Several years ago, after another weekend of squeezing in too many activities, my family decided to stop overbooking ourselves. We had been running from place to place—birthday parties, sporting events, workouts, church activities, meeting with friends and family. All good things in their own right, but enough was enough. Our family calendar is a choice, and we can control it. (Read that again if it sounded particularly foreign.)
We didn’t abandon all activities, merely said yes to those to which we could fully commit. No more leaving one event early to make it to the next or packing the car for a day full of successive stops. The free time that resulted from this new rule has been life-giving in countless ways. For example, recently, I was heading home from a local farm and noticed a city sign that I hadn’t seen before. It read “Juanita Craft Home.”
Because of our calendar choices, I had additional time before my appointment, so I parked the car, followed my curiosity, and explored the historically Black neighborhood. It led me to the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House and Museum. Sadly, it didn’t seem to be open, so I, in the words of my boys and my students, “searched her up.”
Here is what I found: Juanita J. Craft was born 27 years ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and, while her name does not carry national renown these days, during her lifetime she was known nationally for her work towards increased access to civil rights in Dallas, Texas and beyond.
Her accomplishments include:
- Organizing 182 branches of the NAACP over eleven years
- Being the first Black woman to vote in a Dallas public election
- Playing crucial roles in desegregating the Texas State Fair, integrating the University of Texas law school, the University of North Texas (then North Texas State University), and Dallas Independent School District
- Being elected to Dallas City Council at 73(!) and working toward improving the status of the Native American and Hispanic population
I encourage you to read more about her here and here.
As I considered her accomplishments, and my astonishment grew the more I read (How had I never heard of this woman!?), I thought about the degree to which “influence can empower.” And on this day when we are reminded of the martyrdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., far-reaching “influence that empowers” is top of mind.
Working with third graders, I know they are well-versed in the history of a Black man who, at a time when white people didn’t much like Black people, spoke out and up for them. He had hard conversations, approached awkward situations confidently, and shouted empathy, peacemaking, and integrity from the rooftops to a world split between hate, greed, fear, suffering, and hope. Our students understand that to have a “big dream” is a primary step to achieving big things. They know the best dreams mean good things for many people. How many people and policies did Dr. King influence and empower?
Dr. King got involved in civil rights when, as a young pastor, he offered up the church basement to a boycott organizer following the arrest of Rosa Parks. He was then elected to lead the effort, propelling him into the civil rights spotlight for the rest of his life. When asked if he could help with a societally taboo and, arguably dangerous, project, Dr. King chose the less comfortable option.
In what ways do our children see us choosing the comfortable path or sitting in our comfortable roles? When do we stand by, when more action is needed? Sit with that a second. It’s easy to just keep reading past the question marks that are meant for thoughtfulness.
Juanita Craft and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. chose a less comfortable path for themselves that paved a more comfortable path for those who came behind them. Neither chose to be a bystander, a term our children are acutely familiar with from discussion in schools around bullying.
And I think we can consider ourselves “bystanders” anytime we choose an indifferent stance on something important for society. Can we care about everything and make a difference in all forms of inequity in the world? Of course not. But if we have our passions, and we know God created us as unique in those passions, we CAN cover a lot of ground. Our choice for justice over injustice or passion over indifference can influence the next Juanita Craft or the next Martin Luther King, and can empower them to act—now and later in life.
We have the power to manage our schedules and choose how we spend our time. And without the pressure of “hurry,” our decisions can be more purposeful, a balance of action and restraint.
Our children are little sponges (even and maybe especially the teenagery ones), watching how and what we prioritize, which paths we choose, soaking in every aspect. Lord knows the battle between the worldly and family pressures, peer influence, social media noise, and a Spirit-led, Spirit-filled existence is difficult and exhausting. We won’t get it just right all the time. But, as we look to the future of our families, how do we want them to grow? What’s your dream? Go get it!
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