Building the Beloved Community in El Paso County
An Interfaith Response to Racial Inequity in Homeownership
In Celebration of the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week
An initiative of Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity in association with the Pikes Peak Inter Faith Coalition and the 10th Air Base Wing Community Chapel
Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, the Pikes Peak Inter Faith Coalition, and the 10th Air Base Wing Community Chapel held an important community discussion surrounding the topic of "Building the Beloved Community," a term originally coined by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to describe "a community that includes diversity and allows for tension undergirded by love to lead to transformation to create a community of justice, equal opportunity, and dignity for all."
A panel of experts discussed local barriers to homeownership, the history surrounding the racial homeownership gap, and positive examples of "building the beloved community" locally.
Following the panel, approximately 70 attendees participated in a unique facilitated interfaith dialogue discussion over a shared meal, provided for participants during this free community event.
Panelists
James Johnson
James Johnson is a long-time resident of Colorado Springs. As a proud military brat, he first discovered the beauty of Colorado when he moved to Ft. Carson with his parents and brother. He is the owner of Groundworks Holdings, a social impact real estate company. James is passionate about creating generational wealth for southeast residents through investing, ownership, and entrepreneurship.
Max Kronstadt
Colorado Springs Pro-Housing Partnership
Max grew up in Silver Spring, MD, and moved to Colorado Springs in 2016 to attend Colorado College. Since graduation in 2020, he has worked as a community organizer on food- and housing-justice issues in Fountain and the Mill Street neighborhood of Colorado Springs.
Catherine Duarte
Community Development Division, City of Colorado Springs
Catherine Duarte, AICP, is the HUD Programs Manager at the City of Colorado Springs, where she leads her division’s strategic planning. and operations for HUD-funded projects. As a community development practitioner, she has a background in rural development, arts and cultural planning, library planning, housing and neighborhood planning, and inclusive engagement.
Heather McBroom
Raju Patel
Take the Beloved Community Pledge
We believe that every single one of us — regardless of who we are or where we come from — deserves a decent life.
Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we believe in a Beloved Community of justice, equal opportunity and love of our fellow human beings.
We want to help build a world that leaves no room for poverty, prejudice or violence.
We pledge to work together with our neighbors, side by side, to create strength, stability and self-reliance for all.
Habitat for Humanity International Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
We are compelled by our Koinonia roots to put God’s love into action and pursue housing justice for all by driving diversity, equity, and inclusion with accountability and trust while attracting and retaining diverse, mission-driven talent representative of the global communities we serve.
Follow Up
- Sign the pledge.
- Complete actions listed in Building Blocks for the Beloved Community.
- Read The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein either individually or as part of a group. We've provided questions for reflection, discussion, research and further action.
