We are changing...PALANAs

After long meetings this past week in Cleveland the Joshua Generation group worked diligently with the term "People of Color." After the last joint board meeting it was determined that many of the racial-ethnic minorities found the term "People of Color" most degrading. We are all different and should not be lumped together because of the pigment in our skin.

In wrestling with this, and understanding that within the Urban context one in encounters so many, the group came up with the term PALANAs. (Just sound it out)

PALANAs

Pacific Islander
Asian
Latino/a
African
Native
Americans

The wonderful piece of this term PALANAs is the A for Americans. We recognized that there are some who feel they will not fit in one of the categories. Our work is for all Americans and we find that this term can be inclusive rather than exclusive.

Mission Statement of the Joshua Generation Leadership Team

The mission of the Joshua Generation Leadership Team, supported by the Urban Ministries, of the United Church of Christ seeks to:

• Provide training in which we recognize, develop, nurture, empower and educate relevant vanguard leadership for the 21st century Church and community with an intentional focus on Urban Ministries.
• Create a network which serves as a group of innovative, motivated and courageous leaders who seek not only to witness or advocate, but to also bridge the past and the future with education and empowerment in the lives of those who are oppressed, especially those in the Urban context.
• Support young adult PALANAs, advocate for a cooperative voice, and provide a safe space to address issues from the local to the national setting.