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Tuesday night’s screening of I Am Not Your Negro, the Oscar-nominated documentary by Raoul Peck, and the Q&A discussion that followed is but the start of an ongoing forum on race relations in the city and the world, organizers said.

Presented by the Racial Justice Project, the free event featured an after screening discussion led by local activist and minister Nicolle Harris. The event was moved from Springwood Avenue Park to the neighboring Second Baptist Church on Atkins Avenue due to inclement weather.

The mission of the forums was born out a need to bring the 1.4 square mile community to “further the discussion about racism in our society and the difference between systemic racism and prejudice,” Derek Minno Bloom, Asbury Park Education Justice Collective member, Transformative Justice Project Director, and Social and Food Justice Director at Trinity Episcopal Church on Asbury Avenue.

“One of the things that I hope that happens through tonight and discussions is that we move from theory into actual thoughts and [ongoing] conversations and interactions, and really find a way to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes so we can begin to see from and through each other’s eyes,” Second Baptist Pastor Samaj Vanzant said. “I really think that is the only way that we will be able to really come to place where we can dissolve some of the tension that keeps us at odds with each other in ways that are overt and in ways that are covert.”

Prior to the screening the close to 80 member audience was asked to break into smaller groups to discuss three questions: Who Am I, Who Am I To You, and What does White privilege mean.

“Part of the discussion of uniting the east side of the tracks with the west side of the tracks is really answering those questions,” Vanzant said. “If many of us are honest today, a lot of still struggle with the answers to the [questions]. A part of the challenge is to get to know each other beyond what we see.”

Harris, 37, is among a panel of pastors who will continue the conversation 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Second Baptist Church. Organized by Civil Rights ‘foot soldier’ Rev. Gil Caldwell, the free world cafe style event features three young members of the clergy reflecting on recent foreign travels and how it applies to the local community.

“I tend to think of everything in the color Asbury Park,” Harris, a lifelong resident and former BOE president said. “When I went to South Africa, I was literally writing down the things that could be applied to my city. I had an internship this summer at the United Nations. When they were talking about Bolivia, I was talking about Asbury Park.

Harris, who runs a weekly Tuesday evening summer bible study group in Library Square Park, challenged the audience to keep two things in mind, The first was – If you met someone here tonight and they seemed pretty cool and they are someone you might not have in your inner circle, get their contact information and begin to know who they are.

“There is a difference between living together and existing together,” she said. “What I’m saying is start to connect with those persons because they live in the same community as you.”

The second charge was to attend one of the hundreds of churches located in Asbury Park.

“If you are comfortable with this, I want you to visit a church that is outside of your own culture,” she said.

Harris, Vanzant and Pastor Ryan Clements of Ballard United Methodist Church will continue The Conversation 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The three will reflect on the trips this summer to Africa and Israel and how it relates to Asbury Park. The free event will be held at Second Baptist Church, located at 124 Atkins Avenue.

[Photos, in part, courtesy of Wanda Smith]

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