A DIGITAL + IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE

IGNATIAN FAMILY TEACH-IN FOR JUSTICE 2021

OCTOBER 11-16 | Online

NOVEMBER 6-8 | In-Person

Sign Me Up! Register for IFTJ 2021

2 CONFERENCES
1 IGNATIAN FAMILY

In 2021, the Ignatian Family Teach-In is not one but TWO conferences complete with unique lineups and ways to engage! Join virtually on October 16, in-person in Washington, D.C. from November 6-8, or both! No matter how you join, you’ll imagine a path forward with the Ignatian family as we put faith into action to build a more just world.

CHOOSE YOUR PACKAGE

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PACKAGE

OCTOBER 11-16 | ONLINE

Access to the Virtual Conference
Saturday, October 16
11AM-6PM ET/8AM-3PM PT
9 months of access to the IFTJ platform and recordings via Swapcard
Watch Party and Networking Resources
BONUS: Access to the High School Track:
October 11-15
On-Demand
The high school track was designed to integrate the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice into the classroom. Utilize 5 days of theme-based, 60-90 minute packages of content and corresponding reflection guides. Content includes: keynotes, student speakers, student-led workshops, and prayers. All HS track content will be available for educators to preview by early September.

PRICE RANGE: $5-$45/person

VIEW VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PRICING TABLE

REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

IN-PERSON + VIRTUAL CONFERENCES PACKAGE

NOVEMBER 6-8 | WASHINGTON, D.C. | WASHINGTON HILTON

OCTOBER 11-16 | ONLINE

All Virtual Conference Package Benefits
October 11-16 | Online
In-person + virtual conferences package holders receive access to the virtual conference, virtual on-demand high school track, 9 months of access to the IFTJ platform and recordings via Swapcard, and virtual watch party and networking resources.
Access to the In-Person Conference
November 6-8 | Washington, D.C.

What to Expect
- Learn, pray, and reflect with 30+ speakers—with more spacious seating and safety measures to accommodate the most current Covid-19 guidelines
- Networking opportunities
- Connect with exhibitors in-person
- Explore Washington, D.C.
- Engage in advocacy

PRICE RANGE: $35-$160/person

VIEW IN-PERSON CONFERENCE PRICING TABLE

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON CONFERENCE

O U R | G U I D I N G | T H E M E

IMAGINING A PATH FORWARD

REFLECTION. RECKONING. KINSHIP

Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew
That even as we hurt, we hoped
That even as we tired, we tried
That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious
Amanda Gorman, United States National Youth Poet Laureate

REFLECTION:Our world continues to grapple with challenges old and new. The coronavirus pandemic, while new, has made existing crises more visible: racism, health and wealth disparities, and individualism among them. The weight of our present moment has impacted us all. Our bodies and spirits are tired, and deserve rest. We must not conflate, however, the emergence of a vaccinated reality with a “new normal.” We must reflect and grieve—we must be still, but not stationary.

RECKONING: In Let Us Dream, written in response to Covid-19, Pope Francis writes, “The Spirit shows us new things through what the Church calls ‘signs of the times’… In interpreting and praying over events or trends in the light of the Gospel, we can detect movements that reflect the values of God’s Kingdom or their opposite.” Reflection must lead to reckoning and urgent action. We must work to reorganize our church and society, centering the needs of the most vulnerable.

KINSHIP:Central to charting a path forward is our capacity to imagine a church and world from a starting point of kinship. Our task is to co-create “a community of kinship such that God might recognize it. Soon we imagine, with God, this circle of compassion. Then we imagine no one standing outside of that circle” (Greg Boyle, S.J., Tattoos on the Heart). In this circle, as Amanda Gorman reminds us, we are forever tied together. Together, may we strengthen these ties, expand the circle, and live courageously toward kinship as our ultimate horizon.

Through a process of reflection, reckoning, and centering kinship, and rooted in the spirit of Ignatian imagination, we can imagine together a path forward that better “reflects the values of God’s Kingdom.” A path not confined by the way things have always been and which exclaims the common good as central to all that we do, promoting the flourishing of all people.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PACKAGE

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE PACKAGE

OCT 11-15

The high school track was designed to integrate the Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice into the classroom. Utilize 5 days of theme-based, 60-90 minute packages of content and corresponding reflection guides. Content includes: keynotes, student speakers, student-led workshops, and prayers. All HS track content will be available for educators to preview by early September.

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PACKAGE

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE PACKAGE

OCT 16

Note: The virtual conference contains a different line-up than the in-person conference.

