JACKSON, Tenn. — Jan. 19, 2016 — 51社区 President Samuel W. Dub Oliver joined Logan Hampton, president of Lane College, for a Jan. 18 conversation about racial reconciliation at Agape Christian Fellowship in Jackson.
Hampton and Oliver discussed progress that has been made in racial reconciliation in Jackson over the last year and what steps need to be taken to continue reconciliation in the future.
The conversation, titled 鈥淣ext Steps,鈥� was organized in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The two presidents participated in a similar discussion on the holiday last year.
Hampton said there has been a lot of change 鈥� and hurt -- in Jackson over the past year, but he has seen the positive fruits of people having discussions about racial issues.
鈥淚 am encouraged and really have this real sense that it is in the conversation,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is in the dialogue that we find our way forward to think about positive changes that are measurable in people鈥檚 lives.鈥�
Oliver said it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the issue of diversity and racial reconciliation will be fixed, and that a time will come when the conversation is no longer needed.
鈥淲hile that hope is not a bad hope, it doesn鈥檛 signify how we live our lives,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淲hen I think about next steps, I think about an ongoing reconciliation with my friend, Logan鈥�. I want us as an institution to have better relationships between Union and Lane.鈥�
He said the most encouraging things he has seen happen have happened organically, such as combined faculty group meetings with Union and Lane professors and collaborations between student writers on news publications.
Hampton said sin is always the root of racial issues, and institutions of Christian higher education educate in ways that no other institution can.
鈥淎t Lane as well as I think at Union, we educate the whole person, not just the mind,鈥� Hampton said. 鈥淲e can provide a very special place with opportunities for redemption.鈥�
In a question and answer session with the audience, Oliver and Hampton discussed diversity on their campuses, not only in the student body, but also in faculty and staff.
The presidents said the conversation cannot end with them. It has to continue with other people at their institutions and in the greater Jackson community.
鈥淵ou want us to use the bully pulpit and speak out about things,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淏ut I would also encourage you to pray for us that we ask the right questions in the right meetings and the right moments to change people鈥檚 hearts.鈥