New Young Adult Advocacy Training Series presented by Bon Secours Young Adults

Hi Friends,

We are pleased to be able to share with you information about our new upcoming Young Adult Advocacy Training, hosted by Bon Secours Young Adults. It is a four week series starting next Wednesday, July 22nd. Each session will be an hour (from 8-9 pm ET/5-6pm PT) with time for the speaker to share, answer questions, and give helpful tools towards effective faith-based advocacy! Participants don’t have to attend all four, you are given the option during registration as to which nights you would like to attend.

The sessions are free and open to all, but the content will be directed towards Young Adults (18-39 year olds). Please feel free to share with your networks or with anyone you think would benefit from this series - the more the merrier! We'll be sharing the social media posts each Tuesday on the Bon Secours Young Adults Instagram and Facebook. If you'd like, you’re welcome to share them on your own page or repost from BSYA’s! In addition, we’ve attached the event flyer.

The sessions include:

July 22 – Rev. Roslyn Brock on “Fostering Civic Engagement and Anti-Racism.” Roslyn is a nationally recognized health policy advocate, social justice change agent, noted public speaker, mentor and holds the distinct honor of being the youngest person and fourth woman in 2010 unanimously elected to the role of National Board Chairman for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in its history. She currently serves as its Chairman Emeritus. Brock is Founder and CEO of Equity Partnership Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm that provides strategic advice and facilitation on racial equity, community investment, and risk mitigation for operational growth, talent acquisition and measurable social impact. Previously, she was Chief Advocacy Officer for Bon Secours Mercy Health, an $8 billion dollar not-for-profit Catholic health care system of providers with 48 hospitals in seven states and more than 60,000 employees in two countries. In this position, she provided system-wide leadership to promote health care reform, population based health, health equity and social justice initiatives for vulnerable populations. She also serves as Associate Minister at the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.

July 29 – Anna Johnson on “How to be Catholic and Politically Active.” Anna lives and works in Seattle, Washington as Team Leader for Maryknoll’s Young Adult Empowerment team, and she loves exploring the wisdom young adults have to bring to the teachings of and ways of living faith. Anna holds a degree in Peace Studies and Political Science from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, and graduated with a deep love for the non-violent teachings and lived social justice witness of Jesus. After college, she lived as an Overseas Lay Missioner with the Holy Cross in Bugembe, Uganda learning from and teaching Internally Displaced Communities. She grew up with a wild love of the outdoors, and on any given weekend you can find her camping, kayaking, hiking with friends or her partner, Corbin, and their dog, Tilly.

August 5 – Darius Villalobos on “Being a Diverse and Inclusive Church.” Darius is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. He is responsible for NFCYM’s efforts to live into its values as an inclusive and diverse organization. Ministering with and advocating for young people is his vocation. Being blessed to grow up and serve in a diverse community, he finds the opportunity that NFCYM has provided by creating this role to be an amazing gift to the field of Catholic youth ministry and to the U.S. Church. To help lead this important work is an honor and privilege and he is proud that NFCYM is taking a leadership role in helping the Catholic Church in the U.S. be a more welcoming and inclusive community to all our brothers and sisters. Darius lives with his wife in Chicago, Illinois where he previously served as the Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Archdiocese of Chicago. He is currently working towards his Masters Degree in Multicultural Ministry at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He also serves as a member of the USCCB National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry. He previously served in the Archdiocese of Chicago in a variety of ministry roles, including youth ministry, young adult ministry, and catechesis. He was born and raised in Chicago and is a graduate of DePaul University where he received his bachelor’s degree in English and Catholic Studies. He has served as a parish RCIA director, liturgical music minister, retreat director, catechist, and youth minister.

August 12 – dr. timone davis on “Discerning Your Voice and the Power of Story.” timone davis is a cradle Catholic who was a “pewster” until she discovered that the uselessness of the Church was because she wasn’t giving anything of herself. After committing to do something, her life changed. Her first ministry was with the RCIA, where she not only welcomed others into the Church, but also revitalized her own spirituality. After working for the Archdiocese of Chicago as the coordinator of ReCiL – Reclaiming Christ in Life Young Adult Ministry, timone launched PEACE centered WHOLENESS with her husband Orlando, where they are blending clinical counseling and spiritual companioning. In addition to running a business, timone is an assistant professor in the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago. In her spare time, she serves as the treasurer of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium and as a member of the USCCB’s National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry. timone's dynamic energy and deep spirituality enhance her brand of teaching that engages one’s spirit through the use of storytelling. She earned her Doctor of Ministry from Catholic Theological Union in May 2011 with an Educating for Witness Concentration. Her Thesis-Project Title was “My Story-Your Story: African-American Storytelling as a Method of Catechesis for Catholic Young Adults.” No matter the occasion, timone's mission is to help others open their hearts and minds to the soul-saving power of God's Grace, Love and Mercy. *dr. timone davis uses lower case letters in the spelling of her name to indicate her willingness to embody the creedal assertion in John 3:30 in her everyday living.

Here is the registration link!