[pride/proud]

If you are in NYC or Chicago, you know that PRIDE is currently taking over your city.

PRIDE: a festival to affirm the personhood and identity of people regardless of their gender and/or sexuality.

If you were with me today, you would have experienced pride in a different way.

Proud: feeling pleasure or satisfaction over something regarded as highly honorable.

Today, although I am not able to celebrate PRIDE with all of my friends in Chicago, I am certainly proud.

.

Typically pride is thought of as a negative emotion regarding ones self/accomplishments. However, it is on this day that I am proud of my kids. My boss and I had the privilege of taking 6 of our youth to the Armory Arts Center in Pasadena to the opening reception of an exhibit. But it wasn't just any exhibit. All Saint's Church in Pasadena partners with several organizations whose goal is to help current/former foster youth in various capacities. One way the Foster Care Project does that is by hosting an annual art show. Seven of our youth submitted their own artwork for the show, each piece going for roughly $50 dollars. All the proceeds will go to the artists, which the young people are pretty excited about :]

Potential buyers would walk up to a piece of art belonging to one of our youth and he or she would approach them, introduce themselves as the artist and engage in meaningful conversation about their piece(s). It was incredible... moving... and inspiring. During our two hours there, about 5 pieces sold and you could see the young people brimming with joy as they saw the red dot go up on the name placard signifying that their piece had sold.

The best part was that they didn't (have to) put on a facade. They were able to totally be themselves as they talked with these super white, super rich church folk who are so much the opposite of them. It was humbling to be in the presence of these young people for whom art galleries are not a part of their everyday life... particularly when their art is the subject matter. They handled themselves so incredibly well. As they shared laughter and conversation and high fives, the presence of the Beloved in that space was undeniable.

I have never been so humbled/honored/grateful to be an MFP employee than today. While I'm sad that I have to leave in a month, this experience will go with me... it will dwell in my heart... and it will be a constant reminder of the love I have for these kids and the mission of My Friend's Place.

While it is certainly different from and therefore incomparable to the PRIDE festival, this art show has affirmed the personhood of each of those young people, and for that I am grateful... although, that sort of feels insufficient... so as Rev. Emily Joye McGaughy says, "Where words fail, just kneeling and/or falling to the ground..."

And so I fall the the ground.....

Thanks be to God.