About Us
Our Beginnings
The Coming to the Table journey began with the formation of a planning committee comprised of descendants of people whose ancestors were connected through an enslaved/enslaver relationship and staff members at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). This group planned a four-day event for twenty descendants that was held at EMU in January 2006. Participants reported that the experience was educational, promoted healing, strengthened relationships and gave them the ability to increase their resolve when addressing the ongoing harms related to the legacies of slavery. This initial gathering led to the creation of a program that will continue to support a community of connected descendants while also supporting research, writing and training.
CTTT approach
We believe that four stages are needed to address the U.S. race-based legacy of slavery. Without all of them the process will be incomplete. The words to represent these stages are:history, connection, healing and action. The order in which they are engaged can be different, but none can be omitted.
History
For more than 250 years, African slavery was legal in the U.S. This system was upheld by laws, practices, attitudes and beliefs that kept people with darker skin out of decision-making in major institutions that shaped U.S. society and maintained pale-skinned people’s authority.
Because our current structures and experiences are based on what came before, we need to understand what happened in the past to make sense of our current challenges of racial division and inequality.
Connecting
History alone can be presented in a way that continues to hurt and divide. Part of learning history is understanding the impact of the events on the people involved and oneself. This can be done through personal reflection and listening to family members or others in the community talk about how they have been impacted. If you are European American, what was it like for you or your family members to fight school integration? And what was it like for those of African heritage to integrate the schools? If you were involved in particular incidents of racial inequality, reflect on the personal impact. Being able to learn the different perspectives creates a fuller understanding of what happened and why things are the way they are.
Healing
The impact of slavery and the history of unequal treatment based on skin color was and continues to be painful. It has caused trauma to those who were treated badly, those who participated in hurting others directly or through exclusionary practices and those who have witnessed people being hurt. If left unhealed, trauma is destructive to both the individual and the community. Finding ways to face trauma and work towards healing is important. Otherwise, trigger reactions, including acting out or retreating, will continue to get in the way of contributing to a healthy community.
Action
Although there have been major strides in providing equal access to the nations resources and institutions, there is still more to do in eliminating the artificial stigmas that exist within a nation founded on racial inequality. An important stage in the process of healing and making things right is acknowledging harm and doing things differently. Through understanding the history and impact of slavery and its aftermath, we identify current day manifestations of that institution. Inequality in health care, education, housing and the criminal justice system are a few of the major areas that have a direct relationship to the legacies of slavery. Through facing that history, listening to people who have been affected differently by it and working through related hurts, taking action is the final and most important stage in the process. Without action, hurtful patterns, behaviors and structures will remain the same and will continue to hurt future generations.
Community Practice Board
The Community Practice Board is responsible for creating and supporting the development of a community for individuals and families who are exploring their connection to slavery and its legacies. They are responsible for representing perspectives of the community of descendants and others committed to addressing the legacies of slavery to inform CTTT programs, events and activities.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board provides expertise and advice to the Coming to the Table program. The members provide advice on the overall structure as it relates to the program’s goals. They also identify approaches to long-term sustainability and facilitate connections with related organizations.
Organizing Office and Consultants
The Coming to the Table organizing office is located at Eastern Mennonite University. The office has responsibility for overall leadership of the program, developing the CTTT approach and related training materials and conducting research. The office also provides structural support for the CTTT community of linked descendants and others committed to addressing the legacies of slavery.
History
Values
Mission
