Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice: A Recap
Over the past week, Jesuit students and faculty participated in the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice: an annual, national conference held by Ignatian Solidarity Network. In a typical year, the conference is held in Washington, D.C., but both the 2020 and 2021 Teach-Ins were presented virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions.
A diverse group of faculty and students of all grades joined the senior leaders in watching the video presentations asynchronously, and they met at Jesuit on Saturday for a watch party, viewing the keynote presentation in Clark Library and discussing the content afterwards.
The Teach-In focuses on specific issues in social justice and advocacy work, specifically climate, migration, and racial justice. Ignatian Solidarity Network invites a number of guest speakers, including this year’s keynote speakers: Norma Pimentel, M.J., and James Martin, S. J., and Jesuit senior and Teach-In leader Elina Deshpande.
Deshpande spoke about her transition into a Catholic high school, her involvement with Campus Ministry, and her own struggles with faith being raised Hindu at a Catholic school.
“It’s nice to be able to add my own angle to the Teach-In,” Deshpande said. “I didn’t speak as much about social justice as I did about religion, and I liked being able to share that perspective. It was interesting to lead others through this process. I like how we can find unity in the messages we share with each other.”