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

8AM PT/11AM ET Meet the Exhibitors
9AM PT/12PM ET Mainstage Session: Prayer, music, reflections and featured keynote Sr. Norma Pimentel, M.J.
10:15AM PT/1:15PM ET Reflection, Connection, and Restoration: Connect with fellow attendees, chat with exhibitors, take a break, or engage in prayer/reflection opportunities
11:25AM PT/2:25PM ET Large-Scale Breakouts
12:15PM PT/3:15PM ET Reflection, Connection, and Restoration
1:25PM PT/3:25PM ET Small-Scale Breakouts
2:35PM PT/5:35PM ET Closing Examen with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE PACKAGE

NOV 6-8

Note: The in-person conference contains a different line-up than the virtual conference.

IN-PERSON CONFERENCE

Join with the Ignatian family at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., from Saturday evening through Sunday evening, then put your experience into action on Monday’s Advocacy Day.

SPEAKERS

REFLECTION. RECKONING. KINSHIP

IN-PERSON KEYNOTE
FR. BRYAN MASSINGALE
Racial Justice Scholar
VIEW BIO

IN-PERSON KEYNOTE
FR. GREG BOYLE, S.J.
Founder, Homeboy Industries
VIEW BIO

IN-PERSON KEYNOTE
KEYA CHATTERJEE
Executive Director, U.S. Climate Action Network
VIEW BIO

VIRTUAL KEYNOTE
SR. NORMA PIMENTEL
Executive Director, Catholic Charities RGV
VIEW BIO

IN-PERSON BREAKOUT | VIRTUAL CLOSING REFLECTOR
FR. JAMES MARTIN, S.J.
Author
VIEW BIO

Apply to Speak (Virtual and In-Person)

Ignatian Network Speaker Guidelines

We are seeking in-person and virtual Ignatian Network speakers for the 2021 Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice.

Selected Ignatian Network speakers will give a 5-7 minute speech from the virtual or in-person mainstage.

Before you get started on your application, please read through these guidelines:

Animate the Theme: Imagining a Path Forward: Reflection. Reckoning. Kinship.
How does the 2021 Teach-In theme connect to your experience? Use the theme as a starting point to discern the story and message you wish you to share – don’t pick a story and try to force the theme to work with it.
Think about your message and try to summarize it in one sentence. Use that sentence as a roadmap. All of the details you share should support your main point.
Consider the Audience:
What do you want the audience to feel? What do you want the audience to learn and know? How might your message inspire the audience to act?
Communicate your message through storytelling:
Be sure to tell your story. Honor and empower others by allowing them to tell their own story. Rhetoric is less important than lived human experiences.
Asset-Based Message
Applying an asset-based approach to language is crucial when engaging in justice work as it honors the dignity and strengths of individuals and communities. Language used should focus on positive outcomes and personal strengths, rather than problems and barriers. It does not mean negating the injustices present, though it leads to a shift of the problem being related to not the individual community but rather the systems and structures of power that maintain the inequity. Language is powerful and can have a direct impact on the story that you are shaping for others to hear.

ADDITIONAL USEFUL INFORMATION

Be sure to have all of your information ready to go! Unfortunately, you can’t come back to your application once you submit, so make sure you’ve considered all questions. Please note that the application requests a detailed draft of your speech.
Consider your title! This should connect with your main point.
Delivery Matters! You want to not only capture the audience’s attention, but to hold it. A dynamic delivery engages the audience.
Please strongly consider your word count and word choice for your session descriptions. We’ll edit everything before it is published, but we want to be sure that we understand your ideas and message as it relates to the theme.

What makes a good Ignatian Network Speaker?

Someone who can speak from their own experience

When speakers articulate from their own experience it makes it easier to connect to them AND avoids what can be a potentially exploitative situation in which someone’s story is told without their permission. For example if a white identified student is talking about working with their classmates to create a better racial climate at their school, it will be important that they speak from their experience of grappling with privilege as they seek to build a more just environment, rather than speak for the experiences of their black and brown classmates.

Someone who cares about the issues

Beautiful turns of phrase and delivery are no substitute for passion and excitement. A good speaker isn’t always the most eloquent student – it’s often the one that can convey how much they care and connect to these issues.

Someone who is intentional and reliable

There are concrete deadlines to hit for recordings and draft review with the Speakers Community. Ideal speakers are those who take the process seriously.

