Partnering to Make a Difference!
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Partnering to Make a Difference!
A little over a year ago, the St. Andrew's Vestry charged the Outreach Committee with identifying a local, black led, ministry or organization with whom we could partner to "leverage our Resources, privilege, and power, to make a significant difference in the racial disparities in Madison, and in Dane County.
To date, St. Andrew's has raised over $22,000 in support of Madison ROOTS!
We invite you to join us as we come to understand the legacy of systemic racism in the housing Industry, the mortgage and lending industries, and in state and federal housing policy; a legacy that has resulted in a dramatic wealth gap between the black and white populations of Madison, Dane County, and the US!
St. Andrew’s - Building Equity Through Home Ownership
Support for Madison Roots, LLC
Support for Madison Roots, LLC
August 17, 7-8:30 pm. Parish Hall
Facilitators: Heidi Ropa, Anne Keller
Purpose: St. Andrews welcomes parish members and other guests to a 90-minute discussion about housing inequity and the racial gap in intergenerational wealth in the Madison area.
There is a sense of broken-heartedness as we learn about our community’s history of housing inequity. Access to housing investments was intentionally withheld. Restrictive neighborhood covenants kept people from owning homes, the primary path to build wealth. How do we feel the impact of these realities without being mired in guilt? When we are deeply aware of God's expansive love for us, we have the heart and eyes to know we are inextricably connected with one another. From this profound realization, the only way forward is to act for justice with love.
In collaboration with Madison Roots, LLC, we can learn, grow, and support our neighbors as they move toward equitable housing.
“…assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs to your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” BCP, p. 366
Facilitators: Heidi Ropa, Anne Keller
Purpose: St. Andrews welcomes parish members and other guests to a 90-minute discussion about housing inequity and the racial gap in intergenerational wealth in the Madison area.
There is a sense of broken-heartedness as we learn about our community’s history of housing inequity. Access to housing investments was intentionally withheld. Restrictive neighborhood covenants kept people from owning homes, the primary path to build wealth. How do we feel the impact of these realities without being mired in guilt? When we are deeply aware of God's expansive love for us, we have the heart and eyes to know we are inextricably connected with one another. From this profound realization, the only way forward is to act for justice with love.
In collaboration with Madison Roots, LLC, we can learn, grow, and support our neighbors as they move toward equitable housing.
- Come as you are to BE with others. We seek to let go of guilt, cultivate awareness and curiosity. We seek to act out of love for others. What does that look like for each person?
- Form a conversation circle, personal sharing.
- Watch a video segment featuring Richard Rothstein, author, The Color of Law.
- Reflect individually, discuss in small group and larger group.
- What responsibilities, accountabilities do I have out of love for my neighbor and myself?
- Close with circle and post-communion message.
“…assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs to your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” BCP, p. 366
Donna McDowell and Anne Keller each spoke during services about personal experiences leading them to urge support for Madison Roots, LLC.
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The History and Legacy of Redlining in Madison
In support of our partnership with Madison ROOTS, and their effort to address the generational wealth gap between white households and household of color, St. Andrew's hosted a presentation on the History of Redlining in Madison! Do you know the history of your own neighborhood? Were there provisions in the original deed prohibiting sale to "people of Ethiopian descent"?
Click on the image to the left to view Mr. Castaneda's presentation.
Some Context and Background
Outreach Committee Report to St. Andrews Vestry
The Vestry charged the Outreach Committee with designating a Black-led business with whom St. Andrews could partner to support the mission of that business as it relates to systemic inequities in the lives of Black people in the Madison-Dane County area. The Outreach Committee (Father Andy Jones, Toru Blagogee, Penelope Johnson, Anne Keller, Donna McDowell, Judy Mills, Leanne Puglielli, Casey Reiser, Heidi Elder Ropa, Julia Stanley, Bonnie Tompkins, and Shevanthi Weerasinghe) met over the course of several months, choosing an area of interest on which to focus our search and locating appropriate businesses in the chosen content area. After consultation with several Black religious and community leaders, the committee decided to focus on housing. An area of enduring racial exclusion, housing has been systemically denied to Black people by US federal, state, and local laws. These laws and covenants have prevented Blacks from developing the kind of generational wealth to which prosperous White people have grown accustomed.
Two organizations rose to the top of our search. They are Madison ROOTS, LLC and OWNIT: Build Black Wealth. Committee members studied these businesses in depth and met with leaders from each group. Both organizations are inspiring and deserve the interest and support of the larger community. Both organizations seek to assist Black people to own their own homes and to be empowered through financial literacy. These organizations coach families in financial literacy and help families enter into not only buying arrangements, but also rent-to-own arrangements.
The Vestry charged the Outreach Committee with designating a Black-led business with whom St. Andrews could partner to support the mission of that business as it relates to systemic inequities in the lives of Black people in the Madison-Dane County area. The Outreach Committee (Father Andy Jones, Toru Blagogee, Penelope Johnson, Anne Keller, Donna McDowell, Judy Mills, Leanne Puglielli, Casey Reiser, Heidi Elder Ropa, Julia Stanley, Bonnie Tompkins, and Shevanthi Weerasinghe) met over the course of several months, choosing an area of interest on which to focus our search and locating appropriate businesses in the chosen content area. After consultation with several Black religious and community leaders, the committee decided to focus on housing. An area of enduring racial exclusion, housing has been systemically denied to Black people by US federal, state, and local laws. These laws and covenants have prevented Blacks from developing the kind of generational wealth to which prosperous White people have grown accustomed.
Two organizations rose to the top of our search. They are Madison ROOTS, LLC and OWNIT: Build Black Wealth. Committee members studied these businesses in depth and met with leaders from each group. Both organizations are inspiring and deserve the interest and support of the larger community. Both organizations seek to assist Black people to own their own homes and to be empowered through financial literacy. These organizations coach families in financial literacy and help families enter into not only buying arrangements, but also rent-to-own arrangements.
Madison ROOTS are “a team of Black investors seeking to amplify the wealth of Black families using home ownership as a catalyst.” (from their website) ROOTS currently owns a four-unit apartment building and their intention is, with the help of further community investment, to buy more apartment housing. In this way, Black families or individuals can move from rental to ownership. Our choice to support Madison ROOTS is based on their all-Black leadership, Vanessa McDowell (CEO, Madison YWCA) and Kamal Calloway (Exact Sciences….), respected persons and business leaders in the community. And it is based on their traditionally and culturally driven approach of working with families by building strong relationships.
The St. Andrews Vestry commits to our baptismal covenant, to seek and support Christ in all persons, by supporting financial strength and the ability to build Black wealth. The Outreach Committee suggests it is proper to support ROOTS’ methods of engagement by which Black community members may sense respect as well as support.
The parish of St. Andrews will be offered opportunities to learn more about the history of barriers to Black property ownership and to join in actions to support Madison ROOTS.
The parish of St. Andrews will be offered opportunities to learn more about the history of barriers to Black property ownership and to join in actions to support Madison ROOTS.
Website
St. Andrew's Monthly InGathering for March and April has been designated for Madison ROOTS.
You may place checks in the offering plate with "InGathering" or "ROOTS" in the memo line
or you may give online on our website.