2021 Earth Day Sunday Resource- A Letter from the Editor

On January 20th 2021, we all listened mesmerized and energized by the words of youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman as she read her inaugural poem ‘The Hill We Climb’. The first line of her poem reads “When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?” Shrouded in grief and tragedy, the shade of a global pandemic, disproportionately impacting communities of color and exacerbated by the pre-existing condition that is environmental racism, still looms over us in this moment. Our communities both local and global are suffering, with millions rendered unemployed, homeless, food insecure and vulnerable health wise. Where indeed can we find light in this never-ending shade? 

With these inequities at the forefront of our consciousness in the wake of historic structural inequalities coupled with a global health crisis, Amanda’s poem reminds us that we can find light within each other; light that illuminates a willingness to grow, hope, and try even in the face of grief, hurt, and exhaustion. It is through this intentional endeavor that we heed the words of 2 Peter 3:12-13, which calls us to “…look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” This day will bring about “…a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells,” but it will not come on its own. As Earth Day Sunday 2021 approaches, we at Creation Justice Ministries have put together a Christian education resource centered around the nexus of health, environmental racism, and ecological justice, a pertinent intersection in our current time. I am hopeful that this resource will provide some insight into the ways in which these injustices manifest in our communities, so all who come across it feel empowered to heed the words of 2 Peter 3:12-13, and brave enough to be the light. 

Sincerely,

Susu Lassa
2021 Earth Day Resource Editor
Creation Justice Ministries Board Member

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