Carolyn B. Helsel, PhD, is a professor of preaching at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where she has taught since 2015. Helsel grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and has moved across the country for education and work, and in every setting, she noticed that the white people in her communities (including herself) remained silent on racism. As she became more aware of racism, beginning in seminary in the early 2000's, she felt called to help white communities better understand racism and deepen their capacity to hear the painful stories of others, and join people of color to work against racism.