Speakers

POVERTY: It is a System NOT an Accident | Simone Campbell, S.S.S. >> This workshop will explore the income disparity in our nation and how federal laws make it worse. In response to legislation that favors the wealthy, we need to develop our skills to be lobbyists for the COMMON good.

Welcoming and Respecting LGBT Catholics in Our Parishes | James Martin, S.J. >> How can the Catholic Church more compassionately welcome its LGBT members? How can we build a bridge between the institutional church and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people? Fr. Martin, author of Building a Bridge, invites you into a discussion of respect, sensitivity, and compassion. All are welcome.

Panel: Radical Hope, Prophetic Action for Racial Equality | Mary Wardell-Ghirarduzzi, Ph.D., Carlos Jiménez, Maureen O’Connell, Ph.D. >> Beginning with a clear look at our present reality, this panel will examine ways in which our schools, communities, society, and the Church are failing to uphold racial equity, and also places where they find hope in this work. Discussion will then turn to prophetic action asking: what are we called to do to build racial equity in our world?

Panel: Innocence, Racial Injustice, and the Death Penalty | Alfred “Dewayne” Brown & Brian Stolarz, Esq. >>Two years ago, the Ignatian Family was honored to have Alfred “Dewayne” Brown to speak at the Teach-In. Dewayne was released from Texas’ notorious death row on June 8, 2015. He spent 12 years and sixty-two days in prison for a crime he did not commit. He was released as a result of exculpatory evidence which was withheld from his attorneys. Dewayne’s case was riddled with injustice: prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective defense counsel, racial bias, corrupt police, and more. Sadly, these trends are all too common throughout the criminal justice system, especially in death penalty cases. Now the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary, we are pleased to invite Dewayne and his attorney back to share important updates on his case, the state of the death penalty in the United States. They will be joined by other criminal justice experts who can help us place this emblematic case in the broader context of mass incarceration in the United States as we discuss ways each of us can help build a more just justice system.

Panel: The Iceberg in the Room: Why Catholics Can’t Freeze on Climate Change | Chloe Noel, Samantha Panchévre, and Christina Leaño >> From the extraction of fossil fuels to the aftermath of climate related disasters, communities and the environment around the world experience profoundly both the drivers and the impacts of climate change. Panelists will share stories of both sorrow and hope, and how schools and the Catholic Church can act in solidarity with marginalized communities to stem climate change, especially through the divestment movement happening in universities across the country.

Panel: Seeking Refuge at the U.S.-Mexico Border: Stories of Asylum Seekers | Juan Carlos Castro Flores, Cecilia González-Andrieu, Martina Pablo Pablo, Joanna Williams >> Why would someone seek asylum at the U.S. border with Mexico? Hear first hand testimonies of two individuals who have personal experiences with the asylum process as well as policy analysis from the Kino Border Initiative.

With over 25 presenting organizations in each of the Sunday breakout sessions, you’ll be able to connect with the justice issues you’re most passionate about.

Session #2

Sunday, 10:40-11:30 AM

AUDIENCE GUIDE

HS: High School Students
US: University Students

HS*: High School Staff
US*: University Staff/Faculty

P: Parish Members
AFVF: Alumni, Former Volunteers
& Friends

Radical Hope in Radical Darkness | Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition – George Williams, S.J., Dr. Ronald Garrett, Marvin Jackson >> Perhaps the most radical place to seek hope is in one of the U.S.’s 5,000+ prisons. Hear how an inmate, a returning citizen, and a death row chaplain have experienced the transformational love and light of Christ. |All Groups| Alexandria

Spes Nova: Connecting Students and Local Artisans | Spes Nova – Ngan Tran, Victor Sapkota, Alison Stauffer >> During this session we will share our vision of building a global network to help local micro enterprises uplift their families and communities. Interact virtually with artisans from Kenya and learn how you can join the Spes Nova family to alleviate poverty. |HS-US-US*| Fairfax Boardroom

