"Resistance can’t just be about Trump. It’s about how Black men are treated." — Martin Henson on writing, faith and justice
Beacon Voice Martin Henson on his process writing his recent Beacon Media NC columns
Over the past few weeks, you’ve heard Martin Henson reflect on corporate America’s response to George Floyd’s murder and the process of healing from “church hurt.” Now, we want to introduce you to Martin as a person.
Below is a snippet from Martin’s recent conversation with Jeremy Borden, and the full version on YouTube.
- Beacon Media NC
Beacon Media: Martin, thanks for joining me. Your recent column on the church was powerful. But before we dive into that, can you tell us a little about where you grew up and how you came to this work?
Martin Henson: I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. For folks who don’t know, that’s below Missouri, above Texas, next to Oklahoma and Tennessee. It's the South. Below the Mason-Dixon Line. We don’t get a lot of love, but shout out to Arkansas. When I think of Arkansas, I think of my grandmother's house on a dirt road. That’s home.
I also grew up in the church, which ties to the column I wrote. I work in restorative justice now. My background is in counseling, and I have a Master’s in that. I’ve done a lot—organizing during the Black Lives Matter movement, and I run a nonprofit for Black men called the BMen Foundation. We build support spaces every second Sunday.
Beacon Media: That’s a lot of work and writing too, which we love. Given everything going on right now, what feels most urgent or front of mind for you in your work?
Martin Henson: The anniversary of George Floyd’s death was [last month,] and that really brings a lot of my work together—Black men, working-class people, justice. It's about making the invisible visible. My work is about resisting—literally and metaphorically. I have to write to tell these stories.
Beacon Media: What did the George Floyd anniversary bring up for you personally?
Martin Henson: It reminded me of how Black men's deaths are consumed and consumable — by the nonprofit industrial complex to raise money, by racists to perpetuate hate. You can still find disturbing images of George Floyd online. And despite all the talk, the numbers of people killed by police haven’t really changed since Ferguson.
Resistance can’t just be about Trump. It’s about how Black men are treated. I’ve lived intersections of addiction, class, and race in my own life and through others. Sometimes, I want to move people emotionally with stories. Sometimes, I just have to tell them. That’s the work.
Beacon Media: Let’s talk about the church. Did you grow up attending regularly?
Martin Henson: Yeah. I did everything in church — usher, Easter Sundays, you name it. My grandmother’s church, Snead Baptist, was on a dirt road. Then there was Saint John Missionary Baptist Church. I also went to a Christian private school, which added another layer. So yeah, the church was a huge part of my life. It shaped my values, my sense of justice.
We had revivals, which meant church every day for a week with guest pastors. You’re a kid, it’s hot, you’re bored. But those experiences shaped who I am. They’re why I can talk about both faith and its contradictions. Sometimes faith is spiritual, sometimes it comes from other places.
Beacon Media: How would you describe your faith now?
Martin Henson: I usually say, “I’m a Christian, but not like other Christians.” Sometimes I wonder if we’re even worshipping the same God. I’m not dogmatic. If something doesn’t sit right, I don’t follow it. My dad was a pastor, so you might hear that in how I talk. I visit churches, take what I need, leave what I don’t.
Beacon Media: You wrote about a rupture in your relationship with the church. Can you talk more about that?
Martin Henson: Yeah, when I was a teenager, there was a public incident of infidelity involving our pastor. The way people handled it didn’t sit right with me. I kept going, but I had more and more questions. In college, I minored in philosophy where people would openly critique faith. I realized the church is made of people, interpreting the word in different ways. And then there’s the role of the church in colonialism and racial injustice.
Ultimately, I had to define faith for myself. I imagine meeting God at the pearly gates and being able to say, “I did everything I could. I tried to be good.” That means walking out if a sermon doesn’t align with my values. I had to rebuild my faith in a way that centers humanity and rejects dehumanization.
Beacon Media: So that experience helped you start questioning things earlier?
Martin Henson: Definitely. In private Christian school, we had to memorize and recite Bible chapters. Faith was central. But spiritual questions opened doors to broader questions. Seeing contradictions made me think about how to show up in a better way. Faith became less about others and more about how I wanted to live.
Beacon Media: In your column, you ask the church to take responsibility for "church hurt." Do you think that's possible?
Martin Henson: Yes, they can do better. That’s my restorative justice lens. Accepting responsibility means saying, “I did it,” and cleaning up the mess. The church might admit something happened, but often stops there. You still have shards of glass on the floor.
Accountability means talking about what happened, making things right to the extent possible. Sometimes people just want to be heard. Spiritual trauma is real. We need more than a passing sermon. A real conversation can be powerful.
Beacon Media: Why did you feel compelled to write this column now?
Martin Henson: Two reasons. First, it’s timeless. I’ve heard this conversation for years and hadn’t seen it addressed the way I wanted. Second, with the transition in the papacy, people are examining legacies. I’m not Catholic, but the Pope matters. The church still plays a central role in many communities. It should work well for everyone’s sake.
We talk about great things pastors or popes have done, but we skip over the harm. And that harm lives in people forever if it’s never acknowledged. I wanted to write something for those folks—something they might need to read.
Beacon Media: Anything else you want to add about church hurt?
Martin Henson: Just start the conversation. Hard conversations are better than no conversations. Everyone benefits once you get to the other side of it.
Beacon Media: We're grateful for your writing and partnership with Beacon Media. Where do you see us fitting into your work, and where do you want to go as a writer?
Martin Henson: Beacon gives me space to share my voice and hone it. When I have an idea, I can send it your way and see if it can serve a greater purpose. It’s good practice, and it helps me think about reaching a general audience.
My North Star is Baldwin. I look to James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Ta-Nehisi Coates. They touched society through their brilliance and ideas. When I’m stuck, I listen to Baldwin’s work—the audio, the rhythm. That’s what I’m aiming for: to make people feel and think. That’s why I’m writing.