Racial Justice Conference
Saturday, April 5, 2025 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Ascension Lutheran Church
2911 Libal St., Green Bay 54301
Registration Fee: $20 - includes lunch and morning refreshments
50% Discount for Students (email ecsw@ecsw.org for discount code)
This conference features Rev. Angela !Khabeb and Vance Blackfox, two nationally known speakers plus others to help participants learn more about the history of harm and ongoing effects caused by racism and what we can do to act for racial justice.
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Vance Blackfox, Vance Blackfox, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is the founder and director of Other+Wise, a multi-site cultural education and cultural immersion program for youth from across the country. Vance previously served as the Director of Communications at the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, as the Director of Communications for Native Americans in Philanthropy, and has held executive director positions at the Haskell Foundation, which supports Haskell Indian Nations University, and the Oaks Indian Mission. Vance has served as the Guest Curator of the Indian Museum at the University of Texas at San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures, and as the Indigenous Theologian for the Faith-Based Initiative for the City of San Antonio.
An alumnus of Texas Lutheran University and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), Vance has served the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in multiple capacities, from taking a post as National President of the Lutheran Youth Organization as a teenager, to later working as a diversity and cultural education professional for the Women of the ELCA, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, California Lutheran University, ELCA Youth Gathering, and LSTC’s Youth in Mission. In addition to serving numerous ELCA and ecumenical teams and committees throughout the years, he is at present the Indigenous Theologian and Coordinating Team Member for the ELCA’s Theological Round Table, ELCA’s Director of Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations, as well as creator and producer of the Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium hosted at LSTC.
The Rev. Angela !Khabeb is a distinguished alumna of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, where she earned her Master of Divinity degree, was named a Bridges Scholar, and won the James Kenneth Echols Prize for Excellence in Preaching. She is an in-demand writer, speaker, and preacher who has appeared several times on the “Faith Friday” segment on ABC’s Good Morning America. She is the editor of Call to Allyship: Preparing Your Congregations for Leaders of Color. She lives with her husband, Benhi, and their three beautiful children in MInneapolis, MN. -
Session 1 Keynote - Vance Blackfox
Indian 101
The general population knows very little about the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (North America) - even the most basic topics are often grand mysteries. This is, of course, by design as the colonial project has prioritized the complete erasure of Native people for centuries. This session will provide a foundation for standing in solidarity with Indian people across the US as we work together to dismantle longstanding systems of oppression.
(Note: Sessions 2 and 3 will offer a choice of breakout sessions.)
Session 2A Breakout - Vance Blackfox
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
Indigenous women are 2.5 times more likely to experience violent crimes, and in 2020, there were 5,293 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls; only 690 cases were logged in the federal missing person database. In this session, Vance will discuss this problem that has hit very close to home for him.
Session 2B Breakout - Rev. Angela !Khabeb
Living Out Justice in a Purple Context
How do we build the Beloved Community across political party affiliations in our congregations, workplaces, and even our families? Rev. Angela will discuss how to remain true to the gospel while acknowledging the systemic ills of our society - mainly racism and anti-blackness.
Session 2C Breakout -
LA? We All Rise? St. Mark’s?
Session 3A Breakout - Vance Blackfox
Indigenous Thought and Theology
Indian People have unique and beautiful ways of understanding the world. Indigenous wisdom - as it relates to living things in relation to the Creator, Mother Earth, and other created beings - should be centered if we want to provide better care for our home and all of our relatives. Indigenous Thought and Theology introduces this wisdom and examines ways of understanding, respecting, and interacting with this wondrous world we inhabit.
Session 3B Breakout - Rev. Angela !Khabeb
What We Can Do: Call to Allyship
This session will feature discussion of specific and concrete things we can do, some from Call to Allyship: Preparing Your Congregation for Leaders of Color. It will also provide time for Q and O (Rev. Angela says she has more opinions than answers) for ideas to take back to your congregation.Session 3C: Coming Soon!
Session 4 Closing Worship
Closing worship will include beautiful music, prayers, and Rev. Angela’s sermon which promises to convict us but also inspire and give us hope as we go out to do justice for all God’s people.
(Note: worship offering will support other Racial Justice events in ECSW.) -
Schedule:
8:15 Registration & Coffee
9:00 Gather Welcome Devotions
9:15 Session 1 - Indian 101
10:30 Break
10:45 Session 2
11:45 Lunch
12:30 Session 3
1:30 Break
1:45 Session 4 - Worship
3:00 Sending
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