NORTH ALABAMA CHURCHES TAKE SOLIDARITY SUNDAY PLEDGE

Church pastors also signed a pledge agreeing to continue the discussion surrounding inequality.

Has the night off.

This evening, church members across north alabama are discussing racial inequality...and how to eliminate systemic racism.

The racial equality action committee of huntsville and other organizations called on local church leaders to have these discussions today--a day that's being referred to as, solidarity sunday waay 31's casey albritton is live at one local church that participated in the movement.

Casey, how are religious leaders getting involved?

Here at monte sano united methodist church, the pastor held a service this morning devoted to acknowledging racism in our country--he and other church pastors also signed a pledge agreeing to continue the discussion surrounding inequality.

John mullaney/ pastor "we took time out of the sermon to acknowledge system racism, where it comes from, what it means."

Pastor john mullaney says he wants to do everything he can to help end systemic racism.

John mullaney/ pastor "these aren't new issues for predominantly black churches, but for predominantly white churches, we don't talk about racism very much."

He says change is only going to happen through education and confronting these issues.

John mullaney/ pastor "many do not believe that it's even a real thing, so a lot of it is really explanation and giving information about what systemic racism is."

Dexter strong/ reverend "this isn't the end, this is the beginning of a new solidarity movement in the church."

Reverend dexter strong is one of the organizers of solidarity sunday-- he says bringing this topic into predominantly white churches is important.

Dexter strong/ reverend "to what extent are we willing to leverage our privilege, leverage our influence in order to change the world for the better."

Reverend strong says he hopes the movement to end inequality continues.

Dexter strong/ reverend "this moment feels different, but i felt this way before.

What i'm hopefully about is the churches, and people of all religious and non-religious traditions, i hope this moment is not just catharsis.

I hope this is a moment that we deeply commit to ending systemic racism."

So far, seventeen churches in north alabama have signed the solidarity sunday pledge.

To see a full list of those churches, and the terms of the pledge, go to our website, at waay tv dot com.

Live in huntsville, casey albritton,