wfn.org | Presbyterian Women seeks to overcome its racism

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7169 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

21-May-2002
02187

Presbyterian Women seeks to overcome its racism

Survey polls members for suggestions on 'inclusive, caring community'

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE - A survey seeking feedback on how Presbyterian Women (PW) can become a more racially and culturally inclusive organization was sent to 600 members of the group on May 13.

The survey was developed by the Task Group for a Structural Review of Presbyterian Women from an Anti-Racism Perspective, formed in 2001 in response to actions taken at that year's Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women. The task group worked with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Research Services in developing the survey and compiling the results.

At the July 2000 triennium, PW declared itself to be "anti-racist" and called for organization-wide anti-racism training. The task group was created to critique the organization from a structural and programmatic perspective.

Alberta Williams of Compton, CA, chair of the 12-member task group, said, "We hope the review and the survey will help us to evaluate areas of PW's work that we all affirm, and other areas where we might make recommendations for change."

The task group will make its final report to the 2003 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women.  

"Presbyterian Women wishes to be representative of the entire church membership into the 21st century," Williams said. "This review of PW structure and program is done to determine how PW can become the 'inclusive and caring community,' which is our goal. We want to learn what impedes or prohibits us from realizing this goal on the one hand, and what encourages and supports us in realizing it on the other."

Other members of the task group are Wilma Bennett of Louisville; Karen Fristsch of Silverthorne, CO; Catrelia Hunter of Cleveland, NC; Afaf Khoury of Whitehall, PA; Dora Lodwick of Littleton, CO; Marge Santos of New York City; Sallie Cuaresma of Louisville; Iris Gonzalez of Sarasota, FL; Ann Beran Jones of Plainfield, IL; Shin Kim of Oak Park, IL; and Ann McFarlane of Sewickley, PA.

For more information about the task force, its survey and Presbyterian Women, contact Ann Ferguson by phone at 1-888-728-7228, extension 5365, or by email at aferguso@ctr.pcusa.org.
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