Reparation: Voices from Kenyan Friends

Building on conversations from the 2024 World Plenary, this session will share stories of how the legacies of historical injustices continue to manifest in Kenyan Quaker communities today, including areas such as wealth gaps, health disparities, education, the justice system, climate and environmental breakdown, and social attitudes.

Together, we will consider what meaningful healing from these historical harms might look like – what concrete steps, whether individual or communal, might be taken towards repair and justice. We will hear signs of progress, hope and reconciliation being undertaken in Kenyan Quaker communities, as well as the specific role the church and faith communities might play in advocating for a more just future.

The session will feature a presentation from Hezron Masitsa, Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC)’s Justice and Peace Secretary, who has been interviewing a diverse array Friends in Kenya about this topic. We will listen to some of the stories and voices he has gathered, and inquire together in small groups and silence how they move us to action.

This session is for anyone who is interested in reparation, racial justice, peace and connecting with Quakers in other parts of the world. It is offered as an opportunity to explore how we might live our Testimonies to Truth, Peace and Equality, connected as an international family of Friends.