Navigating Conversation at the Thanksgiving Table | Loyola Academy – Grayson Pitt, Alex Lupo >> Having open conversations with people can be tough. In this session we will discuss and share healthy ways to communicate with people whose views differ from your own. Come learn how to share your passions and activism with a wider audience, especially parents and loved ones. |HS| Jackson

Calling Corporations to Serve the Common Good | Jesuit Committee on Investment Responsibility – Nick Napolitano, John Sealey, Mary Baudouin >> The Jesuit Committee on Investment Responsibility challenges companies to look beyond their bottom line by protecting human rights and creation. Learn how the Jesuits are bringing community concerns to corporate boardrooms and consider how your institution can leverage financial investments. |All Groups | Jefferson

One Campus, Two Worlds: Why a Washington, D.C. High School also Has a Day Shelter for Men on Its Campus | Gonzaga College High School – Luke Elliott >> Come to learn about and be inspired by the Father McKenna Center on the Gonzaga College High School campus—a Catholic agency serving men struggling with homelessness and families in financial stress. @gonzagagoodnews |HS-US-HS*-AFVF| Lee

Nonviolence Works! Three Examples of Nonviolence in Action | Pax Christi International – Marie Dennis, Judy Coode, Lea Krivchenia, Kim Redigan >> Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative is calling on the Church and public policy decision-makers to prioritize nonviolent approaches for building just peace in a violent world. Come to learn about three examples of nonviolence in action. @PaxChristi |All Groups| Madison

The Power of Kinship to Stop Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining | Jesuit School of Theology – Madeleine LaForge >> Mountaintop removal coal mining devastates the Appalachian Mountains, the environment, and the people who live there. To end MTR, we need a prophetic imagination and a theology of kinship. Grow closer to Appalachia and be inspired to encounter God’s creation and people in new ways. |HS-US| Manassas

Taking Account: El Salvador’s 30 Year Struggle for Justice | Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology – Caitlin-Marie Ward, Michael Reed-Hurtado, Almudena Bernabeu >> Examine the case of a former Salvadoran colonel facing trial for masterminding the assassination of six Jesuits, their housekeeper, and her daughter during the Salvadoran civil war. His case exemplifies both the risks and rewards of enacting retroactive justice in a society that is still grappling with wounds inflicted by violence in both the past and present. @jesuitjustice |US-US*-P| McLean

Digital Storytelling at the Margins | Regis Jesuit High School – Adam Dawkins >> Learn how students and teachers who are engaged in journalism and documentary work are deepening the experience of service learning and service immersion and generating awareness and empathy through digital storytelling. @regisjesuiths |All Groups| Rosslyn 1

“Were Not Our Hearts Burning?” Using Ignatian Discernment for Prophetic Action | Boston College Christian Life Community – Andy Lee, Michel-Jules Adjobadou, Perry Bowers >> Using the tools of Christian Life Community small groups, we will read the Emmaus story, meditate with the Ignatian examen, reflect on what the speakers have shared, and discern Holy invitations to Radical Hope and Prophetic Action. |US| Rosslyn 2

Jesuit Anti-Racism Sodality | Jesuit Anti-Racism Sodality – Patrick Hyland, S.J., Thomas Bambrick, S.J., Ken Homan, S.J. >> We often talk about ending racial injustice, but when pressed to take practical action many don’t know what to actually do. Learn how Jesuits in formation are organizing to combat racism and how you can organize your own school or university. |All Groups| Salon 1

The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences | The Sentencing Project – Kara Gotsch, Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Tona Boyd >> Over 200,000 people in the United States are serving life sentences—more than were incarcerated nationwide in 1970. Hear from presenters, including Tona Boyd, Chief Counsel to US. Senator Cory A. Booker on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on why long sentences offer diminishing returns on public safety, divert resources from crime prevention, and how reform in this area is possible. @SentencingProj |HS-US| Salon 2

Finding God in Your Day: Learning to Pray the Examen | America Media – James Martin, S.J. >> Learn how to discover God in your daily life in just a few minutes. Fr. Martin has called the examination of conscience the “easiest prayer ever.” So even if you think prayer is beyond you, come and see! |All Groups| Salon 3 & 4

