In the light of the upcoming 4th of July which is United States of America Independence, this article is an invitation to reflect on the conditions of the oppressed group of people in our society and the world, where human rights are stripped off or dismissed, and how the domination, supremacy, and oppression still exist in our world today. How are we as civilized and modern nation like United States help our neighbors to be free or our neighboring country to be free or be an instrument of freedom?
She is the Congregational Coordinator of Justice and Peace. Similar to what other women religious, Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) advocates, she gives the voice to the vulnerable often in the fringes, forgotten, abused, dismissed or abandoned. She brings the awareness into public and invite people into action to end the systemic injustice in many forms.
Let us ponder on her words and pray what is God inviting us to do:
What are you working on these days Sister Kari, any interesting insights on Pennsylvania's JPIC?
Similar to Texas, Pennsylvania also has concerns on environmental issues caused by fracking that is everywhere. There used to be coal mining in Baden.There are only a handful of parishes that are connected in Baden. There is a good collaboration among these parishes to abolish death penalty. There is a moratorium on death penalty in Pennsylvania.
Note: Pennsylvania is among the states that has a moratorium on Death Penalty since the previous Governor Tom Wolfe and similarly Governor Josh Shapiro issues reprieve on any death penalty on his desk. Refer to https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/pennsylvania
What are your thoughts and works of JPIC?
The work of JPIC is so big and is overwhelming. The question is, what can we fix right here? Benzene leaks from the collaboration?
Can you tell us about your work on systemic change in your region?
I collaborate by attending public meeting and hearing. I am testifying, writing testimony, and have someone lead the advocacy.We have a lay person who is 96 y.o. in assisted living, she does a lot of writing. She was instrumental or she started the non-violence movement five or six years ago.One of the advocacies that I am working on is the abolishment of Death Penalty. I meet with the collaborative to discuss the alternative to Death Penalty which is 1st Wednesday of the month with Sister Helen Prejan.The house and senate are split in passing this bill through the House Judiciary Committee among the Democrat Governor and the Republican Senator.Note: After the interview with Sister Kari, there are latest news on how this Death Penalty and Life Sentencing are changing in Pennsylvania.
Environment and the Vulnerable
There is an ICE presence in Pennsylvania. There are 14 people who recently got picked up in Ambridge. I know there are thousands picked up in Chicago.
What program do you have for vulnerable or how do you support them?
We have a house for the vulnerable as an outreach. It is a community center since 2014. We only work on online ministry.I still work once a week in the hospital and then work on JPIC causes in other days of the week. I accompany people to Washington jail or bring them to the ICE office. I pray and accompany them.Latinos are the target. They are getting picked up. I am white so I am safe in going to the Latino stores. I buy their products because there are less Latinos in these stores. Even Chinese or certain group of people like of colored people are picked up.It is important to know your rights. We have Bail funds for the vulnerable.What is the importance of accompanying them? I accompany them to court for safety to make sure what happened to them.
How are the migrants in ICE building in Pittsburg?
After four hours, they get transported to other states. The challenge is to ask ourselves, what is our capacity? How can we collaborate to end the oppression of what started since the US Civil War.
War is not over. We never really resolved the Civil War. People who got enslaved in the past are similar to what is happening now. The slaves in the past were not paid, similar to the vulnerable of today. In the past, there was enslavement in the South while the north residents do not want Black. In Saint Louis, the town was burned down. There was a Black Town in Tulsa OK where Black people were hated and the town was burned down.The South Carolina has black and white heroes (during the civil war).Juneteenth in Texas shows the domination (mentality).JPIC also works on the Indigenous Cosmology Decolonization. If you see, Sister Kari is raised in white Supremacist culture where whites are worth more than others. With this culture, domination disregard the others than considering mutual care.
How can we have mutual care?Shift the relationship with power, time, and it became care with relationship.
How do you change a culture (American domination culture)?
There is a need for ecological conversion. We need environmental lawyers. Scientists and lawyers cannot fix this. This is a theological problem.As women religious, quoting church documents (to raise awareness), can be helpful. We can learn from Lyla Jean Johnston from New Mexico. As Lyla shared, human b are keystone species. Nature is pristine while human is spoiler. But both thrive if they are in the right relationship and vice versa.Talking about shifting the relationship, we can learn from the Braiding Sweetgrass.
How is your advocacy for sustainability? I heard you are driving an electric car. What is your experience like?
I always check the map before going on traveling for a long trip. My agenda is to find charging. The NACS fast charging is great. There is a converter from NACS to CCS. Our cars are not Tesla for a reason. Our maintenance also checked for me about the electric consumption and that we did not have much electric bill on these chargers.
Our congregation has now seven electric cars out of 60 so about 10% of our fleet. Our congregation hosts a charging station with the help of a grant. Half of our congregation is active traveling and the other half is not.
What do you advise for those who are interested in electric car for sustainability, cutting down on carbon footprint?
Make sure that the first person to drive the electric car really wants to drive it as she will shape the experience for the rest. I can also suggest that if your congregation is not ready for electric, use hybrid.
Relevant Articles on similar topic on Death Penalty in Pennsylvannia:
Relevant Articles on the burning of Saint Louis:
Relevant Article on Tulsa OK Massacre:
Relevant Article on North and South Carolina:
About Dr. Lyla June:
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