oPJCC Conversations About Racism

Conversations About Racism

By Debbie Weber, OPJCC director

“We may be non-racist persons, or more likely working to become non-racists, yet still foster and benefit from the practices of racism within various organizations. Becoming aware of this personal and social reality may be one of the most important steps toward helping to build a more fair and just society.”

- Associate Kay Clifton, Ph.D.

This past summer, Sisters and Associates were invited to participate in a nine-month, interactive series on racism: Conversations About Racism. This series is being offered as a venue for the Charity Family to explore racism and to have frank conversations with others.

From August 2020 through April 2021, seventy-five participants are engaging with presenters, reading books and articles, watching videos, journaling, having conversations with each other, and reflecting on ourselves and our society through the eyes of faith. We are developing understandings that will enable us to learn to better love all our neighbors and to work together to help bring needed change.

The Steering Committee members for the series are Sisters Mary Gallagher, Monica Gundler, Marge Kloos and Associates Kay Clifton and Debbie Weber. They are hosting five sessions using Zoom technology: August, october, and December in 2020 as well as February and April in 2021. Participants gather at these sessions for a wide variety of experiences including prayer, guest speakers, breakout rooms for quiet conversations, and helpful tools to use after each session.

Session one laid the groundwork toward understanding our own attitudes. Participants tackled the term racist – a persons’ prejudicial attitudes. Delving deeper, we learned that all attitudes consist of three components: beliefs, feelings and intentions to act. everyone was encouraged to continue our attitudinal work throughout the series and beyond, and to go at our own pace. For some, this was their first experience talking about the terms racist and racism. For others this is a journey they have been on for years. A robust resource list was provided as well as handouts to enrich participants’ journeys. The remainder of the Zoom sessions have, and will, explore various forms of systemic racism. It is the hope of the Steering Committee that these sessions will inspire and challenge participants to learn more and to continue conversations about racism with others.

Session two offered participants a moving experience with Saundra Willingham, a former notre Dame de namur Sister. As she read from her article that was published in the December 1968 issue of Ebony Magazine, Saundra wove in personal insights and stories that helped us understand what it was like for her to be a Black Sister in the 1960s.

The Steering Committee invited Saundra back one week later for Deepening the Conversation. This was offered to all participants who wished to talk further with Saundra via an informal Zoom experience.

As the series progresses, participants are encouraged to continue reading, observing, listening and exploring our own attitudes. A question that was raised in session one was: “Where are you with the experience of race in your life today?” It is a relevant question for all of us to contemplate, every day.