Rostered Ministers Gathering
Not Your Model Minority: Asians’ and Asian Americans’ Faithful Resistance Against Injustice
The Rev. Teresita C. Valeriano
How well do you know Asian American Lutherans, our faith journey and our work for justice? Have you heard that some of us greet each other by asking, “Have you eaten?” Beyond being famous for our food and hospitality, Asian American Lutherans are bold witnesses of our shared faith and efforts to build the kin-dom.
One of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the church, Asian American Lutherans vary in age and patterns of migration. Some of us come from successive generations of Lutheran families, while others encountered the story of God’s grace in Christ for the first time in a Lutheran church. Our stories are intricately intertwined with the story of our country and of the ELCA, from the Japanese internment camps, to the work of resisting racism, to claiming the 14th amendment, to Lutheran Social Services and Global Refuge, to the courageous protests of today.
We will share resources, solidarity and collaboration strategies for outreach and justice ministries with and among Asians and Pacific Islanders — and who knows, perhaps naan or Taiwanese pancakes.
2 hours