Aliento: Transforming Trauma into Hope + Action | Aliento- Reyna Montoya >> More than 2,000 undocumented students graduate from Arizona high schools every year without access to in-state tuition and scholarships for public community colleges and universities. Many have shared that they feel abandoned and forgotten. Join us in this session to learn how Aliento is are transforming Arizona from an epicenter of hopelessness for an epicenter of hope! |All Groups| Salon 5

Keep Calm and Act Boldly: Contemplative Activism for the Planet|
Global Catholic Climate Movement – Christina Leaño >> How do we bring both contemplation and action to the fight for climate justice? Come hear stories and practical ways to cultivate a spirituality of activism and resilience in the face of climate emergency. Through interactive exercises, moments of reflection, and connecting with nature (yes inside!) we will deepen our relationship with all of creation and how we can protect it. @CathClimateMvmt |HS-US-P| Salon 6

Innocence, Racial Injustice, and the Death Penalty | Catholic Mobilizing Network with Alfred Dewayne Brown and Brian Stolarz >> Dewayne “Alfred” Brown was released from Texas’ death row in 2015. He spent 12 years and sixty-two days in prison for a crime he did not commit. Now the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary, Dewayne and his attorney will share updates on his case and the state of the death penalty in the U.S. @CMNendtheDP |All Groups| Salon A

Creating a Welcoming School for the LGBTQ Community: A Conversation | Xavier High School – Jack Raslowsky >> Engage in conversation about the work to create welcoming schools for the LGBTQ community. Reflect upon and speak from experience in your school, share ideas, strategize, and ask questions, whatever the current state of LGBTQ welcome in your school. |HS-HS*| Salon B

The Intersections of Immigration and Mental Health | Political Advocates of the Sacred Heart – Alexia Gutierrez Franco, Isabella Hienzen >> Examine the various ways in which immigrants suffer from mental health issues, perpetuated by immigration policy and oppressive cultural norms. Receive resources and techniques to challenge this largely unaddressed issue to advocate in your own school, city, and state. |HS-US-HS*| Salon C

Storytelling for Collaborative Urban Organizing: Youth Hope and Action | City Bloc – Olivia Koulish, A’Niya Taylor >> Two Baltimore City youth organizers will discuss best practices for working with marginalized and urban communities in activism work. We will demonstrate this through storytelling and the impact that it has on activism. @bccbloc |All Groups| Salon D

Presente desde Afuera: The Struggle of the Nicaraguan Exile Community for Justice | Center for Global Education and Experience – Joseph Connelly >> The Student Uprising of April 2018 changed the face of Nicaragua, and tens of thousands of activists have been forced into exile. Take a look at the realities facing the Nicaraguan exile community in Costa Rica through testimony, images, art, and video. |US-US*-AFVF| Salon E

Stories of Hope: Refugees and the Forcibly Displaced | Jesuit Refugee Service/USA – Josh Utter >> With 70.8 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, how do we respond without exhausting our compassion? Through stories from the field, gain tools to speak out with maximum impact here at home on behalf of refugees and the forcibly displaced. @jrsusa |All Groups| Salon F

Reimagining the Grad at Grad: “Committed to Justice” as an Authentic Counter-Narrative to Race and Privilege | Loyola High School of Los Angeles – Jesus Rodriguez, Jamal Adams, Kaitlin Collins-Pardo >> Students and educators are invited to explore ways to best engage in conversations on racism through the Grad-at-Grad “committed to justice,” using a Critical Race lens. |HS-HS*| Salon G

Telling Your Story, Owning Your Power: Community Organizing for Relational Voter Engagement | POWER University – Student organizers from Cabrini, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s and Villanova >> Join this student-led workshop to explore what makes faith-based community organizing an effective approach to social change. Small group activities will practice fundamental community organizing skills: reflection and storytelling, relationship building, and mapping power assets. |HS-US-US*| Salon H

The Art of Immigration | Teatro la Fragua & St. Peter Catholic – Mike Warner >> Plug in Harry Potter, Snow White, Noah, or Danny Boy. Let the art kick-start challenging conversations about the immigrant experience, and then sit back and celebrate the voices of strangers, feel the human truth of immigration, and have fun doing justice. |All Groups| Salon J

