Justice in the 21st Century - Part 1 of 4: Assumptions vs. Understanding

By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett

Founder/President, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice

I am neither White nor Black. But I am a person of color who was born in another country, raised in yet another country, and grew up in this country as an immigrant. I have faced racism and discrimination directly in my life, in my family's life, and in various ways.  I have directly worked on issues of race with my own organization and with various other advocacy and policy organizations for 30+ years.  Yet, I have been told by some that I don’t know discrimination, racism, or what it means to be a person of color. 

I am a Woman. I have faced gender discrimination, sexism, and sexual assault in my life. I also have worked directly on a range of women's issues through my own organization and through other advocacy organizations for 30+ years. Yet, I have been told by some that I don’t know the situation of women. 

I am neither a Democrat nor Republican, neither Left nor Right.  I choose to vote independently based on my beliefs, knowledge, and experiences. I have worked on voting and related issues from my school years to the present.  I have been very concerned about the polarizing impact of the political extremes on issues of justice.  Yet, I have been presumed by some to be Left or Right not based on my views but based on others views. 

I hold a degree in International Politics.  I have studied, worked, and taught on topics of politics, international issues, and public policy for 30+ years.  Yet I have been told by some that I don’t know the issues that affect politics and international concerns. 

I hold a degree in Law.  I have spent most of my professional life serving as an advocate for those who are most vulnerable. Yet I have been told that I don’t know various issues affecting those populations. 

I have studied and worked my entire academic and professional life on issues of civil and human rights.  I also have taught courses on Constitution & Civil Rights and International Relations and Human Rights in undergraduate, graduate, and law school settings.  Yet, I am told by some that I don’t know civil rights and human rights violations. 

I am a Mother of three children.  I care for them while also holding a full-time job. Yet, I have been told by some that I don’t know how hard it is to be a Mom let alone a working Mom. 

I am a Wife to a Husband who is a Pilot and former Air Force aviator.  While my husband’s work has taken him far away for days, weeks, or even months, I have had to take care of our household solo.  Yet, I am told by some that I don’t know how difficult it is to be a single parent. 

I am a Christian. My life is dedicated to trying to reflect Jesus' love.  My understanding of Christ has been a spiritual, emotional, and intellectual journey that has been the most significant of my life. But I am told by some that Christianity and Christians are unloving and ignorant. 

While I understand and appreciate that everyone has their own experiences, perspectives, and opinions, that understanding does not discount my own.  I spent all of my life, time, and effort living, learning, and developing who I am, what I know, and what I believe – and I have to value that as well. Despite all the voices that try to contradict my reality, I am confident in who I am and what I believe. That is because I spent a lifetime getting here. I became what I am and what I believe through my own experiences over many years.  The internet, social media, or others opinions did not make me -- my God and my life did. 

But, I recognize that someone who has not walked in my shoes, has not known my story, and has not been a significant part of my life, may make incorrect assumptions about me and my perspectives.  People who do not know us, do not know what we think or know, who do not have a relationship with us, can draw conclusions that contradict our life’s experience. The assumptions others make are not usually ill-intended, but they do have consequences – both for the individual and for society as a whole. 

My own experiences with assumptions and contradictions from others and from society have taught me an important lesson.  Without relationship, there is limited context for understanding.  When someone doesn’t know or understand your story and perspective, they draw inaccurate assumptions of you or your views based on their own perspectives and their own contexts. That then prevents both individuals from truly seeing or understanding one another or their respective points of view or reference. 

Thus, recognizing the assumptions we are making about someone else may be a first step in addressing various injustices – including racism, sexism, and other significant issues in our world.  Breaking down our inaccurate assumptions helps break down stereotypes, disagreements, and even hatred based on such assumptions. By engaging with one another to understand each other’s life experiences and points of reference, we are less likely to make inaccurate assumptions and more likely to consider the other’s point of view and how they got there.  But the process of engaging and understanding another starts with each person looking within themselves rather than pointing out to others first.

If we looked in, we would likely realize more about who we are and how we got there.  We also may gain greater confidence in our views but also greater humility in our pathways.  More so, we may realize that the great injustices in society including racism, sexism, and other divides and conflicts are not rooted so much in the “system” as in the deeper and more complex places of  individual and community culture and understanding.  Injustices are often a product of incorrect assumptions and contradictions, but they stem from a lack of  love, understanding, and wisdom.  

