Martin Luther King, Jr. articulates his vision of the beloved community in four steps:

• Learning our history, as painful as that may be;
• Developing a process by which discussion of these things can lead to mutual compassion;
• Crafting a vision for community where everyone has a seat at the table;
• Realizing sacrifice: what are we prepared to give up or lay down in order to form such a community?

Traces of the Trade can serve as a tool to support the process of creating that beloved community in your own faith group and the broader society.

These are only some of the many resources available. More broadly, we see this part of the website as a chance to share on an interactive basis your experiences, your hopes, your fears, and your practical suggestions for how faith communities can create racial justice and reconciliation.