Microaggressions in American Classrooms: Little Things That Matter | Saint Louis University – Vrushangi Shah, Shalini Raichur >> Microaggressions are often underestimated but the impacts long linger. Bring to light the potentially lasting impact of words on young, developing minds in American classrooms. Work to find solutions to make classrooms more positive all around. @SLU_official |All Groups| Salon K

The Racial Wealth and Income Gap | NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – Meg Olson, Emily Tekolste >> In this highly interactive workshop, learn about how our nation’s federal policies have led to the divestment from Black communities and created the racial wealth and income gap that exists in our nation today. Educators will receive copies of the Facilitators Guide and one set of simulation materials. @NETWORKLobby |All Groups| Skyview

Examen-ing Climate Inaction | Ignatian Solidarity Network, Carbon Challenge – Brenna Davis >> 7 in 10 people in the US believe in climate change, but action to address the issue at the scale we need has not occurred. In this session, reflect on why you have or haven’t taken action, and learn ways to address the spiritual and psychological elements of climate change on a personal and structural level. |All Groups| Suite 1729

Cultural Work and Public Witness | Trabajo Cultural Caminante Inc. – Francisco Herrera >> Explore the ability to move hearts, minds, and issues in harmony with Gospel values. Be ready to use your artistic self whether it be through music, written language, body movement, etc. to prepare the liturgical/ cultural component of Monday’s public witness.|All Groups| Suite 1728

Session #3

Sunday, 1:10-2:00 PM

AUDIENCE GUIDE

HS: High School Students
US: University Students

HS*: High School Staff
US*: University Staff/Faculty

P: Parish Members
AFVF: Alumni, Former Volunteers
& Friends

Social Justice in the Suburbs | Gilmour Academy – Bri Lazarchik >> What does it mean to authentically engage social justice issues in places that are physically (and often demographically) removed from areas where injustices are prevalent? How do we become better advocates for issues that are closer to home than we realize? This session will explore existing dimensions of effective social justice education in suburban environments, and seek to create an action-oriented framework, toolkit, and network. Though focused on high schools, anyone with an interest in or experience with this work is encouraged to attend. |HS-US-HS*-P| Alexandria

The Call to Discernment in Troubled Times | Jesuits – Michael Rossmann, S.J. >> The world needs a critical mass of people who will respond to suffering, with long-term commitment and wise choices. Come find out how to make good decisions in our troubled times with the wisdom of Fr. Dean Brackley, S.J. and Ignatius of Loyola. @beajesuit |HS-US| Fairfax Boardroom

Teaching and Living Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home | Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola University New Orleans – Dennis Kalob >> This interactive session is an opportunity to hear about and discuss materials and actions that have been successfully used to educate others on Laudato Si’ and the values embedded in this Encyclical of Pope Francis. @JSRI_JustSouth |All Groups| Jackson

Advancing Human Rights Through Food Procurement Standards at Jesuit Universities | Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor – Patrick Dixon, Sara Hoverter, Beth Ford McNamee, Richard Clark >> This discussion will explore the potential to re-envision ecologically sustainable dining programs at universities in a way that promotes human sustainability and workers’ rights. @GeorgetownKILWP |US-US*| Jefferson

Dirt to Shirt and Field to Cup: Ethical Purchasing (with)in a Circular Economy | Capeltic and Ethix Merch – Christina Rossini, Daniel Cardozo >> Learn more about the supply chain from producers to consumers through the lenses of the textile and coffee industries, and what you can do to be part of the social justice solution with—and in—the circular economy. @capeltic |All Groups| Lee

Civil Disobedience and the Catholic Tradition | St. Peter’s University – Anna Brown, Ph.D. >> In this time of brutal cruelty inflicted on our migrant neighbors, the threat of ecocide, the ravages of warfare, the degradation of impoverishment, and the plague of white supremacy, Catholics may ask what they can do to create a loving and just world. Explore why we are called to nonviolence and nonviolent civil disobedience, the Catholic roots of this way of responding, and historical and contemporary examples. |All Groups| Madison

