By Joseph Shepard, 5th Episcopal District
The words of our nation’s Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” remind us of a journey marked by struggle, perseverance, and hope:
Stony the road we trod
Bitter the chastening rod
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
In 2026, there is no shortage of signs that hope has been diluted. Rising costs are straining families across the country. Our political landscape is increasingly filled with vitriol. For Black Americans, the pressures of navigating racial injustice, economic inequality, and discrimination can feel heavier than ever. Communities continue to fight for justice and for the promise that every person should have the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Yet even when Satan is busy, God is real.
God reminds us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. As an elected official in Kansas’ largest city, representing nearly 70,000 constituents, many of whom live in communities facing economic disinvestment, environmental injustice, and poverty, I often think not only about where I find hope, but also about how I can help make that hope available to the people I represent.
That is where my anchor, God, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church come in. As a lifelong member of the AME Church, I know our denomination is rooted in faith, service, and social justice. Richard Allen founded the AME Church after experiencing racial discrimination and segregation. Our denomination was born from a demand for dignity, equality, and the freedom to worship without discrimination. Hope in the midst of darkness is who we are.
Today, we must reclaim that calling. As our communities face an affordable housing crisis, churches should consider using vacant or underutilized land to partner with affordable housing organizations to create homes. When our neighbors experiencing homelessness need clothing, hygiene products, or other necessities, our churches should be among the first to respond without judgment. When families lack access to fresh food, when literacy rates decline, or when gun violence threatens our youth, the AME Church should be present.
But our responsibility cannot stop at charitable work. We must also be a voice in the policy process. We should mobilize our congregations to participate in city council and school board meetings, as well as state legislative sessions. We should build partnerships, leverage our resources, and use our collective influence to address the conditions that create despair in the first place.
We should do as Jesus called us to do: be the hands and feet. Now, more than ever, our call is clear — be the hope.
For some, hope feels far away. For others, it may feel as though hope has died altogether. But hope can be reborn.
The AME Church was founded in the midst of injustice, yet it chose faith over despair and action over resignation. Hope is not passive. Hope requires action. Hope is a muscle. It is time for the AME Church to flex it.
Mr. Joseph Shepard serves on the Wichita, Kansas, City Council and is a member of St. Paul AME Church, Wichita, Kansas
AI Assistance Disclaimer: ChatGPT was used solely to assist with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity. The ideas, arguments, perspective, and original content of this op ed are the author’s own.
