Intersections with Phil Allen, Jr.

Episode: 013 “Disruption is Divine Timing”

Airdate: February 15, 2021

Length: 1:04:21

Guests: Khristian Howard and Sabrina Carter

When we think about Black History we naturally think back to those who have gone before us. This episode with Khristian Howard and Sabrina Carter, both students at Baylor University pursuing their Master’s in Social Work (MSW), is one that causes us to look forward in anticipation of what history will be made by emerging voices now and the voices of the future. They both share a desire to disrupt and dismantle systems and structures that perpetuate racial disparities, particularly in healthcare.

Their insights, wisdom, and ideas reflect foundations from family to their own personal experiences that have profoundly impacted their vision for how they might be agents for social change. In this episode they delve into the importance of safe spaces for African Americans in white institutions and contexts. They share their perspectives on surviving and thriving as women of color in those white spaces while navigating all that was imposed upon (the global) society in 2020 and (the US) in the first month of 2021.

In honoring Black History Month they shared what this month means to them as well as the individuals who have influenced their lives. What they show us in this episode is to not neglect the Black History being made today by not only the famous, but also the family members who have making an impact. In fact, we should be seeing ourselves as history makers as we strive for a reimagined, just beloved community.

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Phil Allen, Jr. is a Los Angeles-based pastor, social justice activist, filmmaker and author. Allen’s book Open Wounds explores the murder of Nate Allen—Phil Allen’s grandfather—in the Jim Crow era of South Carolina and how that traumatic event resonated through generations of his family. Open Wounds – which is based on the Allen-produced documentary of the same name – was published on February 9, 2021. Allen is a Ph.D. student studying Christian ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.