Radical Hope: Theological Foundations and Challenges | Boston College School of Theology and Ministry – Richard Lennan >> Hope is central to the Christian tradition, but it often appears as a “soft” virtue. This session explores the challenging nature of Christian hope by focusing on hope’s foundations and some of the ways in which it might shape the contemporary church. |US-US*-AFVF-P| Manassas

Bolivarian Nightmare: The Political and Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela | Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology – Caitlin-Marie Ward, Angelo Rivero-Santos, Michael Penfold, Josh Utter >> Through a simulated negotiation activity, examine the challenges of balancing the interests of disparate parties, and maintaining a firm focus on the needs of the people who are most adversely affected by the ongoing political and humanitarian disaster in Venezuela. @jesuitjustice |US-US*| McLean

A Guatemalan Perspective on Why People Are Leaving Their Communities | International Samaritan – Andrew Pawuk, Angelica Cancinos >> Gain a better understanding of violence, extortion, drug use, unemployment, and dangerous environmental conditions in the Guatemala City garbage dump community and why youth, teenagers, young adults, and families are being pressured to leave—and how you can demonstrate solidarity by raising awareness about poverty and hunger. @IntSamaritan |All Groups| Mt. Vernon

How Do We Bring It Back Home? | Loyola Marymount University Center for Service and Action – Patrick Furlong, Alyssa Perez >> During this session, LMU staff will show you how we built a model of prophetic action to help students engage in their communities through advocacy—through a model where students return from IFTJ to lead their own advocacy teach-in on campus. @csa_lmu |HS-US-HS*-US*| Rosslyn 1

Five Things Catholics Are Doing About Climate Change … And What You Can Do, Too | National Catholic Reporter – Brian Roewe >> Hear a review of the news on how the Catholic Church is responding to climate change today, and brainstorm steps you can take—from individual choices to collective action — toward caring for creation within your schools, parishes and communities. @NCRonline |All Groups| Rosslyn 2

In a World of Darkness We Need to Be-Friend Hope | Centro Arte para la Paz – Sr. Peggy O’Neil, SC >> Come to hear about Sr. Peggy’s 33 years in El Salvador—her own experiences and the ongoing consequences of the Salvadoran civil war. Learn about gang activity, reintegration of migrants forced to return, and restorative justice as an alternative to punishment. |All Groups| Salon 1

Contracts, Proms, Uniforms, Restrooms: Negotiating LGBTQ-Inclusive Policies in Catholic Education | New Ways Ministry – Robert Shine, Francis DeBernardo >> Catholic institutions are increasingly asked to develop and implement LGBTQ-related policies on issues such as employment contracts, gender-neutral restrooms, and same-gender prom dates. Using case studies derived from real life experiences, form a prophetic, practical, and dialogical individualized approach to emerging LGBTQ questions. @NewWaysMinistry |All Groups| Salon 2

Homeboy Advocacy: Community Organizing to Create a Community of Kinship | Homeboy Industries >> Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women. Many systems of injustice impact the lives of the men and women at Homeboy and throughout our nation. Share in a panel discussion around utilizing tools of community organizing to create a greater community of kinship. |All Groups| Salon 3 & 4

Our Legacy of Slaveholding: Seeking Healing for the Past, Justice for the Present | Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project – Ayan Ali, Cicely Hunter, Kelly Schmidt, Laura Weis, Ph.D. >> Presenters from the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project, an initiative of the Jesuits, will convey what life was like for the enslaved who belonged to the Jesuits and illustrate how this legacy of enslavement endures in racial inequities today. You will then draw on what you have learned and generate ideas about what the Jesuit network can do to respond to the historical harms of slavery. @SHMRJesuits |All Groups| Salon 5

Ending the Practice Extreme Sentences for Children | Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth – Eddie Ellis, Abd’Allah Lateef, Greer Hamilton >> The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth works to end extreme sentencing for children. Come to hear personal experiences and to learn about the lasting impact of slavery and mass incarceration and the national landscape of these efforts. @theCFSY |HS-US-AFVF| Salon 6

