The Legacy of Desmond Tutu

“Forgiving and being reconciled to our enemies or our loved ones are not about pretending that things are other than they are. It is not about patting one another on the back and turning a blind eye to the wrong.

True reconciliation exposes the awfulness, the abuse, the hurt, the truth. It could even sometimes make things worse.

It is a risky undertaking but in the end it is worthwhile, because in the end only an honest confrontation with reality can bring real healing. Superficial reconciliation can bring only superficial healing.”

― Desmond Tutu

Another bright light in the fight for justice has left the world to join the ancestors.

Yesterday. 12/26/21, Bishop Desmond Tutu, best known for his role in ending apartheid in South Africa and being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, as well as his continued support of anti-racism, human and LGBTQ rights, passed away at the age of 90.

There is much to learn from his legacy, wisdom and we share a brief look at his life in gratitude.

Rest in peace, rest in power.

“Born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, Transvaal, South Africa, he became the first Black Anglican Archbishop of both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Known as the voice of the voiceless Black South Africans he was an outspoken critic of apartheid. Tutu also supported the economic boycott of South Africa, while constantly encouraging reconciliation between various factions associated with apartheid.

When Nelson Mandela was elected as the nation’s first Black president—he appointed Tutu chairperson of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.

In his human rights work, Tutu formulated his objective as “a democratic and just society without racial divisions,” and set forth demands for its accomplishment, including equal civil rights for all, a common system of education and the cessation of forced deportation.

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Tutu has been bestowed numerous awards, including the Pacem in Terris Award, the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award, the Lincoln Leadership Prize and the Gandhi Peace Prize.

Desmond Tutu traveled extensively, championing human rights and the equality of all people, both within South Africa and internationally.”

(from https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/voices-for-human-rights/champions/desmond-tutu.html)