The Mormon anti-racist organization Shoulder to the Wheel is gathering tomorrow morning to participate in the BYU Homecoming Parade. They are meeting at 8:45 AM tomorrow morning (Oct 7) at the Marriott Center Parking Lot inProvo Utah. Their Facebook event page says
BYU Faculty, Students, and Alum (and their friends and family) are invited to participate in the Shoulder to the Wheel Entry in the BYU Homecoming Parade.
In celebration of the upcoming 40th Anniversary of the LDS Church’s Official Declaration 2, ending racial restrictions on temple and priesthood blessings, we pledge to work toward ending racism and white supremacy. We will carry signs that draw attention to the statements of church leaders and scriptures that outline Divine teachings. Some signs invite bystanders to learn more about the Church’s resources on race, while others highlight the lives and voices of Black Pioneers. We will have some extra signs and a banner that students have already made, but feel free to bring your own (nothing political or critical). We will also pass out leaflets that include pledge points and the Shoulder to the Wheel website address so spectators can learn more and take the pledge themselves.
T-shirts with the STW image (courtesy of Ben Crowder) on the front, and “Shoulder to the Wheel” on the back, will also be available ($5 donation requested–cash or Venmo). If you don’t already have a shirt, indicating your requested size will help us with parade-day preparations. We may or may not have a handcart to pull, but we will definitely have handouts for participants to share along the parade route, and lots of spirit!
Please consider participating if you are local. Building Zion is hard work and one way we can contribute to that is to show up for people of color and anti-racism efforts in the church.
