wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] College women's leadership event to focus on prejudice

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8812 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05384
July 19, 2005

Confronting prejudice

College women's leadership event to focus on racism, sexism, other isms

by Mary Julia Pace
Office of Communication

LOUISVILLE - The causes and effects of prejudice will be spotlighted next
week when the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW) holds
its annual leadership-training event in Chicago.

	The July 27-31 meeting will focus on how prejudice keeps Christians
from responding to Christ's call to care for one another. About 40 young
women are expected to participate.

	The conference, titled "Many Hands, One Spirit: Confronting Prejudice
through Education and Social Action," will offer workshops on racism, sexism
and other forms of prejudice. 

	Keynote speakers Laura Mariko Cheifetz and Lisa Larges will talk
about white privilege, racism, class prejudice, and discrimination against
people with disabilities. 
 
	Cheifetz, a NNPCW alumnus, served on the group's coordinating
committee and has worked on gender-justice issues for the PC(USA)'s United
Nations Office. She also has worked in leadership development among
Asian-American young adults while attending McCormick Theological Seminary in
Chicago, and has been on the Churches Uniting in Christ Racial Justice Task
Force. 
 
	"Most of my significant mentors came from NNPCW while I was in
college, and from Women's Ministries," Cheifetz said. "They invested a lot in
me. I'm really grateful for them, because I'm not sure I would be going into
ministry without their encouragement."

	Larges helped develop curriculum for theological institutions
focusing on issues related to disability, through the World Council of
Churches' Ecumenical Disabilities Advocacy Network. She also has led in-depth
training in anti-racism and white privilege and is a coordinator for That All
May Freely Serve, an organization working for the ordination of gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender people in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

	Participants will take part in workshops with representatives of
Chicago-area community action agencies and faith-based organizations. 
 
	"These on-site experiences will give college women a way to step out
of their comfort zones and see how prejudice can be a barrier to social
action. After that, they'll be better equipped as followers of Christ to work
for a positive change," said Kelsey Rice, an NNPCW program assistant who
helped design the event.
 
	The workshop topics storytelling; faith and social action;
integrating environmental justice and gender concerns with faith, and
exploring the HIV/AIDS epidemic's effects on women.
 
	In addition to understanding how prejudice influences their responses
to people and situations, participants will also learn about the PC(USA)'s
polices, theological statements and resources on the topic.
 
	The NNPCW is a ministry of the Women's Ministries Program Area in the
National Ministries Division. For more information, visit the Web site
www.pcusa.org/nnpcw/involved/events/2005.htm

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