Racial Wealth Gap Simulation | Bread for the World – Genevieve Mougey >> Participants will explore how federal policies impact the lives of people of color and create a racial wealth gap in our country. @bread4theworld |All Groups| Salon A

Youth Homelessness in America | Covenant House – Kevin Ryan >> We need a national movement to end youth homelessness, starting with every school, every youth group, every community across the country. Learn about the root causes of homelessness, where homeless youth come from, and what can be done to help. |All Groups| Salon B

Radical Hope on the Line: Stories from the Border | Kino Border Initiative – Pete Neeley, S.J., Juan Pablo Torrecillas, David Quezada >> Hear how students living binational lives are making an impact in Ambos Nogales, and learn through stories what it means to humanize, accompany and complicate within the modern border reality. @KinoBorder |HS| Salon C

Water is Life: Hope and Action with Indigenous Peoples | Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States – Cecilia Calvo, Chloe Noel, Red Cloud Student >> Indigenous peoples are acting with hope and courage to protect their land, water, and culture from mining and fossil fuel extraction. This interactive workshop will help us to see, judge, and act so we can move away from a throwaway culture and toward an integral ecology that respects indigenous peoples and all God’s creation. @jesuitjustice |All Groups| Salon D

Mujer Aliada de Dios y la Tierra “Woman: Ally of God and of the Earth” | Maria Christina Herrera >> Join as we work to eliminate the causes of gender oppression and break down patriarchal models and violence to establish spaces of safety, equality, and equity, affirming of the power of women while opening access to economic resources and political and social decision-making space. |All Groups| Salon E

Migration Stories from the Oakland Catholic Worker | Oakland Catholic Worker – Bob Lasalle Klein, Ph.D., M.S.W., Martina Pablo Pablo >> Come meet teenager Martina Pablo Pablo who left her indigenous family in Guatemala at age 16, fleeing persecution and harassment. She will share her amazing story of crossing the U.S. border, claiming political asylum, imprisonment in a children’s detention center, then enrolling in high school while working, and finally connecting with the Oakland Catholic Worker. |All Groups| Salon F

Catholic Women Preach on Hopeful, Prophetic Action | Catholic Women Preach – Jocelyn Collen, Betty Anne Donnelly >> Catholic Women Preach launched three years ago and has raised a rich range of diverse voices. Our session will highlight some ways our preachers have called us to hope and act with justice and inspire those seeking to exercise their gift of preaching. @CWP112716 |All Groups| Salon G

The “Marvel” of The Black Panther Film & the Importance of Representation | Loyola University Maryland – Stephanie Flores-Koulish, RaShawna Sydnor >> Learn about critical media literacy education by asking key questions of media texts to look beneath the surface to consider authorship, bias, power, and perspective. Realize the empowerment that can be gained from specific media texts, especially for marginalized young people of color. @loyolaUM_CISJ |HS*-US*| Salon H

Organizing 101 | Jesuits West & Brophy Prep – Will Rutt, Annie Fox >> Participants will learn about the basics of organizing and the theology of resistance and will be challenged to consider how they can organize within their own communities. |HS-US| Salon J

Harm, Healing, and Human Dignity: A Catholic Encounter with Restorative Justice | Catholic Mobilizing Network – Caitlin Morneau, George Williams, S.J. >> The U.S. criminal legal system is rooted in punishment, retribution, and the legacy of slavery. Restorative justice proposes a different way—one that is rooted in healing, accountability, and racial equity. This workshop will explore how restorative justice aligns with Catholic Social Teaching and ways to utilize restorative practices in ministry and combatting mass incarceration. @CMNendtheDP |All Groups| Salon K

Advocacy 101: How to Have an Effective Lobby Visit on the Hill and Back Home | NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice – Meg Olson, Alex Burnett, Charlotte Hakikson >> Learn the essential elements of an effective lobby visit, with tips for Monday’s Advocacy Day and how to continue your advocacy and build relationships with your Members of Congress when you return home. @NETWORKLobby |HS-US-HS*-US*| Skyview