Beyond Declarations:
Responding to Racism as a Public Health Crisis
This event has ended. You will find follow-up resources from the event in the Canva resource deck below, including videos, presentations, references, and more.
Event Description
AKRON—The Living Water Association, Ohio NorthEast of the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ will be hosting an online panel discussion on Saturday, October 9, 2021 from 1:30 to 4pm. This event will be held in collaboration with a number of ecumenical and interfaith partners exploring ways that people of faith can respond to the declaration of racism as a public health crisis. Those who would like to attend can register online at livingwaterone.org/events/.
The mission of the Living Water Association’s Faith in Action Ministries is to support and resource congregations in their work of prophetic witness and community engagement. The United Church of Christ (UCC) continued its decades-long advocacy for fairness in society by declaring racism as a public health crisis during its 33rd General Synod held virtually on July 11, 2021. It is the role of the Living Water Association to provide resources for congregations to act in response to General Synod resolutions such as this. Similar declarations have been made across the country since last summer, including those made by Summit County Council, the City of Akron, and the Akron City School District.
The objective of the event on October 9 is to raise awareness and present a call to action for faith communities to engage in the work of racial justice and health equity. It will begin with a presentation by Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry, Associate for Advocacy and Leadership Development for the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, UCC. Following Rev. Dr. Berry, the panel discussion will highlight local efforts to respond to racism as it relates to public health. Panelists include Veronica Sims, District Five representative on Summit County Council; Rev. Raymond Greene, Jr., Executive Director of Freedom BLOC; and Kenyona Sunny Matthews, Co-Founder of Dimensions of Isms. The program will also spotlight local anti-racism initiatives, including presentations by Towanda Mullins, Chair of the Sojourner Truth Project—Akron and Beth Vild and Michael Howard with the Akron Area Food Forest Initiative.
The ecumenical and interfaith partners co-sponsoring this event include the Akron Area Interfaith Council, the Catholic Commission of Summit County, the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, Women’s Interfaith Spiritual Heritage (WISH), and the Big Love Network.
Beyond Declarations:
Responding to Racism as a Public Health Crisis
This event has ended. You will find follow-up resources from the event in the Canva resource deck below, including videos, presentations, references, and more.
Event Description
AKRON—The Living Water Association, Ohio NorthEast of the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ will be hosting an online panel discussion on Saturday, October 9, 2021 from 1:30 to 4pm. This event will be held in collaboration with a number of ecumenical and interfaith partners exploring ways that people of faith can respond to the declaration of racism as a public health crisis. Those who would like to attend can register online at livingwaterone.org/events/.
The mission of the Living Water Association’s Faith in Action Ministries is to support and resource congregations in their work of prophetic witness and community engagement. The United Church of Christ (UCC) continued its decades-long advocacy for fairness in society by declaring racism as a public health crisis during its 33rd General Synod held virtually on July 11, 2021. It is the role of the Living Water Association to provide resources for congregations to act in response to General Synod resolutions such as this. Similar declarations have been made across the country since last summer, including those made by Summit County Council, the City of Akron, and the Akron City School District.
The objective of the event on October 9 is to raise awareness and present a call to action for faith communities to engage in the work of racial justice and health equity. It will begin with a presentation by Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry, Associate for Advocacy and Leadership Development for the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, UCC. Following Rev. Dr. Berry, the panel discussion will highlight local efforts to respond to racism as it relates to public health. Panelists include Veronica Sims, District Five representative on Summit County Council; Rev. Raymond Greene, Jr., Executive Director of Freedom BLOC; and Kenyona Sunny Matthews, Co-Founder of Dimensions of Isms. The program will also spotlight local anti-racism initiatives, including presentations by Towanda Mullins, Chair of the Sojourner Truth Project—Akron and Beth Vild and Michael Howard with the Akron Area Food Forest Initiative.
The ecumenical and interfaith partners co-sponsoring this event include the Akron Area Interfaith Council, the Catholic Commission of Summit County, the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, Women’s Interfaith Spiritual Heritage (WISH), and the Big Love Network.