香蕉影视

Published: March 27, 2025

A reflection from Nekeisha Alayna Alexis, MA, 香蕉影视 Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism coordinator and Invite 香蕉影视 speaker/external consultant

鈥淗ow are you?鈥� 

These days, this question holds more complexity than usual. 

For some, 鈥淗ow are you?鈥� elicits feelings of anger and grief about the American political landscape. For others, the question raises deep fears for loved ones and concern about living in the bodies they are in. So many people are experiencing profound anxiety and despair. It can be easy to assume 鈥渆veryone鈥� is feeling some version of 鈥渂ad.鈥� 

At least that鈥檚 the way it seems when people ask me, 鈥淗ow are you?鈥� with furrowed brows, ready to console me. Sometimes, there is visible surprise when I reply, 鈥淥h, I feel tremendous!鈥� instead of joining the chorus of pained emotions. I understand why some folks assume a brown-skinned woman doing intercultural competence and undoing racism work would be feeling disheartened these days. Truth is, I currently feel the opposite.

How is it that I am grounded, grateful and even glad in this moment? Is this delusional: a symptom of not paying attention to what鈥檚 going on?

One of my many sources of joy has been asking of myself, others and this moment: 鈥�What is the opportunity here?鈥� This question re-tunes me toward possibilities. 

With this outlook, I can celebrate that congregations I have assisted with their antiracism journeys have established infrastructures to navigate this season. I feel excited as Mennonite organizations I鈥檝e worked with ask not 鈥淲here do we even start?鈥� but 鈥淗ow do we keep going?鈥� as they boldly commit to justice and inclusion. I feel energized by working one on one with leaders as they strengthen their ability to bridge cultural differences using the Intercultural Development Inventory and in our accountability conversations. We are, as always, in a state of 鈥渂oth and鈥�: wonderful things are also happening, too!

During a retreat I led for Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference leaders the weekend after the November 2024 election, pastors entered the room with a thick spirit of heaviness. By the last day, they left with a better understanding of the terrain we are living in and a deeper awareness of the relationships and resources they could draw upon to serve those most threatened in this time. I left feeling elated that I could help shift people from debilitation to dreaming 鈥� and desiring more opportunities to help people recalibrate their focus. 

Yes, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are under siege 鈥� and once-obscure Black-owned businesses are thriving. Yes, chaos is reigning in high places 鈥� and everyday people from all backgrounds are recognizing their power. Yes, there is increased vitriol 鈥� and people who were once adversaries are finding common ground within the same boat. 

In this restless time that is neither new nor as tumultuous as it could be yet, I remain curious about what windows, doors and gates God is opening. What are the opportunities for self-determination and witness, faithfulness and community-building, God-reliance and strategic action? What avenues to liberation is God inviting us to travel? When might we act as wise as serpents and when do we need to be as innocent as doves?

There are still reasons to trust and hope even now, and I refuse to quit imagining a different world. If you are refusing to quit, too, then let us together scheme what is possible.

鈥� Nekeisha Alayna Alexis, MA, 香蕉影视 Intercultural Competence and Undoing Racism coordinator and external consultant, collaborates with individuals, communities and organizations as they pursue growth in intercultural competence, undoing racism and other anti-oppression efforts. Her deep desire 鈥� and gift 鈥� is to go beyond stand-alone trainings and to work with clients over an extended time to bring about sustainable change. She brings 20 years of experience in doing this peacemaking work.

To inquire about working with Nekeisha, see ambs.edu/invite.

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