The Forgiveness Project in America!
This week we’re bringing you news and updates from events happening across the pond!
An update on Marina's American mid-west book tour for Forgiveness: An Exploration
See below for the itinerary for Marina’s upcoming US book tour:
Tuesday 15th April: 12:30pm, The Morality of Forgiveness, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Marina will be in conversation with Fr. Michael Lapsley, founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories in South Africa, who happens to be visiting Luther University at the same time. They will interview each other, unpacking themes of forgiveness, healing, justice and reconciliation. This is part of the regular Brown Bag lunch held at Luther College, and you can find out more information here.
Thursday 18th April: 7pm, University of Northern Iowa
Join Marina for a presentation held at the University of Northern Iowa
Sunday 21st April: 10am, University Baptist Church, Minneapolis
Marina and Louisa Hext (The F Word exhibition's North American curator) will be giving the lay sermon at the University Baptist Church in Minneapolis, followed by a book signing.
Wednesday 24th April: 6pm, Lion’s Mouth Bookstore, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Join Marina for a book launch celebration at Lion’s Mouth Bookstore! You can find more information here.
Thursday 25th April: 7pm, St Norbert College, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Marina will be holding a keynote and book discussion at St Norbert College.
Saturday 27th April: 11am, The Book Store, Appleton, Wisconsin
Marina will be presenting and holding a book signing at The Book Store in Wisconsin. More information can be found here.
Sunday 28th April: 2pm, Big Hill Books, South Minneapolis
Marina’s final event will be a talk and book signing at Big Hill Books in South Minneapolis. More information can be found here.
For further information contact louisa@theforgivenessproject.com
The F Word Exhibition in Wisconsin!
A big thank you to Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Appleton, Wisconsin for hosting our F Word Exhibition!
The exhibition was on show here from the 3rd to the 8th of April. If you’re also interested in hiring the exhibition in North America, contact Louisa at louisa@theforgivenessproject.com. For the UK and elsewhere, email Georgia at info@theforgivenessproject.com.
In Memoriam: Mary Johnson
This week we are reflecting on the momentous life of one of our storytellers, Mary Johnson.
Very sadly, Mary has passed after a difficult 4-year struggle with Lewy Body Dementia. Mary, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was a profound example of forgiveness: In 1993 her only child, 20-year-old Laramiun Byrd, was killed by 16-year-old Oshea Israel.
Many years later Mary went to the prison where Oshea was serving a 25-year sentence and forgave him. Mary was also the founder of From Death to Life, an organization to help families who have lost children to gun violence. After his release from prison, Oshea frequently spoke alongside Mary. Indeed, she regarded him as her “spiritual son”. In memory of Mary, therefore, it seems fitting to share here what Oshea recently wrote about her:
“I remember the first time she tried telling me ‘goodbye’, while ending a phone call. I told her ‘I’ll never say ‘bye’ to you, lady, it’s ‘i’ll talk to you later’’. She laughed and said ‘oh, whatever’, and every time after that, if she’d accidentally said ‘goodbye’, she’d snicker and I’d remind her ‘no, it’s i’ll talk to you later’.
When I went to visit her while she was transitioning, I told her ‘remember I told you I’ll never say ‘goodbye’ to you, it’s ‘I’ll see you later’, so that’s what it is, nothing’s changed’. Even though she was heavily sedated, I heard her very low, muffled attempt to laugh. That was the last sound I heard except for me telling her that I love her and want to make her proud: A sound escaped her lips but I couldn’t hear it. Her eyes fluttered. I wish I could’ve heard her then and I wish I could hear her now.
I love you Momma Mary.”
Oshea Israel, via Facebook
Our North America exhibition curator, Louisa Hext, introduced The Forgiveness Project to Mary. Louisa says:
“I first heard about Mary from an article in the Star Tribune - she’d been taking part in weekly vigils in the streets of North Minneapolis along with other mothers who’d lost children to the prison pipeline. I then reached out to ask if she’d share her story with the Forgiveness Project. The day I met her I also met Oshea who had recently been released from prison after serving his sentence. Amazingly, he was now living across the hallway from her. This was an extraordinary story about forgiving the unforgivable. Mary was a force to be reckoned with, touching so many people’s hearts along the way, including my own. In 2015 she married Ed Roy. The two had much in common since Ed had lost his only son to homicide. Along with hundreds of others I was at the wedding and watched Oshea walk her down the aisle. It was incredible moving”.
All of us here at The Forgiveness Project remember Mary with love, and pass on our condolences to her family at this time.
