In opening ourselves to the real racism that is embedded in our culture, we can follow the lead of our youth. In addition to acknowledging my whiteness and the racism in this culture, the third thing I must do is to become an ally. An ally is a source of support and encouragement. An ally is not in charge. An ally works with a partner to create a better world.
Some denominational history is relevant here.
In the 1960's and 1970's Unitarian Universalists, freshly merged into one denomination, threw their energy, commitment, and enthusiasm into the struggle for racial justice. UU's were active everywhere. We took stands, marched in rallies, demanded integration of whole communities and walked hand in hand with our black sisters and brothers toward the promised land. Our churches swelled in numbers, as people flocked to these religious communities professing and acting upon principles of freedom, justice, and equality. There developed a rift, however, over the allocation of money.