George Floyd mural photograph courtesy Peg Hodapp
Washington, DC – Online news outlet Crux has featured Responding to Racism: A Lasallian Dialogue in a July 2 story by Nick Mayrand. The article, “Catholic educators urged to be ‘prisoners of prophetic hope,’” highlights the livestream dialogue, which took place June 25 and has been viewed more than 3,200 times.
During the dialogue, the moderators and panelists addressed systemic and institutional racism, offered examples, talked about where this moment might lead us within our institutions and society, and explored steps Lasallians could take to make real change happen. The Lasallian Association of Colleges and Universities (LACU) hosted the livestream discussion in collaboration with the Office for Lasallian Education at Christian Brothers Conference and three of the Districts in the Lasallian Region of North America (RELAN): District of Eastern North America, Midwest District and District of San Francisco New Orleans.
More than 230 people submitted feedback following the livestream, which included comments calling it “helping, challenging and encouraging.” One commenter shared, “What I found helpful was how [the panelists] caused me to reflect on how ingrained and insidious racism is in me and how privilege and wanting to protect my interests need to be confronted so that others might have life.” Another viewer wrote, “I was riveted by this session. It didn’t seem like any time went by before it was over. [The panelists] touched the issue of racial injustice directly and spoke truth. I am inspired by the call to ‘prophetic witness’ and to work for change within our own bodies.”
LACU is developing ideas on how to continue and broaden the discussion on racism.
For more about Responding to Racism: A Lasallian Dialogue, click here.