Love, understanding, and wisdom are basic building blocks for individuals, families, and communities, but basic does not mean simple.  They are difficult to achieve and require mutuality to be fully realized.  Although we can make some impact in our lives with “one way” love, understanding, and wisdom, mutuality is what exponentially grows the impact of these elements and extends to society as whole.  We each have a mutual responsibility to both give and receive love, understanding, and wisdom in all contexts – and that is difficult. 

To overcome injustices such as racism or sexism, mutuality of love, understanding, and wisdom is particularly important.  Both the victim and the perpetrator, both the individual and society, have roles and responsibilities in addressing problems.  It may be difficult for a victim of a hate-crime, for example, to face a perpetrator of that crime, with love, understanding, and wisdom.   But without that, we are left with the results of the crime – usually loss and anger – rather than resolution of the circumstances or prevention of future concern.  

While righteous anger is valid in response to societal wrongs, it is distinct from retaliating anger. When we are angry about how we have been treated, the temptation is to lash out. Lashing out because of harm, often creates more harm, and does not prevent a future harm. We are then caught in a continuum of violence.  We are forced to live with open wounds rather than seeking healing. Expressing anger through such backlash is not an act of justice but rather of retaliation. Retaliation may allow us to express our pain and hurt and anger, but it will not bring resolution in and of itself. Resolution is the harder work of discourse, exchange, mutuality from all sides to demonstrate a commitment to ending conflict. Otherwise the expression of anger only reveals the anger, and does not change hearts, minds, or culture that is at the root of the violation.. 

Addressing injustices such as racism and sexism requires us to push past anger and wounds, and get to the place of love, understanding, and wisdom. That place is not always comfortable, not always gentle, and almost never quick.  But it starts from within and extends outward.  Each time a significant issue arises, we each have to individually and collectively consider how that issue may relate to us and our understanding.  And we must conscientiously set out to learn about one another through reflection on these and other key aspects of our personal and shared stories leading to the significant issue before us now.

The hard work of ending racism or sexism necessitates studying and addressing underlying political, social, and economic factors, but that is only part of the equation.  The other, and perhaps harder work, has to do with our underlying personal and cultural reference points.  It takes time, effort, and intentionally to dig into the factors that impact vulnerable people, people of color, women, and others.  It may be even more challenging to consider our own experiences that create the assumptions and contradictions to our understanding and value of each other. 

Until we come to a point in our lives and in our societies where we can shift from opinions and assumptions to mutual love and respect, we will always face walls, divides, and conflicts – and racism and sexism will persist. Throughout time, these are the results of lacking love, understanding, and wisdom.  Perhaps that is why we are currently facing so many concerns in our society.  We are reeling, struggling, fighting, because we have forgotten how to love, understand, and be wise together, especially in the midst of crises.  

But each crisis we face, each significant issue, is an opportunity to demonstrate love, understanding, and wisdom.  It is in these crises and issues that we put these elements into action.  We can discover who we really are and see who others really are.  But when we face challenges with assumptions, criticism, fear, anger, division, violence, etc., we are neither exercising those elements nor recognizing our greater selves. 

Through each significant societal challenge, crisis, and injustice, we are called again to demonstrate these elements in increasingly complex ways and increasingly difficult contexts.  There is much we can learn, not only about each other but about our history,  our present, and our future. And that learning is the starting point toward understanding. Through that understanding we can develop wisdom and discernment. And ultimately our understanding and wisdom will lead us to more accurate conclusions and effective solutions. Fundamental to this process is love and mutuality – no one side can give all or fix all. It requires all to join in conversation, cooperation, and even compromise. 

Injustices such as racism and sexism have existed since the beginning of time, and persist in our present time.  But we have to recognize them in our present context.  Although we might see resemblances to earlier times in our history, we are not living during the Colonial Era, American Revolution, Civil War, World War I or II, Civil Rights Era, etc., we are living in a different context and era. In the present context, we are called anew to learn through our personal and shared histories and knowledge to inform the way we can and should act and react to challenges of this era. The injustices we face in the 21st century are a reminder of what it means to love, understand, and be wise in a 21st century context. 

