Today on the podcast I get the chance to speak to Fr. Joseph Brown. Fr. Brown is a Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and is one of our plenum speakers at this year’s NPM Convention.

I’ll admit to you that I was humbled to speak to Fr. Brown. I’ve never been so nervous to speak to an interviewee in my life, because this week I learned how much I still need to learn about the racism that pulses through the veins in our country. In the past week my eyes have been opened to how my silence works against the cause of equality and social justice.

From there, my education began. My education into the privilege I inherited as a white woman, and the privilege I hope to use to voice that black lives matter and to help facilitate change.

That was the context from where I spoke to Fr. Brown today.

Fr. Brown begins the conversation by reflecting on the uprising across the country- and the world- to support the black community and take action towards anti-racist policies and real social change.

Today Berta Sabrio and I sit down and discuss the Virtual Convention at length. We unpack all of the different ways attendees will receive content, along with brainstorming how you can attend the Virtual Convention in the same “group” mindset as when you attend in-person.

This week continues our multi-part series celebrating the many Faces in which we see and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and we hear from Dr. Gerardo Ramos and Christopher Ferraro, respectively.