Greetings dear ones,
In the last issue of this newsletter I sat with the stories of bodies. The lies. The unrighteousness in the policies and norms that are created…That thread of body stories hasn’t quite left me yet and I want to return to it as I think about the stories that have been written about who we are, what we are…what we deserve. As a theoethicist that thinks deeply about ethical practices, my mind is set on the stories of disabled bodies. The wisdoms that are tucked away in the practices and communities that we as disabled people nurture. The ways that these wisdoms are ignored in a capitalistic country that prizes itself on commodification and greed. Disabled stories animate me today and I hope animate us towards love and action. Maybe if we all carry a part of the stories. A small piece. Perhaps the whole load will be lighter.
“I want the world to know that I am just like you. I may seem different, but inside I am just the same…I think. I feel. I dream. I hope. I laugh. Take the time to get to know me. Don’t judge me by my outside. There is so much more to me.” Akha (From the book Autistic and Black)
Recently, a governmental official, one who is in charge of our collective health, made a long and rhetoric-filled statement about the ways that autism is destroying this country. That autism is something to be fixed. As a Black autistic man, it has hurt me deeply to believe that something that is inherently a part of me is something to be feared. Though I’ve written about it, cried about it, mediated…the hurt remains. Beyond that pain, I wish I could share with the world that this thing that is being demonized, my autism, is nothing to be feared. It is a profound boon to my life as it allows me to perceive the world around me in beautiful ways. I wish people knew the good story that autism can be.
-Robert M. co-director enfleshed
Robert Monson
co-director
Robert (he/him) is a runner, musician, and a Black theologian committed to softness, contemplation, and liberation for all. As a recent seminary graduate (with distinction) and a current PhD student, Robert studied in-depth the intersection of Black Liberation Theology and womanist theology. Weaving together these two strands of liberation have been important work as well as other liberation based theologies. “How can we help facilitate community and provide answers to a hurting world that is reeling?” remains an important question in his work. While in school, Robert’s scholarly work was recognized and presented at various national conferences/outlets. Podcasting (two shows) and writing remain important aspects of his daily life as well as marathoning the latest Star Trek show(s).