Ruminations During Social Distancing

By Randall Margo
Board Director, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice

Social distancing may not focus the mind, but it does give it time to wander and ponder over our predicament. Among the issues grabbing my attention in recent days:

What is essential?  Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we were told schools and universities were essential to our society. Education was a high priority for our communities. Now, its grocery and pet stores, and companies like Netflix and Door Dash that occupy such prominence. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has replaced climate change, our world's prior existential threat, to such an extent, that Tesla, the country's leading sustainable car manufacturer was forced to close its doors, despite the protestations of its CEO, Elon Musk. “Essential” has taken on new, though possibly temporary, meaning and priority in the present context.

Who knew our economy was so reliant on entertaining us?  We previously knew sports, entertainment, and travel along with bars and restaurants soaked up a lot of our discretionary dollars, but its still shocking to to see current figures that indicate how reliant our economy and employment has become on these items. While these leisure and entertainment jobs and businesses may seem unessential to public health officials and politicians, the table below demonstrates how important these industries have become to our overall economy. After just a one week of a shutdown covering roughly one-fourth of our population, it is clear that the present trade-off weighted heavily on physical health over economic health. This trade-off is sure to be reexamined as the unemployment numbers skyrocket and businesses go bankrupt in the coming weeks. 

Are medical professionals and facilities adequate to meet the requirements of an aging population? Some have likened this pandemic to a black swan event, one so rare that it seldom repeats within a span of a lifetime. But, one commonality of this virus among all nations is that those with older populations are the most vulnerable. In particular, the major concern amongst the nations hardest hit is the lack of available resources with respect to hospital facilities, supplies and medical personnel. In the United States, the quantity of doctors is limited by the number of residency slots available. Moreover, states typically have extensive and costly processes for granting new or expanded medical facilities. Consequently, capacity issues become apparent during a health crisis, because of the intentional limitations in place. These issues should warrant reconsideration given the anticipated growth in our elderly population during the coming years.

Will actions taken to limit the scale of this pandemic result in any long-term changes?  One obvious trend likely to accelerate even after the pandemic is the use of online platforms for school instruction, work, and shopping.  Particularly as 5G internet connectivity becomes more prevalent with its capacity for faster download speed, we are likely to see online school and work becomes a more regular part of our economy and society. 

What levels of restrictions will we accept?  One of the more interesting cultural phenomenons is the compliance of so many U.S. residents to obey government edicts that restrict their ability to earn a living, forego common freedom of movement and activities, even to worship together, for a virus that, at least currently, has been far less deadly than a typical year of influenza. Should another more virulent virus occur similar to the lethality experienced during the Spanish Flu of 1918, what level of restrictions might our government impose and Americans be willing to accept, and for how long? 

Do we view mortality differently now? It gives pause to consider that as the country has become more secular over the past century and people's faith in God and an afterlife has diminished, is there more willingness to value security over freedom? Do we somehow view our mortality differently and perhaps more cherished than prior generations as though somehow death can be averted rather than just postponed.      

While these ruminations are not conclusive, they do raise key questions that we will have to consider both during and after this crisis. The unprecedented nature of our present response to the current pandemic will certainly impact how we respond to any future crises we may face. 

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The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. We are a faith-based, nonpartisan organization that seeks to extend the conversation about justice with a posture of dignity and respect.

Coronavirus COVID-19: A Study of Precaution and Panic

By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett
Founder/President, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice

I am not an epidemiologist.  I am not a medical expert of any kind.  And, I don’t work in the health or medical field.  So, I will not attempt to address the coronavirus COVID-19 from a health and medical perspective.  But, as an advocate who has been engaged for more than 30 years on issues of public concern, including public health, I share the following thoughts for those who may want an advocacy perspective on this broader public concern.  From that perspective, I find the coronavirus COVID-19 to be an interesting study in terms of public health and process, precaution and panic. The outbreak itself and the response from the media, government, and community have been both alarming and curious. 

What is alarming is that this outbreak is of a new and previously unknown coronavirus. Coronaviruses can have various levels of severity from a cold to other types of illness. Though this new coronavirus was quickly identified as COVID -19, it also quickly became a public health concern. On January 30, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a medical emergency, and by March 12, 2020, the WHO declared it a pandemic. The WHO defines pandemic as worldwide spread of a new disease or virus. With COVID-19 now reaching more than 100 countries in just a few weeks, this new virus has legitimately been named a pandemic. At present, the COVID-19 has made at least 121,000 people ill and caused the deaths of more than 4,300 people.  By contrast to other pandemic strains of viruses and contagious diseases such as the H1N1 or AIDs, these COVID-19 numbers are not as large as we might think, but what makes COVID-19 significant is that this virus is not only new but is making its impact in a relatively short time. Consider, for example, the situation in Italy and how quickly it spiraled downward. Also, the virus may or may not have yet peaked and may or may not have a long duration, so we have yet to know the full impact this outbreak could have. But as severe as it is in its spread, its severity as an illness is still not at the level of many other viruses and contagious diseases we have previously experienced and is not likely to be on that scale once it has peaked. 

