When I was in seminary, I had a Black classmate tell me that he would rather be in the South where the racism is clear and understood than the North where you never know how it will show up. This surprised me on two levels when I first encountered this sentiment, first that the racism of the North was as bad as he was indicating, and second that he would rather be in the South.
As a northerner, I carry pride of place, just as I imagine others carry pride of the place from which they come. It didn’t surprise me that there was racism in the North; I had seen it play out in high school and college in some pretty ugly ways. Even so, I didn’t understand how bad it was for my Black and brown friends. The disillusionment that I experienced was necessary and extremely important to my learning more about racism, how it shows up, and how it impacts my colleagues and friends. It also felt important for me to look in the mirror and see it within me. To be “dis-illusioned” is to be rid of an illusion – always a good thing, in my mind.
When we can let go of the illusion with which we are living, we have an opportunity to see more clearly how the world has been shaped (culture) and the impact that culture has on how all people live within the confines of that space. Every culture has been set up by those who previously held power to benefit those in power. The rules of the game were established to dictate how it is played and who will be successful in the game. This includes the culture of camp, which may not be the same across the country, but every camp has a culture.
As a Site Director of a retreat center and as the Executive Director for Camp and Retreat Ministry in the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference, I continue to learn about how we are different as people. These learnings come about because we make mistakes and/or someone points out to us how their needs are different than mine and/or the dominant culture. It could be something as small (to me) as the shampoo we offer. I have learned from several women of color that the shampoo that they would like to have provided also includes conditioner. I hardly give shampoo a thought personally, with my extremely thin hair. De-centering our own priorities and paying attention to the concerns of others can help apply broader perspectives in shaping the culture of today and tomorrow.
The steps we take will make a difference to those who offered the suggestions, if we are lucky enough to have them return, and/or others who have a similar need and experience how we care for them. Being seen, heard, understood and acknowledged are key elements for our campers and guests in having transformative experiences at our sites.
If we want our camps and retreat centers to be places where all are welcome, I think that it will require an experience of dis-illusionment, followed by introspection, engaging in conversation with our campers/guests, and then taking action to adjust how we do things. I invite you to take a look around at the culture of your place, ask others for their input, and consider the importance of “how we have always done it.” There well may be some illusions that will need to be deconstructed to enable something new to emerge. Incorporating those new insights, may your ministry's leadership be moved to take action toward making your site a place where all are welcomed and appreciated for who they are.
Rev. Todd Bartlett is the Executive Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries in the Oregon-Idaho Conference. He formerly served as Director of the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center near Portland and in parish ministry as an elder in the UMC. Todd engages issues of racism and inclusion as an active member of UMCRM's DEI Committee. He enjoys being outdoors-- especially on or around water, photography, and being engaged in the work of discipleship through camp and retreat ministries.
