The St. Louis Catholic Girls Schools Unite for Justice was designed to provide an opportunity for students and faculty to work together and discuss topics surrounding social justice. Aided by the Ignatian Solidarity Network’s Family Teach-In, the participants in the program were able to learn more about the crossover between Catholic church teachings and social justice topics. 

The program consisted of five girls from all nine of the all girls Caholic schools in St. Louis. They all met in the DePaul room at SJA and watched a presentation that educated the girls about various racial issues. After the presentation on November 11, students had a discussion, passed a microphone around and had the opportunity to share their thoughts on several topics. Eventually, the students broke off into groups and discussed their own schools’ issues revolving around race. The groups came together to formulate a plan of how to combat racism at schools and create a more inclusive environment for everyone. 

Dr. Julia Wilkins Kohrmann, the Director of Diversity, Culture, and Climate at SJA, moderated the event along with Ms. Anna Hotop, Campus Minister.

Dr. Wilkins Kohrmann enjoyed working with the other schools and engaging in “ a friendly competition.”

“I loved seeing how well everyone worked together and how much they had in common, despite attending different schools. I also enjoyed getting the chance to work with Ms. Hotop and learn from her. She has so many incredible ideas and is a wealth of knowledge!” she said.

Dr. Wilkins Kohrmann was not the only one who appreciated the unification of all the students from the different schools. Senior Katie Wilke, one of the five students from SJA who participated in the event, loved the opportunity to come together with students outside of her school as well.

“I think everyone is so used to having rivalries with other girls’ schools like with sports and stuff, this was such a good time to put aside our differences or ‘rivalries’ and come together for justice. I loved meeting so many wonderful girls, and some of us still keep in touch. It was just an overall great experience,” Katie said.

The students who participated in the program enjoyed collaborating with other girls who had similar interests and passions as them. Together, they were able to have in depth conversations about social justice, and racism in particular, and create a plan of action to combat race-related issues at their schools and create a welcoming atmosphere for all.