Wealth Gap – Living on the Edge presentation
This month’s blog will be my presentation on the Wealth Gap.
I, Louise Akers
I, Louise Akers, am an educated white woman, a Sister of Charity, a World Citizen who lives an economically comfortable life in a world where at least two-thirds of the people are destitute. I live in an institutional Roman Catholic Church that is ruled by an exclusive male hierarchy that seems to have no limits in how they exercise their power and their belief system. Evidence of this can be seen by the many persons who have been punished and,…
Journeying with immigrants, migrants and refugees . . .
During the 1960s, while in college, I first became aware of migrant farmworkers. Reading John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath along with seeing Edward R. Murrow’s documentary, Harvest of Shame, put me in touch with both migrants and immigrants. Steinbeck’s novel was written in the 1940’s. Murrow’s documentary was broadcast the day after Thanksgiving in 1960, CBS REPORTS presented what would become one of the most important documentaries of all time, about the plight of the men and women who had provided…
When the Song of the Angels is Stilled
When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes …
Did You Know?
Please begin by viewing the above youtube (c.5 min.) Incorporate the reflection below into your own thoughts. How does this thought-provoking information and challenge connect with your choices to the upcoming elections and candidates – presidential, senatorial, house reps? This election, as we know is unprecedented in our nation’s history. Much is at stake, especially for the lives of those who are poor and/or marginalized. The present situation did not happen overnight! There are surely many factors, among them movements…
Election 2016
We, U.S. citizens – and the rest of the world – have experienced months and months of the primary campaigns along with, continued campaigns toward the general election in November 2016. However, at this time we have two major candidates rather than almost twenty! Seems, in theory, like it should be pretty simple, doesn’t it? However, could there be two more contrasting world views? World views reflect and encompass a person’s values, priorities, choices, morals, ideals, etc. As you listen…
Dan Berrigan, S. J.
Dan Berrigan, S.J. dead at the age of 94 – died Saturday, April 30, 2016. Who was he? Priest, prophet, poet, teacher, author, protestor, mentor . . . Many words have already been written about him; many more will come. For those of you not so familiar with his journey of justice I offer the following youtube (about 8 minutes) www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODE99vSoDsc In addition, I wish to share two of the experiences I had with him. In the summer of 1974,…
The Challenge
Sunday, February 28, 2016 the New York Times had a number of articles/columns on gender, race and class. One that particularly struck me was “The Faces of American Power, Nearly as White as the Oscar Nominees”. www.nytimes.com/…/race-of-american-poweer.html It graphically illustrates the people of power in U.S. culture, government, education and business. The objective is to demonstrate that inequality is not limited to film! Is this a new insight?! No, however the pictorial display provides a convincing argument that patriarchal systems…
When I was about 10 years old, walking down a narrow sidewalk in a small town with my mom, an elderly black man came walking toward us. As he drew closer he tipped his hat and stepped off the sidewalk to allow mom and me to pass. We smiled at him, said hello and thank you. Following that incident, I asked my mother why he did that. Her reply: because many white people expect that but we know it isn’t…
Hearing the voices…
Yesterday evening a segment of the NEWSHOUR focused on girls’ high school graduation; in fact the first in the small village highlighted within Afghanistan! Another significant event of the past week – the death of Sister of Charity Mary Grafe who spent many years of her ministry in Over-the-Rhine meeting, assisting and talking with high school girls in 20/20 (Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center) along with other women’s groups in OTR. Mary used to joke that at first she was…