Published 13 Jan 2016
Christena Cleveland at Urbana 15: “Power of Us”
A reflection on Christena Cleveland’s Urbana 15 talk about the “power of us,” challenging listeners to confront racial bias and rethink who belongs in God’s family and community.
By Anna Moseley GissingA blog post Women Scholars and Professionals
Dr. Christena Cleveland is a hero of mine: an accomplished social psychologist, associate professor at Duke, friend of The Well, a woman of vibrant faith. What does it mean when I say she is “one of us”?
Christena’s keynote address at Urbana 15 addresses the “power of us.” Weaving together social psychology research, personal narrative, and theology, she challenges us to consider who is part of our “us” and to confront our own racial bias (no matter what color our skin tone). She gives us hope for change and reminds us that God’s family is expansive and doesn’t include categories of “us” and “them.” She asks: “Who is in your family? And how will the world know?”
Enjoy this passionate and challenging talk for yourself!
Anna is a reader, writer, editor, and speaker. She’s an associate editor for InterVarsity Press and a previous editor of The Well. She is married to Jeff and together they are raising two young children. Find her on twitter at @amgissing.