A Tampa woman has created a household movement to foster racial unity.
- Tampa women hoping to bring people together
- Small movement started with Facebook message
- Leah Roberts and Danielle McClendon hope to hold more meetings
Leah Roberts invited nearly 100 friends and strangers of different ethnic backgrounds to her home to talk about race.
"It's been really powerful," Roberts said.
Roberts hosted the discussion after reading a friend's emotional Facebook post about racial tension and nationwide violence.
"There were murders of innocent black men, there were murders of police officers and it was enough to leave anyone who was paying attention completely depleted," said Danielle McClendon. "I made a post, I just said I'm sick of it. I'm sick of all the injustice, I'm sick of all these things continuing to happen in our community and I'm even more sick and tired of people's lack of response."
McClendon, who is black, said she was angered by the lack of response from her white friends. Roberts, who is white, said she cried when she read McClendon's post.
"It wasn't aimed at me, but it made me realize she is not hearing enough from me and how much I care about this issue," Roberts said.
So Roberts got on social media and opened her home to a discussion on race.
"It was just the best that I could think to do immediately," Roberts said.
With little notice, blacks and whites crowded Robert's living room. And they talked.
"It's hard to describe just how powerful it was to be a part of that experience," said McClendon."I can't compare it to anything I've done in my entire life."
The meeting was so successful, Roberts recently held another discussion in her home for the children. She said the discussions have been an eye opener.
"We thought we knew," Roberts said. "We thought we weren't racists or thought that we were working towards unity but there were ways we could do it better."
Roberts said she'd like to see more people open up their homes to tackle this sensitive issue.