Antioch community forum responding to recent racist comments by resident cancelled
Friday, August 21st, 2026
Day after mayor announces it, invites community to attend
“We are calling ALL clergy of all nationalities, not just Clergy of African Descent to stand up and speak out against racism and anti-blackness in our community.” – Genesis Church Pastor Damon & Shantell Owens
By Allen D. Payton
After Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal announced Thursday an open forum discussion following “recent events involving racist and hateful statements by one of our residents toward his neighbors” (see related article) to be held this Sunday evening, and inviting the community to attend, the organizer, Genesis Church, abruptly cancelled it Friday morning. Pastor Damon Owens and his wife, Shantell, who lead the church, wrote in a post on his personal Facebook page, of a flier for the event entitled, “United We Stand” with the word “Cancelled” across the front and the message that begins, “This event has been cancelled until further notice…”
The event was to be held at the church’s Genesis Family Life Center on E. 18th Street, that opened in February.
The original flier was posted on the church’s Facebook page on Thursday, Aug. 20th and described the event as “An Open Forum Discussion Addressing Human Rights, Racial Equality, Solidarity.” Toward the bottom of the flier it reads, “United in Purpose. Stronger Together.”
The post included the message, “We stand united in complete opposition to racial slurs, racism, racial discrimination, and anti-Blackness in Antioch, California…and we refuse to remain silent when our neighbors are being harmed and dehumanized.
“Racial slurs are not harmless words. Words have consequences. They can wound individuals, traumatize families, divide communities, and create environments where discrimination becomes easier to accept.
“Racism is not a difference of opinion. Anti-Blackness is not something we should tolerate, excuse, minimize, or normalize.
“When racial hatred is expressed….whether publicly, privately, online, in the workplace, in schools, in government, in law enforcement, or in our neighborhoods…we must have the courage as a community to confront it.
“There is no place in our community for language, violence, behavior, policies, or practices that demean, dehumanize, intimidate, or discriminate against Black people or any other racial or ethnic community.
“Antioch must not merely be a diverse city, but a city where every person can live, work, play, learn, raise a family, and participate in community life with dignity and without fear of racial hatred.
“Amazed By His Grace,
Pastor(s) Damon & Shantell Owens”
Antioch Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker, in whose District 1 the residents live, also posted the original flier on her official Facebook page Thursday afternoon with the message, “The Community is hosting this event in Response to a call to action to protect black women and stand in solidarity against hate.
“Our responsibility as representatives of the City of Antioch is to show up, actively listen, and drive people-centered policy and initiatives that address human rights and racial equity for those harmed by past and recent events.
“I would like to thank everyone who has shown up thus far and will keep showing up.”
Cancellation Messages
Owens’ Aug. 21st cancellation message continued, “This event was meant to stand in solidarity with a young Black Mother who was being verbally abused with racial slurs and anti-black violence in the City of Antioch….not a political debate.
“Racism should NEVER be tolerated and accepted as normal.
“We are calling ALL clergy of all nationalities, not just Clergy of African Descent to stand up and speak out against racism and anti-blackness in our community.
The Lord called us according to Micah 6:8, ‘to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God’.
“We also must do our best to build BRIDGES, not walls.
“Amazed By His Grace,
Pastor(S) Damon & Shantell Owens”
Torres-Walker also posted the same “Cancelled” version of the flier Friday morning with the message from the Owens.
Efforts to reach Damon Owens asking why the meeting was canceled, if it was because the mayor announced it and who was building the walls referred to in the last sentence of Friday morning’s message, were unsuccessful prior to publication time.
Asked if it was a mutual decision to cancel the event and about the reference to building a wall, Bernal responded, “This was Genesis’ event, so they didn’t consult me before canceling. My desire was to invite the community to something that could bring a discussion and hopefully some healing. Not sure what he meant about building a wall.”
UPDATE 1: Friday afternoon, Bernal issued a follow-up statement about the cancellation. He reiterated some of his previous comments and wrote:
August 21, 2026
“Yesterday, I shared a message with our community that included an invitation to an open forum scheduled for Sunday, August 23, at Genesis Family Life Center. I had been invited to attend and participate in that independently organized event and was looking forward to joining the conversation.
“I have since learned that the organizers have decided to cancel the forum. I respect their decision and appreciate their willingness to create an opportunity for dialogue in our community.
“While this particular event will not move forward, the need for meaningful conversation remains.
“My position has not changed: racism, discrimination, intimidation, and violence have no place in Antioch. At the same time, building a stronger community requires more than condemning what divides us. It requires listening to one another, treating one another with dignity, and being willing to engage in difficult conversations constructively.
“I remain hopeful that there will be opportunities in the near future for our community to come together for thoughtful and productive dialogue and the role each of us can play in strengthening Antioch.
“We will not always agree on policies, priorities, or the direction of our city. Healthy disagreement is part of democracy. But our disagreements should never prevent us from recognizing the humanity and dignity of our neighbors.
“There is much work to do. I remain committed to being part of that work and to helping create opportunities for our community to move forward together.”
Ron Bernal
Mayor
UPDATE 2: Later, in a comment posted on the Antioch Herald Facebook page, Shantell Owens explained the reason for the cancellation. She wrote, “We were hosting [the] event to give community members a safe space to share & strategize on ways to support one another and heal. It quickly turned into a negative political platform. Racism is real, pain is real and the focus should be on healing those most harmed. We will reschedule and gather soon.”