Someone who knows the audience

The lion’s share of participants for the Teach-In are high school and college students, so it’s important that speakers consider the mindset of that audience. It needs to be developmentally appropriate and relevant. This does not imply that a speaker can’t talk about complex topics (our students are sharp!), but more so that our students are looking for concrete actions that are relevant to their lives and struggles. A lecture on the theological nuance of Laudato Si is less likely to connect with participants than someone talking about how our faith commitments urge us to take a definitive stance on climate change. Student speakers tend to be better at knowing their audience, but may need to be pushed to be more explicit as to how their local issue connects to broader ones (i.e. Their struggle to remove homophobic language from their schools theology curriculum connects to the bigger issues of how LGBTQ students are made to feel welcome in schools and faith communities).

Ignatian Network Speaker Application Details

Applicants are welcome to apply to both virtual and in-person speaking opportunities in a single application; however, the timelines for each process are different.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible.
This year’s theme for the IFTJ is “Imagining a Path Forward: Reflection. Reckoning. Kinship.” Please consider how your talk can relate this theme as you are submitting the application. This will greatly improve your chances of being accepted.
Before starting this application, be sure to have all of your information ready to go! Please note that the application requests a detailed draft of your speech. Unfortunately, you can’t come back to your application once you submit, so make sure you’ve considered all questions.
Review the timeline for the Ignatian Network Speaker process. Please apply only for the speaking opportunities for which you are able to meet all deadlines.

VIRTUAL SPEAKERS

August 4: Application deadline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible.

August 11: Application decisions sent; accepted speakers will be assigned a committee mentor

August 25: Draft of speech due to committee mentor; schedule a rehearsal with committee mentor via video call

September 15: Final recording must be submitted

*ISN director of communications will work with accepted speakers and school contact persons (where applicable) to create a plan for recording.

IN-PERSON SPEAKERS

September 10: Application deadline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible.

September 17: Application decisions sent; accepted speakers will be assigned a committee mentor

October 1: Draft of speech due to committee mentor; schedule a rehearsal with committee mentor via video call

Between October 8-22: schedule a rehearsal with committee mentor via video call

Breakout Session Guidelines

We are seeking in-person and virtual breakout session presenters for the 2021 Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice.

Breakout sessions are 50-minute interactive presentations. Typically, breakout sessions draw an audience of ~20-100 participants.

Before completing your application, please read through these guidelines:

Breakout sessions should be:

Engaging: Build interaction, role-playing, discussion, or other creative tools into your breakout session to keep your attendees engaged and thinking. Try to avoid a dry lecture or panel presentation with very little participation from the audience.

Include “Real-World” Aspects: Think through how you might build bridges between the lived experiences of attendees and your work. Tell a powerful story. Allow participants to practice a skill you’re teaching. Provide practical discussion questions and allow ample time for attendees to apply your message to their own work for justice. Don’t rely on a lecture to connect attendees in a personal way to your topic!

Identify a goal for your breakout session: Of the five following areas, what is your primary goal for your session? Think through these options to help you frame your session content. (Have another goal in mind? Choose “other” on the application and let us know what that goal is!)

- Issue/Topic Education: Your primary goal is to educate on a specific justice issue or topic, to build awareness. (Ex: farmworkers rights, just labor practice, divestment, etc.)
- Advocacy/organizing training: Your session primarily provides specific skills needed for effective advocacy (on the legislative, local, institution, or campaign level) and/or organizing around a specific justice issue. (Ex: best practices for legislative advocacy visits, organizing a sustainability campaign at your school, etc.)
- Professional Development: Your session is primarily geared toward enhancing the work of professionals in the Ignatian network, particularly including high school and/or university faculty and staff. (Ex: Integrating justice issues in the classroom, exploring pedagogy and practice from a justice educator perspective, etc.)
- Spirituality and discernment: Your session is focused on personal or community spiritual practice, including, but not limited to, the Ignatian tradition, or discernment. (Ex: praying with the Examen, post-college discernment, etc.)
- Engaging Issues Through Art: Utilizing the creative process in justice work (Ex: poetry, song, visual, literature)

Breakout Speaker Application Details

Applicants are welcome to apply to both virtual and in-person speaking opportunities in a single application.

VIRTUAL BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Virtual breakout sessions will take place on Saturday, October 16, 4:25-5:15pm EASTERN TIME. Breakout sessions will take place via Zoom. Participants desire interactive virtual breakout opportunities. Presenters should provide at least 20 minutes for Q&A or small group discussions.

IN-PERSON BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Breakout sessions will take place on Sunday, November 7 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. Breakouts sessions will be ~50 minutes in duration. In-person breakout presenters are expected to be at the Washington Hilton to give their presentation.

TIMELINE

Organization and/or non-student deadline to submit application: August 15
Student deadline to submit application: September 10
All applicants will receive a response by September 17.

**Please note that we cannot guarantee acceptance of an application; spots are limited! A complete, detailed application will allow the committee to best evaluate your proposal.