What’s curious though is the panicked response to this virus and its spread as contrasted to previous public health issues. Although the world has experienced other pandemics in recent history, this current outbreak is causing a global response that is quite distinct and disproportional.  In 2009, H1N1 reached more than 1.6 million people with 284,500 deaths in 214 countries. The HIV/AIDs pandemic has continued on a massive scale in many regions.  Recent statistics (dated 2018) note that about 37.9 million people are living with HIV.  HIV also has caused 770,000 deaths. By these numbers, these earlier illnesses are more severe and serious pandemics than COVID-19 thus far.  But despite their severity and although they also had responses around the world, these other pandemics did not stir the public like COVID-19. The current coronavirus has prompted a constant media and social media frenzy, triggered people to clear grocery and drug store shelves and hoard toilet paper and hand sanitizer, rescheduled or altogether stopped travel and events, make the stock market and investment portfolios tumble, and cause businesses to not only shut down but also some to go out of business altogether. 

Perhaps that first part of the above sentence may be an explanation for the rest of that sentence. It may be that this current pandemic has had a near irrational level of panic because of the nearly irrational level of panic generated by media and social media. Since media and social media were not such significant factors in previous pandemics, they certainly can be one explanation for the current panicked response. But there may be a few more reasons worth discussing as follows.

We are living in an era that has these characteristics: 1) information is readily available but not always accurate, 2) information spreads quickly through media and more so through social media without verification, 3) significant political, economic, and social divides impact that information, 4) increasing globalization affects community response, and 5) increasing secularization affects personal response.  

When we have information so readily available but not always accurate, it positions individuals to sort information and make their own conclusions. Those conclusions usually are not in a vacuum, but are based on personal perspectives supported by the sources they seek for information.  In scanning through social media, there is a barrage of articles from many sources that provide a range of perspectives on the same issues. Thus, what we read as “facts” is often affected by where we choose to read it from and how. In many instances, we are reinforcing a personal bias or perspective with an article that seems to relate to our own sensibilities rather than a set of actual facts that are intended to inform regardless of our personal perspective. This situation can cause us to become very strong in our views while not always being very informed on what is actually the situation.  So if our view tends toward panic, then the information we seek make us panic. 

Media and social media can be useful sources to disseminate information quickly and widely.  But since both media and especially social media are rarely vetted, the information does not provide clarity but instead generates emotion. There is a distinct emotional response that people have from the many images and posts that target segments of the community. For example, when the recent bush fires enveloped parts of Australia - the intensity of the images would make anyone believe that the entire country of Australia was in flames.  The reality was that the whole continent was not in flames but a segment was. The fact that it is a segment does not take away from the importance of the event. But the idea that it is happening in the entirety of Australia creates a disproportionately higher emotional response. Social media and media coverage give us a much more intense look and so quickly that we are overwhelmed by it. Similarly, the onslaught of information about COVID-19 and the related images in various regions has made it also overwhelming. These media references then place it on a scale even larger than its actual scale, and very few viewers and followers are interested in knowing the actual. Few check the veracity of the information or its source. The information that creates an emotional response spreads quickly, thus influencing the community but not necessarily informing them. What is actually true often takes more time to gather and becomes almost irrelevant by the time it’s delivered. Much of the public attention is focused on the salient rather than on the important and accurate, especially on social media. 

In addition, most media and social media sources have a political, economic, or social narrative that relates to their followers. That narrative translates the information based on certain political, economic, or social perspectives. Those who follow news that is politically left or right leaning are then not just getting information but also a certain narrative about what is happening and why.  As people grasp their information from a media or social media narrative, they use the lens of that narrative to view the information and its significance. With political, social, and economic disparities and divisions, we have different understandings of even the same event or information and a high degree of distrust of another’s perspective. Most people don’t realize their distinct understanding based on a narrative, but we do all seem to see the divisions among us. Thus what we think we should do in response to the COVID-19 has varied as much as our varied political, economic, and social perspectives. 

