The voting representatives to the 2000 Churchwide Business Meeting of Presbyterian Women unanimously approved a resolution declaring Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) an antiracist organization and reaffirmed Presbyterian Women’s 1997 commitment to strive to eradicate racism. Today, Presbyterian Women continues its commitment to eliminating racism and increasing the cultural proficiency of the organization and its members through self-evaluations and Racial Equity Dialogue (RED) teams.
Presbyterian Women Churchwide has created the following set of guidelines regarding what a culturally proficient identity means. These guidelines should shape the interactions of all PW groups.
Presbyterian Women is a community where
- all persons are treated with respect;
- all gifts are valued and encouraged; and
- diversity is a gift to be valued.
Presbyterian Women is an organization that
- enables and facilitates effective interaction in a diverse working environment;
- nurtures the best performance and fullest contribution of each member of the community; and
- works in a collegial style.
Participating in Presbyterian Women means we are people who
- willingly examine our own cultural norms and standards and
- are free to be heard for who we are.
As an organization committed to cultural humility, Presbyterian Women works intentionally toward transforming culture by
- becoming self-conscious critical practitioners of culture,
- understanding the dynamics of power in an organization,
- learning how to create an environment that is welcoming to diversity and change, and
- increases its commitment to becoming an inclusive, caring community.
Presbyterian women can support nurturing connections among women of faith worldwide by building up the Susan Jackson Dowd endowment or through the Presbyterian Foundation.
RESOURCES
- Etchings in Diversity.
- Betterworld Shopper list of companies/services with A+ ratings.
- REC’s Eight Days of Prayer with REC
- Prejudice vs. Racism: A Racial Equity Workshop
- the 8-day Racial Equity Education Challenge.
- Racial Equity and Cultural Humility resources offered by Presbyterian Women.
- Book/video resources PW’s Racial Equity Committee recommends.
- Presbyterian Women’s Statement on Racial Equity.
- Stories and reflections on racial injustice, justice and peace, and more!
View the recommendations for dismantling racism in the organization for PW in the Presbytery and Synod groups, provided by a structural review task group that studied Presbyterian Women Churchwide.
To ask a question or to learn more about Racial Equity, contact Stephanie M. Patterson.