Writer's Series: Stories & Systems

How Fiction Addresses Real History and Real Justice

Some of the most powerful commentary on justice doesn't come from think tanks or policy papers. It comes from fiction—from writers bold enough to imagine real history through story, to place us inside the lived experience of injustice, to make us feel what systemic oppression actually costs.

Two Denver authors understand this intimate connection between story, history, and justice. This November, we're exploring how fiction can challenge systems, illuminate hidden histories, and call us toward a world that reflects God's kingdom.

DINNER & AUDACITY: Jeff Johnsen

We'll celebrate Jeff Johnsen, Executive Director of Mile High Ministries, a leader - and storyteller in his own right - who's spent decades translating Christian convictions into concrete action. For over 35 years, Mile High Ministries has worked to break cycles of homelessness and poverty in Denver through "housing that heals"—creating transformational communities where people move toward dignity, wholeness, and self-sufficiency. Jeff founded the iSSACHAR Center along with other "prophetic signpost" initiatives in our city - innovative organizations and collaborations that invite others to say "yes" to the dreams that God has given.

THE AUTHORS' CONVERSATION: Robert Justice & Patricia Raybon

Robert Justice, Denver native and author of the acclaimed They Can't Take Your Name (runner-up for the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award) and A Dream in the Dark, writes wrongful conviction novels set in Denver—stories laced with Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, and the real history of race and injustice in our city. His novels aren't abstract; they're rooted in Five Points, Mother Cabrini Shrine, the 1992 MLK Day race riots. They're history told through story - an extension of Robert's faith-full work to confront injustice.

Patricia Raybon, Christy Award-winning Colorado author, writes historical mysteries at the daring intersection of faith and race. Her Annalee Spain Mystery series is set in 1920s Colorado during the Klan era—a young Black theologian solving crimes amid systemic terror. Her essays on faith and race have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, and Christianity Today, and she is a member of the Colorado Author's Hall of Fame.

Together, Robert and Patricia will talk about:

• Their journey from non-fiction to fiction, and why fiction can tell truth that facts alone cannot
• How to research real history and make it honest in story
• The role of the Christian writer in confronting injustice
• How stories change hearts—and how heart-change can lead to systems-change

What to Expect:

• Dinner with some of Denver's most engaged leaders
• Conversation with two bold writers addressing race, justice, and faith
• Understanding the power of historical fiction to challenge systems
• Questions about Christian witness through storytelling
• Inspiration to use your voice—in whatever form God's given you—for justice

When: Thursday, November 19, 6:00-8:30 PM
Where: iSSACHAR Center for Urban Leadership
Who: Christian leaders, readers, storytellers, and anyone called to justice
Cost: $25 (includes dinner)

Third Thursday Common Tables bring together Denver's urban Christian leaders for monthly dinners combining inspiration, practical equipping, and lasting community. Join us as we explore how stories can illuminate history, challenge injustice, and call us toward the Kingdom of God.