Keeping the Conversation Going
Joan and Ryan Sattler have been working in the area of racial justice their entire lives. Now leading the Baltimore, Maryland, chapter of Call To Action (CTA), they and others have formed Racial Justice Circles (RJC) to continue the decades old conversation on racial injustice and personal bias. Working with Notre Dame de Namur, Sister Gwynette Proctor, the RJC consists of 25-30 faithful members have been busy trying to raise awareness of the issues of racial inequality and promote dialogue.
Last June, Maryland CTA held a conference “Planting Seeds of Racial Justice,” from which RJC were created. In addition, the gathering was so successful that Comboni Missionary Sister Maria Mercedes Castillo Razo has asked the group to partner with her and other organizations to organize a state-wide event to be held in October that will focus on issues in the Latino/Latina community, such as deportation, human trafficking, and immigration reform.
The RJC just completed a three-month training for cultural competency, meeting every other Saturday morning, where the group shared deeply and stretched their comfort zones. With this training, they plan to go into Catholic parishes and facilitate honest conversations in the hopes of building bridges and healing wounds.
On Saturday, June 20, 2015, RJC is co-sponsoring the showing of the film, “The Throwaways,” a documentary about people at the edges of society and how they are systematically marginalized. While the film is based on experiences in Albany, NY, it could just as easily have been taken from the realities of Ferguson or Baltimore. Both co-producers will be present at the showing at 7:00 p.m. at St. Matthew Parish in Baltimore.
The group has found the benefits of this work to be great. Maryland CTA and RJC have been able to work with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and stand in solidarity around racial justice. They have been able to bring awareness and an opportunity for growth to the broader community. And, the RJC has come together in a unique way, forming bonds of friendship and trust. Reflecting on his time with Maryland CTA and RJC, Ryan said, “Joan and I spent our lives dealing with issues of racism and working for justice. Now it is even more personal. It still hurts that there is division, hate, and mistrust. As difficult and bad and hopeless as it sometimes feels, the Spirit is always present and brings good people together.” No one claims to know the answers to these complex problems, but rather, it is about keeping the conversation going.