Globalization also has an influence on information. While we have become more interconnected in communications and commerce globally, we have not necessarily increased our understanding and interrelationships. How we see and view other parts of the world has an impact on how we view issues related to them, and they us.  If we see a health or other epidemic happening in another country, we then start to feel a certain degree of concern for our own and/or an aversion for the other whether we realize it or not. Bias can sometimes be triggered by crisis. That also results in a closing of our society. Certainly when there is an outbreak of any kind, we need to take precautions, but we also could potentially block certain people or groups just because of fears about them whether or not we need to have such fears. Consider how few people are currently visiting Chinatown in San Francisco, for example, as a result of the COVID-19 fears.

In addition, as our communities and individuals become more secular, the idea of death and dying become more difficult. Without a spiritual reference for death and after-life, the biggest fear most people have is of dying. And when we receive such quick, unverified, and emotionally charged information, we also run the risk of heightened anxiety. People are feeling at risk, and that has caused fear, which in turn has caused reactions that seem less community oriented and more “every person for themselves.”  People behave as if they are in a personal survival situation rather than facing a community crisis. This personal fear creates frenzy rather than an effective response to crisis.

While these characteristics in our society can breed a distrust, dislike, misinformation, and fear, what we need in the context of community crisis is clarity and direction.  If we consider the COVID-19 pandemic a global community crisis, we need that clarity and direction even more so.  My husband, who is a former Air Force pilot, often shared a phrase “you need to go slow to go fast.”  Like flying a jet, crisis response requires a clear and methodical approach that allows us to respond effectively and quickly. Frenzy does not allow us to respond fast. Frenzy creates chaos that prevents clarity and actually impedes quick and effective responses.  

Addressing COVID-19 as a pandemic, a global community crisis, we need to recognize these aspects of responding to this crisis effectively:

1. Identifying what, where, and how this virus was initiated and spread will help address the source and the approach to addressing the virus -- without clear information about this, we will have unclear and fearful responses that may either exaggerate or underestimate the actual needs and impact.

2. Creating a holistic public health and public policy response can help contain the virus, put the virus in context, and provide appropriate precautions based on scale and severity -- panicked responses based on a lack of understanding of scale and severity can be problematic for containment and response. 

3. Allowing professionals and caregivers to position themselves to provide service to those in need. Those that will have to provide direct help also need direct support – and that support includes times, space, and resources -- when a community panics and buys up supplies (medical or personal), they may be impeding the ability of those who need to be part of the response from being able to effectively provide that response.  

While these aspects of crisis response may take some time and may have challenges and even casualties during the response, a higher likelihood of success at containing, treating, and eliminating the risks of a pandemic comes from a methodical approach. 

But containment of a virus is not the same as shutting down and debilitating our economy or political system.  We certainly need to be aware of and take precautions, and we may not be able to do “business as usual” depending on the severity of the pandemic. But the idea is to have clear, rational thought on what makes sense in the immediate and longer term for the community rather than buckling our economy. 

During this current pandemic, many institutions are closing for periods of time based on official, direct, or extra precaution. But it is not likely that the spread of COVID-19 requires a full political, economic, and social shutdown, any more than when we faced H1NI or HIV/AIDs. In fact, much the opposite may be the case.  While business and activities may not be able to function in quite the same way during a pandemic, they still do need to function at a fairly high level. Why? Because addressing a pandemic requires resources for effective response. When we have political, economic, and social strength, we can generate the necessary resources – financial, human, and capital -- that may be necessary to fight the pandemic. Recession-initiating responses are counterproductive at a time when we need more, not less, to handle a pandemic.   

The “every person for themselves” mentality is not useful in any type of crisis, let alone a public health crisis.  We need to recognize the idea of scale and community response. Not every “crisis” or “pandemic” is on the same level or scale nor requires the same community response. Our responses must correspond to the situation. Panicking before we have a clear idea of what we face is not helpful to us individually or collectively.  We should still watch the news, but we should not be enflamed by it. We should take precautions, but we need to continue living life. Our focus needs to be on strength in our community members, not in rolls of toilet paper. 

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The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. We are a faith-based, nonpartisan organization that seeks to extend the conversation about justice with a posture of dignity and respect.

