That's what SHE said: evangelicals feeling the Bern, white womanhood, the harmful myths amongst adoptive parents of transracial adoptees, muslim children in post 9/11 America, and more...

WHITE WOMANHOOD AND MYSELF | Karen Lynn Yang

Karen Lynn Yang, an Asian American woman, reflects on her love/hate relationship with white women crediting them with both her inherited moral framework as well as her acquired disillusionment with evangelical purity culture. While she grew up with white women as role models, she came to the realization she could never assimilate into white womanhood. Where once Karen desired a blonde ponytail and rosy blush, she is finally comfortable in her own skin. However, she discusses her sense of rage when white women get it wrong by centering their feelings over the needs of people in color, in particular with their responses to stories of racism. When the important questions of “How can I better understand?” are replaced with comments like “But I don’t want to be ashamed of being white,” the important work of dismantling an oppressive system is thrown off balance to center back to whiteness.

THE STORY OF AHMED MOHAMED REVEALS THE DAILY RACISM EXPERIENCED BY MUSLIM CHILDREN | Medium.com

In recent news, a Muslim boy in Irvine, Texas trying to win approval from his engineering teacher for a homemade clock he built was hauled in for interrogation by police officers after the teacher and administrators saw the device as “suspicious.” The author, a Muslim American, expresses outrage for what he feels captures the constant racism experienced by Muslim children in pos-9/11 America. He also talks about living in pre-9/11 America and living through the transformation of being part of a largely unknown community to being the most vilified community in the country with the constant belief of suspicion surrounding them. Despite the feeling of loss in the becoming of post-9/11 America, the author expresses his concern for Muslim American children who have only ever known a world where there is an open and accepted dialogue of hatred spoken about themselves and their community. He touches upon the refugee crisis in Europe where Muslims are fleeing Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He asks why it took the body of a toddler washing up on shore for the world to finally see the inhumanity being suffered by Muslim children all over the world. He asks when children who are constantly criminalized will be recognized as part of the human family.

Found on inspirationfeed.com

THE REALITIES OF RAISING A KID OF A DIFFERENT RACE | Time.com

As the white mother of Ethiopian and African-American adopted daughters, Karen Valby delves into what every parent should know as transracial adoption becomes more common including four myths plaguing white adoptive parents of transracial adoptees. As she discusses the four myths such as “color doesn’t matter” or the idea that “you are the hero of your child’s story” she follows families who fell prey to these myths and the regretful outcomes suffered by their adopted children. The idea that “love is enough” can eliminate a much needed talk in the homes of transracial adoptees about the reality of having different color skin in predominantly white neighborhoods and schools. Patsy Hathaway, a white mother in Denver, never talked about racism with her African American son until he was brutally beaten by Denver police during a routine traffic stop. In the article, she lists five lessons she wishes she had known.

COULD US EVANGELICALS VOTE FOR BERNIE SANDERS? I DID AND IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN | christianitytoday.com

An evangelical voter who once helped elect Bernie Sanders to his Vermont Senate seat argues that the Democratic socialist speaks to a large minority of Evangelical millennials who are more concerned with social justice issues such as income inequality as opposed to same sex marriage. While the majority of evangelicals will not support Sanders since he will not ban abortion, the author argues that his proposal to expand health care provides better access to contraception thereby cutting down on the number of abortions at any given time. Could the younger generation of evangelical millennials “Feel The Bern” this election?

Found on bloglovin.com

THINGS TO DO AND THEATRE TO SEE

This week in LA, Circle X Theatre presents a new original play, ICU, at Atwater Village Theatre. A comedy with some savory dark family drama, Circle X has been making a name for itself in Los Angeles theatre and this new work is sure to deliver on the much deserved buzz. Also out there is Candide, a comedy adapted from the Voltaire novella about an optimist desperately clinging to his belief in humanity while he suffers the loss of friends and his sheep, is playing at Sacred Fools Theatre. For an interactive piece of theatre, The Object Lesson at the Kirk Douglas Theatre takes audience members through a theatre space filled with storage boxes which members are welcome to shuffle through. The play explores our relationship to “things.”

Further south, South Coast Repertory has a killer deal right now with season tickets. Buy a three play season ticket and they send you a voucher for the fourth one. The popular One Man, Two Guvnors is currently playing.

Those interested in art and music can see Danny Elfman performing The Nightmare Before Christmas live to the film on Halloween night at the Hollywood Bowl. (This is sure to sell out!) Also this fall, Storytime in the Galleries at LACMA has begun with free admission for families. Staff will take children on a reading adventure as they relate their stories to the art surrounding them in the Chinese and Korean art galleries. And finally the much anticipated new contemporary art museum, the Broad Museum in Downtown LA, is finally open to the public!

In New York, be sure to check out the US Premiere of Antigone at BAM starring Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche, directed by Olivier-winner Ivo van Hove, and with a new translation by poet and MacArthur fellow, Anne Carson. Also worth checking out is the Brooklyn Book Festival this Sunday, September 20th.