CPTnet
15 November 2011
CHICAGO: Sylvia Morrison on Honoring Story—Peacemaker Congress Video

Videography by Tim Nafziger; transcription and summary by Jeannette Papalotti

[Note: Over the coming weeks CPTnet will be sharing videos of presentations at the "Re-imagining Partnerships for Peace: A 25th Anniversary Celebration."  Readers are encouraged to share these videos widely so that the ripples from our Peacemaker Congress may continue far beyond the gathering.]

Sylvia Morrison, Undoing Racism Coordinator for CPT, welcomed Congress participants during the opening worship on Thursday, 13 October 2011.  She spoke on the significance and power of stories, emphasizing how words can be used as a tool for social action.  “Stories have the power to transport us to places we do not know.  Stories have the power to introduce us to people we never met," she said.  "Stories can make us laugh; they can make us cry.  Stories cause us to feel all kinds of emotions.  Stories inform, stories educate and stories entertain.”

However, Morrison, referencing Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, also discussed the dangers of “single” stories—stories that are authoritative in nature and one-sided—which create the category of the “other” and in turn work against social justice.  “Be aware of the unintended consequences, then, of the single story,” she said.  “Be aware of your position as you tell this story—your position in this story…Be aware of your power to tell the story in such a way to make it the definitive story—the story of the other."

According to Morrison, stories of CPT are imperative to the social justice movement because they are being used as a catalyst for change and participation; these stories both inform and educate the public about CPT’s relationship and work with non-violence.  “Our stories inform and educate about CPT’s accompaniment, our personal witness, our actions and involvement in the struggle for peace," she said.  "CPT stories inform and educate about the nature of the violence which our partners encounter—about the responsibilities and involvement in the violence by places such as Europe and North America and the responsibility and involvement of the listeners to those stories.”