Faith: What Moves Men and Mountains – Dr. Martin Luther King Day Reflection

By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett, J.D.
Founder/President, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice
January 20, 2020

I recently had the opportunity to visit a remarkable exhibit hosted by Colorado Christian University on the life and ministry of Billy Graham. Billy Graham is widely considered the greatest evangelist of all time.  While this statement is a strong one in light of many major Biblical, historical, and contemporary leaders, his numbers support this statement. He directly spoke to nearly 300 million people in his nearly 60 years of ministry. He indirectly through various forms of media spoke to more than 1 billion people.  He had spoken in nearly every country and in nearly every state of the United States, and was a spiritual advisor to each president from Truman to George W. Bush. His reach and access are truly unparalleled by any leader. But what struck me most were not his numbers or his reach, but rather his message. Throughout his many years, his many presentations, his many locations, Billy Graham was steadfast in his simple, clear message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus.

Billy Graham was not the greatest pastor or the greatest preacher. He was just a man who was dedicated to his faith and to his singular, sincere, strong message – that Jesus loves us. He brought more people to Christ than perhaps any other person in history by sharing his simple, clear message. But why would that singular message reach so many and in so many places to put him into a historical category unlike any other person?  The answer is faith – he truly and sincerely believed in the message he shared. The Bible tells us that we only need the faith of a mustard seed for God to move mountains. Billy Graham’s life was a testimony to what God could do through just one faithful person. As a result, countless people’s lives were eternally transformed by his sincere message.

I am particularly moved by Billy Graham’s faithfulness as I also reflect today -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -- on another man of faith, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself. While Dr. King was a remarkable pastor and preacher, what set him apart in his time and in our history is the same dedication to faith as we see in Billy Graham’s life. What drove Dr. King was his understanding of the Bible and the belief that through God we are all equal. His faith compelled him to act on behalf of those who were treated unfairly.  His faith led him not only to pursue civil rights for African Americans, but human rights for all people. His message was also singular, and his faith steadfast.

“What strikes me most this MLK weekend, as I consider these two examples of remarkable leaders, is that faith is the fundamental element for leadership today or in any age.”

While many canonize these remarkable men today, the respect they gained in history was not based on the following they had in their times. A singular message and purpose takes time to develop and is not always received in their time.  In today’s age of instant gratification and social media “likes”, we often confuse following, fame, or even notoriety for impact. Billy Graham and Dr. King were focused on positive, long-term impact – and that is rarely immediate and certainly not about fame or notoriety. Their recognition was in the deeper significance that history would place on their faith and influence.

What strikes me most this MLK weekend, as I consider these two examples of remarkable leaders, is that faith is the fundamental element for leadership today or in any age. So many leaders of various generations are focused on becoming “famous” or “powerful” and rather than considering how faith can lead to something more profound than personal accolades. It is true faith that calls individuals to dedicate their lives to something noble regardless of what others may think and even on behalf of those who may not appreciate them. Neither Billy Graham nor Dr. King was looking behind them to see how significant they had become. They were looking ahead to realizing their purpose, a purpose that God had revealed to each through their personal and spiritual journeys.

Each of these men had to look within, had to walk in the shadows, and had go to the depths in prayer, to find their message and purpose in  God’s calling on their life. The process was neither easy nor immediate.  In both of their lives Billy Graham and Dr. King experienced times of challenge and despair. But their perseverance to find their message and purpose is what shaped them for the impact that they each made. It is that same perseverance that can shape each of us as leaders in our families, communities, and world.

In our world today, we have been convinced, mostly through media, entertainment, and politics, that morality is relative, that there are no universal truths, that a singular message will not resonate, and that fame and notoriety mean impact. But many leaders of today who receive the most attention, may be making the least positive impact. But they and we could benefit in learning more about the leadership qualities of Billy Graham and Dr. King who both demonstrate that the purpose of leadership is positive, societal impact, not personal notoriety. Emerging leaders of today may not be the “next” Billy Graham or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but they can be the leaders that God calls them to be, if they too act in dedication to faith.

I am grateful to leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Billy Graham for being beacons for us.  Dr. King once said that he wished his children could be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. And Billy Graham once said people around the world have different responses to different things, but not to the Gospel…in that everyone is the same. The idea that both men represent through these and many other related statements is that there is something deeper than unifies us all, that we are individuals but yet not as different as we might think, that not everything is relative.

