Deconstructing Mamas

This Little Light of Mine - Torri Williams

Lizz Enns Petters and Esther Joy Goetz Season 2 Episode 23

“To be human in an aching world is to know our dignity and become people who safeguard the dignity of everything around us.”

-Cole Arthur Riley-

This Week on the Podcast:

Torri Williams, our guest this week, is an activist and brilliant soul. Growing up in a small town which was prominently white and highly evangelical as a a black charismatic fundamentalist, she found herself constantly curious about her faith and how it played out, not only for herself as a black woman, but for others who were marginalized by the church and by society.

Torri deeply believes in the power of dignity, something she views as given to every human being, regardless of race, belief system, sexual orientation, age, social status, gender and so much more.

She is a fellow deconstructing mama, married to a "white rapper," and has a blended family that includes one adult child, three teenagers, and twin six-year olds. This makes for beautiful mayhem and allows her to speak into all of us as she navigates all the complexities of motherhood, including the intersection of her evolving faith, her passion for the marginalized (especially women of color) and parenting in a multi-racial family.

In this episode, we explore why "curiosity didn't kill the cat" and how offering dignity can change our lives and the lives of our children. Dignity is the match that ignites our flames so that our lights can shine brightly for ourselves and others to be guided by and enjoy. It's one of the more powerful conversations we've had as Torri challenges our notions of who is allowed to sit "at the table" and perhaps why some are not. Lizz and Esther were much more quiet this time around because they were much more interested in listening than talking, and that tells you enough right there.

One of Torri's favorite authors, black female liturgist, Cole Arthur Riley, is the author of the above quote, a young black woman and liturgist who has challenged and changed her. Listen to the episode to find out why...

You can find Torri at the following:

Instagram: 
@torri1999