Exterior of the Okahumpka Rosenwald School in 1930 (Top) and 2023 (Bottom) | Photos: Courtesy of Fisk University (Top) and Okahumpka Rosenwald School (Bottom)
Corpus Christi, Okahumpka, has been awarded a $4,500 Becoming Beloved Community Seed Grant through The Episcopal Church. The grants support the work of racial justice, healing, reconciliation and creation care.
The Rev. Dr. Amanda Bordenkircher, vicar, wrote the grant. “I learned about and attended a webinar that explained the purpose and process of the grant application and wondered if our Okahumpka Rosenwald School Oral Histories Project might qualify for a grant,” she said. “The webinar and the application process were thorough and helpful in discerning where our project might align with the four quadrants of the Episcopal Church’s Becoming Beloved Community initiative. The application included a supporting letter from our bishop.”
The parish has been a part of a community project, partnering with others who live, work or worship in Okahumpka, to renovate the historic Okahumpka Rosenwald School. “Over 5,000 Rosenwald Schools were built in 15 states between 1912 and 1932 to provide education for African American children,” Bordenkircher explained. “The schools were a collaborative effort between Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish philanthropist; Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute; Southern white-run school boards; and Black communities.
“As part of the larger renovation project, we are working alongside others to provide an exhibit area where future visitors will be able to learn about the experiences of Okahumpka Rosenwald alumni in the Okahumpka schoolhouse,” she said. “This exhibit area will include videos of some alumni’s oral histories. This grant will help us create these videos.”
Participants have already begun this project by interviewing Rosenwald alumni and creating a video pilot project. “Our future work will clarify the goals and aspirations for this historic site by working in collaboration with Rosenwald alumni and former and current residents of the Black community of Okahumpka,” Bordenkircher said.
“We hope to create authentic video oral histories that will provide valuable education about life in Black communities in the rural South during the Jim Crow era, particularly as it pertained to education,” she added. “We’re trusting that this community partnership will not only be educational but also transformational as we all continue this vital journey toward Becoming Beloved Community.”
Bordenkircher sees this initiative as aligned with Christ’s gospel. “Our mission as an Episcopal church in this community partnership aligns with The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial reconciliation, healing and justice, an essential element of the gospel of Christ,” she said. “We also see this work as directly fulfilling our baptismal vows, particularly the vow that pertains to striving for justice and peace among all people and respecting the dignity of every human being.”
At its April meeting, The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council demonstrated its unwavering commitment to BBC by approving $226,930 in grants. These funds were distributed among 40 grants, including the one to Corpus Christi, to support the work of racial justice, healing, reconciliation and creation care.
The 79th General Convention first allocated funds for these grants in 2018, and the 80th General Convention approved further funding in 2022. Since 2019, more than $1 million has been granted for approximately 120 projects. Awards include seed grants up to $7,500 and impact grants up to $15,000. Seed grants are pointed toward groups launching new projects or growing existing projects. The primary aim of impact grants is increasing the capacity, impact and reach of communities and institutions already working to advance racial justice, healing, reconciliation and creation care.
“Reviewing the grant proposals and learning about the Beloved Community work that is happening throughout our church has been a balm for my soul in these troubled times,” said the Rev. Edwin Johnson, chair of the Becoming Beloved Community Advisory Group. “It is clear that the church is taking this work seriously and engaging it in faithful, innovative and Spirit-driven ways. We are excited to support this work broadly and look forward to learning and sharing how the work unfolds.”