The purpose of the Racial Equity Dialogue (RED) teams in the Synods is to fulfill the PW purpose and (support the PCUSA Matthew 25 Initiative) by “building an inclusive, caring community” that “works for justice and peace” through the use of dialogue as a tool for building relationships among and between women from different racial ethnic groups and backgrounds.
The basic function of the PW Racial Equity Dialogue seeks to:
- Honor the gifts, perspectives, and heritage of all God’s people and celebrate our oneness in the living Christ;
- Work together toward developing a sanctuary where women of different racial-ethnic backgrounds can speak the truth to each other and be heard;
- Intentionally find ways to increase mutual understanding and work together as partners in ministry;
- Develop racial-ethnic women’s leadership so that racial-ethnic women can pursue their concerns and mission with confidence;
- Serve as a vehicle for bringing about racial justice in Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Inc. (Adopted 2009)
A Racial Equity Dialogue (RED) Training Workshop, a 2024 Pre-Churchwide Gathering event, occurred in St. Louis, Missouri. This train-the-trainer workshop was developed to start, revive, and re-energize Synod RED teams.
Catrelia Hunter (2006-2009 PW Churchwide Moderator) and Nina Khouri, both from the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, were the 2024 trainers. Thus, a model of a suggested structure for RED teams from the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic was shared with the two reps per Synod RED trainees, who were asked to commit to three years of developing a RED team in their respective Synods.
Click here for a PDF of the 2024–2027 Synod RED Representatives.
Presbyterian women can support nurturing connections among women of faith worldwide by building up the Susan Jackson Dowd endowment or through the Presbyterian Foundation.
To ask a question or to learn more about the Racial Equity Teams or how to become a Racial Equity representative, contact Stephanie M. Patterson.