One parade-watcher at Nashville’s Pride Festival this weekend has garnered attention for holding a sign that asks for forgiveness.
The woman in question is Erika Chambers, who was also the subject of a WPLN story that ran just the day before the parade.
In her interview with WPLN, Chambers spoke of a need to do something “real.” That need compelled her to travel to Charleston, SC — to mourn and bear witness — after the shooting at the Mother Emanuel church. She echoed that need for engagement in an emotional video posted to Facebook explaining why she chose to attend Nashville’s gay pride festival.
“I’m getting to the point where I just think that voicing your opinion and yelling and ranting on Facebook is not doing anything and I’m challenged more and more to take action. And in that action, my goal is to show love…I don’t know what responses I’m going to get, but I feel like I’m supposed to go, and I feel like I’m supposed to hold this sign and I feel like I’m supposed to listen.”
That video was quickly shared by hundreds and viewed by thousands. The Tennessean ran a story, as did religion and spirituality website Patheos; today, the Washington Post quoted Chambers in its larger story on the evangelical reaction to the Supreme Court decision.
Here’s our story about Chambers’ trip to Charleston:
Bearing Witness And Mourning In Charleston, A Nashvillian’s Account
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