Today I’m honored to share one of the recorded sessions from the 2020 Virtual Convention. The following session was one of four sessions in NPM’s “Black Lives Matter” series during the convention, led by an incredible team across the span of the week. Today’s topic is “The Pandemic of Racism Before the Pandemic”.
To set the stage for today’s session, allow me to share a quote from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document against racism, Open Wide Our Hearts:
“Racism still profoundly affects our culture, and it has no place in the Christian heart. This evil causes great harm to its victims, and it corrupts the souls of those who harbor racist or prejudicial thoughts. The persistence of the evil of racism is why we are writing this letter now.”
Our presenters and guests throughout the session are:
Dr. Kim Harris, Assistant Professor of African American Thought and Practice in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University;
Ms. Donna Grimes, Assistant Director of African American affairs for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB);
Ms. Valerie Lee-Jeter, Music Director St. Vincent de Paul Church, Philadelphia with an MA in Liturgical Studies, member of NPM Board of Directors;
Fr. Steve Bell, Associate Director of Newman Hall – Holy Spirit Parish, the Catholic campus ministry for the University of California, Berkeley;
Mr. M. Roger Holland II, Composer and Teaching Assistant Professor in Music and Religion and Director of The Spirituals Project at the Lamont School of Music, University of Denver;
And Ms. Lynne' Gray, Music Ministry Director at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Washington, D.C.; Chair, NPM African-American Musicians Interest Section.
SHOW NOTES
To explore the resources mentioned by Ms. Grimes, click here.
To listen to other episodes from NPM’s Black Lives Matter series as well as an interview with Plenum Address speaker Fr. Joseph Brown, click the following:
#115: Black Lives Matter- Lift Every Voice and Sing (with M. Roger Holland II)
#107: Our Baptismal Call to Social Justice (with Fr. Joseph A. Brown)