To love as Christ loved

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel anxious knots in your stomach? When you aren’t sure how to respond to those who hurt you? The thought of even looking at them make your knees go knockety-knock.

In anticipation of one of those days, I found myself on a pilgrimage studying, learning, reading the words of “the others”. In my own lifetime, I know that I have not suffered as they did. Thanks be to God my life has been eased because of the sacrifices and courage they had to use their voice--Dolores Huerta, John F. Kennedy, Cesar Chavez, Sojourner Truth, Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi and so many unnamed others.

I find solace in the words of these great “others. They too have walked this same valley.

Their words stick out like a single strand of grey hair sticks out in my black hair.

They teach me how to “love as Christ loved.”


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Copyright Laura A. Cadena

Finding Common Ground with Sonia Sotomayor

By: Laura A. Cadena

I watched the Sonia Sotomayor hearings, not so much because I am interested in politics, but because as a professional Latina I wondered if I would have anything in common with her. I am a seminary-trained Latina who has worked in primarily Anglo Baptist movements. (To read the complete article, click here)

New Baptist Covenant, Okla.

I had the opportunity to speak on a panel of Baptists August 12, 2009 at the New Baptist Covenant in Oklahoma. Never in my life did I imagine that I would speak on this topic but I did. View my comments at 1:41:05.


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The "Others" We Serve Aren't All That Different From Us

By: Laura A. Cadena

Originally published in EthicsDaily.com & reprinted in Baptist Heritage, Oct. 2009

I've heard the missional church movement referred to as the second reformation, an equator shift, the coming of the "others," the globalization of the church, the coming of southern Christianity and the list could go on and on.

For several years, I worked for a Christian organization and learned that I was a member of the"others." Listening to conversations, I determined that"other" was a seemingly nice term for "anyone different, from another country, someone from a low socio-economic level, someone from a 'people' group or someone not from a middle- to upper-class Anglo background." Sometimes I wondered when they spoke among themselves if they realized that one of the "others" was in their midst? (To read the complete article, click here)

Film Offers Starting Point for Deeper Relationships

By: Laura A. Cadena

I had the privilege of watching “Beneath the Skin: Baptists and Racism” at the Texas Black Film Festival Feb 5-7. The film from EthicsDaily.com was nominated for Best Documentary and shown with more than 40 films at the Studio Movie Grill in Dallas.

This was at least my 30th viewing of “Beneath the Skin” since its release in August. I’ve watched the film with black friends, Latino friends and white friends. Most of those friends I have known for many years, and amazingly I have noticed that something special happens during and after each viewing. (To read more, click here)

Remembering January 15

On January 15, 2008 this poster was placed on several walls in several rooms at my then place of employment, a Christian non-profit. I hang the same poster on my virtual wall, January 15, 2009, for educational purposes.

The poster states, “Have you seen this woman? (insert photo of Laura A. Cadena here) If so, please do not approach her. She should be considered a flight risk. Please contact your local border patrol agent immediately. Questions? Sightings? 1-800-Texas-Or-Bust”.

I have been asked, “Was the person a friend of yours.” So I asked my best friend, whom I have known since we were one-year-old, if she would ever do such a thing. Her response, “Absolutely not, under any circumstances.”

So I hang this poster and ask you to reflect for a second, what would you do if you saw this poster?

How would you respond if a Latino/a person told you with tears in his/her eyes that a poster was hung with their photo and similar words at their place of employment?

Imagine for a second the you are Latino/a, does the poster communicate love or respect?

What about if you were reminded of the 1930s unconstitutional deportation of Mexican-Americans and Mexicans which is called “Mexican Repatriation”? Estimates indicate more people were affected by Mexican Repatriation (1929 to 1944) than the Japanese American relocations after World War II. Approximately 1 to 2 million persons, many born in the United States, living in Texas and the Southwest were affected by forced expulsion to Mexico. When Mexican Americans moved to Mexico many of them were unable to speak Spanish because schools in the United States punished students for speaking Spanish.

This period affected more United States citizens than any other period of history. How did this happen? The United States was experiencing the Great Depression during this period in history. The Hoover administration decided that if they rid the country of illegal immigrants that jobs would then go to Americans suffering. Reality is that the Repatriation was a guise and affected those people that looked different and/or did not speak English. The truth is that Mexican-Americans were “real” Americans and many of them had never lived in Mexico or did not speak Spanish.

On a recent phone conversation with my grandmother, I asked my abuelita to tell me cuentos (stories) about her life in Laredo, Texas. “Grandmother, tell me the border patrol stories.” My grandmother replied with surprise, “Mijita, you remember those stories?” “I replied, “Yes, abuelita, I remember those stories, please tell me again so that I will not forget.” How do I tell her that I not only remember the stories but I have lived my own story?

I pose my questions because one of these days your response could make all the difference in the life of someone. And I ask myself, what will I do if I see a similar poster with someone else's face?

Elie Wiesel states, “Take sides, Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Copyright 2009 Laura A. Cadena

Beneath the Skin: Baptists and Racism

A new resource produced by EthicsDaily.com. Experts interviewed include Will Campbell, Miguel De La Torre, Aidsand Wright-Riggins, and me. (To learn more, click here)