one's congregation, can show that congregation is a just church.” - Dante
Podcast link: https://podlink.to/BeTheBridgeSocial handles/links: Instagram: @LatashaMorrisonTwitter: @LatashaMorrisonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LatashaMMorrison/Official Hashtag: #bethebridge
