Robin Chandler was born in Boston, MA, in the mid-20th century, and became a Baha’i at university. Her family background includes African-American, Cherokee and Scottish ancestry. Robin is an artist, sociologist, author and speaker and is active in race unity work across the United States.
1.No easy boxes to check
If you lined my family up we’d look like a little United Nations.
2.A hotbed of political activity
My sense of how to be a person and a Baha’i moved me to leave a legacy behind.
3.Pushing back against mediocrity and racism
A lot of artists had great careers because they slept with the right people – I had to decide what kind of person I wanted to be.
4.American Baha’is & heavenly training
Abdu’l-Baha came to the United States at the turn of the 20th century – like a first responder.
5.The behaviors needed for change
The Baha’i writings defined “implicit bias” 70 years before Harvard came up with the idea.
6.Racism at home and abroad
South African Baha’is of different races would meet and be visited by the police.
7.Spectrum racism
People like to gang up on the worst offenders – but dealing with racism requires spiritual qualities.