On Memorial Day, our community was shaken to its core in 8 minutes and 46 seconds. The murder of George Floyd tears at the very fibers that bring our community together and shines a harsh light on the systemic injustices that too many must confront every single day.
Since that day, many have examined their own deeply held biases and asked themselves “what can I do?” While we can’t all do everything, we must all do something. Catholic Social Teaching tells us that charity and justice must go hand in hand, which is why our mission at Catholic Charities is to serve those most in need AND to advocate for justice in our community. With the support of Catholic Charities leadership, a cross-agency Racial Equity and Social Justice committee leads organizational efforts to address racial equity and social justice in all that we do – both internally at Catholic Charities, and in our work in the community. We invite you to join us on this journey.
One of the first and most critical steps we can all take on our collective journey to racial equity and social justice is to learn our own history and from the experience of others. It’s also critical to have the tough conversations.
A FEW WAYS TO GET STARTED
- Consume stories and history different than your own.
- Support local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous,People of Color) owned businesses.
- Challenge your own biases and recognize the power you have to advance the common good.
As we approach the end of summer, our work toward racial equity and social justice continues. This is a year we will never forget, and we must make the most of this opportunity for change with hope and action.
I drive the development of Catholic Charities’ key stakeholder outreach strategy, manage oversight of public messaging, media relations, external web and social media development and content, and agency-wide materials.