The Racial Equity Team focuses on racial justice, racial equity, and Mount Olivet's role in systemic racism.
The Racial Equity Team devises plans and strategies to share with the Mount Olivet community and with our neighbors in Arlington and beyond.
Since the formation of this group, we have:
In the early 1900s, racism against Japanese immigrants increased on the West Coast, particularly San Francisco, threatening diplomatic ties between the US and Japan. The administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, who ostensibly held the Japanese in high regard, crafted an agreement in 1907 whereby Japan voluntarily restricted emigration, known as the Gentlemen's Agreement. (Canada had its own Gentlemen's Agreement with Japan at roughly the same time.) Next week we will explore one of the results of the Gentlemen's Agreement, the arrival of Picture Brides.
The Gentlemen's Agreement: Restricting Japanese Immigration to America
The Gentleman's Agreement of 1907 - YouTube
Consider walking in the footsteps of our neighbors by visiting a series of sites, memorials, and living testaments to the courage, resilience, and faith of our African American neighbors. There are two tours that seek to capture glimpses into the story of North and South Arlington. We pray they may serve as the first step in the long walk towards racial equity and justice in Arlington.
Read a short report by Jim Dake on the history of Mount Olivet and racism within Arlington and the United Methodist Church.
Read the reportStart here to learn more about the Racial Equity Team at Mount Olivet, or browse current events to see what's coming next.