OHF Weekly is inspired by the reality that despite the racial bigotry, hate speech, and acts of violence, there are scores of people working to make the world—their world, their sphere of influence—more equitable by dispelling the lie of race and the practice of racism, and replacing them with the truth of love and equality.
Human Family
I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I’ve sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I’ve seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I’ve not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England’s moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we’re the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
—Maya Angelou
We at OHF Weekly vet our writers for their writing prowess and clarity of thought, coupled with their ability to share the truth of their own direct experience with racism. Collectively, their voices make for a chorus rich in texture and varied in tenor that reflects the diversity of our human family.
Some articles will be easy to consume and their truthfulness will sneak up on you like a delicious spiked punch. Others will challenge you to continue reading through to the end, where the impact will connect like a well-landed gut punch. The value in reading both types of articles (and everything in between) comes from thoughtful consideration of the text coupled with deliberate introspection of how the text might apply to you.
Amid the hate-filled speech made manifest in cruelty, psychological and emotional trauma, and even murder, we know people can change. We’ve seen them change. People can change:
- When they want to change
- When they believe change is possible
- When they know how to change
Yes, that’s a bold statement. But it’s also a true statement. Think of where Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Women, LGBTQ people, and People Living with Disabilities were fifty or one hundred years ago compared to today. This nation is far from perfect, but look how far we've come. And even though we have a long way to go, we’ve come too far to turn back, give up hope, or cede an inch to the powers of hate. Love and standing up for what’s right will always be stronger than fear and loathing.
To ignore hate is to empower it.
—James Baldwin
I’ve witnessed and know people who have moved from a racist worldview to one that is inclusive, egalitarian, and loving.
Join us on our journey. My hope is that you, readers and subscribers of OHF Weekly, find answers to your questions which will lead you to better understanding and more questions, and ultimately that you will be equipped with the knowledge, grace, and love to reject racism in all its forms and advocate for full racial equity within our human family . . . because we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.
You can find us online at Facebook, Mastodon, and Instagram.
Love one another.
Clay Rivers
Our Human Family Founder and Editor-in-Chief