Leadership for 2020 and beyond requires something completely opposite to what we are seeing in the world today, and more like the examples of Dr. King and Billy Graham. The issues of today require people of faith to speak truth and hope, and lead people to significant transformation – spiritual, moral, and societal change. It is not fame and notoriety that make change, that move mountains. It is the steadfast conviction of people who care for one another. That is when we will see healing, progress, and justice.

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The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. We are a faith-based, nonpartisan organization that seeks to extend the conversation about justice with a posture of dignity and respect.

G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice – 5th Anniversary Moments, Milestones, and the Pursuit of Biblical Justice

By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett, J.D.
Founder/President. G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice

On September 19, 2014, a year after we arrived in Loveland, CO, and a day after my husband Zack was given a clean bill of health from a year of cancer treatment, our family climbed up a mountain, found a cell phone signal, and hit "send."  G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice was launched!

Today marks 5 years since that moment, and this Saturday we are celebrating with family, friends, artists, and leaders in church and community. While that will be a great way to commemorate a significant milestone, our work at G.LO.B.A.L. Justice is so much more than celebrations and milestones. G.L.O.B.A.L. was launched not just in a moment, but through a year of planning and coordination, and a lifetime of experiences that culminated into this work.

G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice is not a personal project, a professional ambition, or a platform for attention -- it is a purpose, a calling, and a pursuit of Biblical justice.  For me, it’s a culmination of 30+ years of human rights advocacy with many organizations around the country and globe, and 15+ years as a college professor and lecturer at various institutions.  It’s the result of so many years of seeing so many advocacy organizations struggling with the same concerns -- limited resources, outreach challenges, and leadership and management needs. These concerns inhibit their ability to more effectively or fully address injustices. Through G.L.O.B.A.L., I wanted to put my experience to work to serve as a resource to address these needs within organizations and communities. 

But, there are many who don't fully understand what G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice is all about.  Many are conditioned to think single issue, specific product/service, or target market.  But G.L.O.B.A.L's purpose is fully out of that box. Our intention is to take everyone deeper and wider about how to think about and pursue justice. It's not just about walking in a march, travelling on a mission trip, providing a direct service, or taking legal or legislative action. It's also about learning the underlying political, social, and economic concerns that make injustices happen.  Without that, knowledge, all the efforts of the many advocacy organizations in our world will only result in more concerns to address in the future.   

G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice is about something broader -- bringing individuals, organizations, and communities together to learn, lead, and do justice.  That means working together for a common cause, doing something that doesn't come naturally -- collaboration, and connecting with people from different backgrounds and organizations. G.L.O.B.A.L. is here not to just focus on one issue or one organization, but to create a network of people that are better informed about injustices, better positioned to make a positive impact, and inspired to effectively address injustices in our world. 

While there are many who see G.L.O.B.A.L. as something "big & shiny" -- with our long range vision, our many programs and projects, and our numerous outreach efforts, the reality is that G.L.O.B.A.L. is a still a relatively young nonprofit organization that relies on ingenuity, commitment, and generosity from people with hearts for justice, minds for knowledge, and hands skilled to help.  We have been able to do much with a small budget -- stretching our resources so that we can not only do more, but do better on all of our initiatives. 

To do this work in this way requires sacrifice. That means that I serve as a full-time volunteer -- working a minimum of 60 hours each week on a range of projects from administration to finance to programs. That means we are supported by several part-time staff that juggle their work with G.L.O.B.A.L. with other full-time work, full-time school, and/or a combination of work and school.  That means we are guided by Board members who volunteer their time and expertise to provide input and perspective to our efforts. That means partnerships with many individuals and organizations that require dedicated relationships and coordination. And that means our families support us with their prayers, resources, and understanding through long days.  Every person that is part of the G.L.O.B.A.L. team makes huge efforts because, like me, they believe in this purpose, calling, and pursuit that is G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. 

So, as we commemorate this 5th anniversary day and join with our family, friends, and community to celebrate on Saturday, I will be remembering that moment on the mountain, and also the many moments, many people, and many efforts that God has brought to G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice over the past five years.  I welcome the challenges and opportunities in the years to come to bring us closer to understanding and pursuing justice for all. And, I hope you will join us in this journey...

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The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. We are a faith-based, nonpartisan organization that seeks to extend the conversation about justice with a posture of dignity and respect.