Say Her Name

When the news of Jefferson’s killing reached Susan Torpy, social action coordinator for Central Texas Conference United Methodist Women, she reached out to her sisters in Christ to see how they might respond to what she felt was a tragic and senseless death. “The Central Texas Conference United Methodist Women want to speak out, and we are ready to stand up for racial justice,” Torpy told me just two days later. The situation demanded an immediate response, and the Central Texas Conference was ready to honor and remember Jefferson, to offer prayer and support for her grieving family, and to publicly challenge the institutional racism that led to her death. They were ready to Say Her Name.Women across the conference stepped up to leadership, making connections and organizing a response. Cynthia Rives, national board member, and Darlene Alfred, part of the national program advisory group, published a joint Op-Ed. Jackie Carter, social action coordinator for the East District of the Central Texas Conference United Methodist Women, communicated with the family throughout their grief process to ensure that United Methodist Women presented a resolution for Jefferson’s funeral. and she swiftly organized a candlelight vigil for a wounded community.Organizing a vigil on less than a week’s notice was new for Carter, but she felt clear that this was what God was calling to her to do, part of the kin-dom building work that she was given. “I have always known that I have a call for service on my life,” Carter said, reflecting back on the experience. “God has gifted me to be a servant to God’s people.”It was not without challenges. Jefferson’s death was heartbreaking for Carter. As tensions rose, she leaned heavily on God. She worked early in the morning and late at night, even taking a day off work to make the phone calls, texts and e-mails needed to call together a coalition of community groups for a quick turnaround. - - -This episode originally appeared in the March/April 2020 issue of response, the award winning magazine from United Methodist Women.Visit www.UnitedMethodistWomen.org to find out more.