Strengthening Our Allyship – Anti-Racism Team Workshop

In March 2025, the Belmont Province Center hosted the workshop “Courageous Conversations on Strengthening our Allyship Through an Understanding of the Traditional and Transformational Values within Notre Dame.” The event was open to Sisters, Associates and staff, with nearly 40 in attendance. Members of the U.S. SNDdeN Anti-Racism Team (ART) called participants to reaffirm their commitment to anti-racism.

The workshop featured presentations by ART members who raised questions on how, as members of the SNDdeN community, we can challenge ourselves to deepen this commitment. Through group discussions, participants reflected on their own experiences with racism, challenged traditional ways of thinking and shared actions our community can take to support those who experience oppression. These thoughtful conversations about how conventional thinking fails us were powerful and served to refocus our efforts on anti-racism work. 

The U.S. SNDdeN Anti-Racism Team (ART) has worked for 25 years against systemic and institutional racism and for policies, practices, procedures  and actions that will move us toward a just society for people of all races. The Gospel of Jesus, Catholic Social Teaching and the values of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, affirmed by the Hallmarks of a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community, compel us to work for justice and compassion within our institutions constantly. We pledge to raise our voices and to act now to end the scourge and sin of institutional racism, which has cost us so dearly.

Front row, L-R: Sister Marilyn Pechillo, SNDdeN, Vickie Virgo Christie, Sister Patricia Chappell, SNDdeN, Sister Martin de Porres Coleman, SNDdeN and Sister Gail Grimes, SNDdeN   2nd row, L-R: Lydia Wahab, Sister Linda Bessom, , SNDdeN and Sister Elizabeth Smoyer, SNDdeN 3rd row, L-R: Sisters Kathryn Keenan, Maureen McLaughlin, Carmen Silva and Ann Kendrick, SNDdeN   Top row, L-R: Aulani Cler, Sister Kathryn Camacho, SNDdeN, Teresa Phillips and Sister Anne-Louise Nadeau, SNDdeN   Not pictured: Sabrina Harper