Healing the Wounds of Slavery
Documentary screening with live panel discussion
On the 25th anniversary of the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage, founders Nobuntu Ingrid Askew and Sister Clare Carter will join Crossing the Waters Co-Director Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson and moderator June Thornton-Marsh for a screening of the documentary Rise Up and Call Their Names, which chronicles the extraordinary thirteen-month journey the founders led in 1998-1999 through the eastern United States, the Caribbean, Brazil, West Africa, and South Africa to reverse the direction of the Middle Passage symbolically and geographically.
A WHERE2024 event, presented by Atlantic Black Box in collaboration with Maine Black Community Development, The Third Place, and the University of Southern Maine.
SPEAKERS
Ingrid Askew
Founder & Executive Director, Crossing the Waters
Ingrid Askew is a life-long cultural activist, evocative theatre maker, thoughtful educator, powerful speaker, and razor-sharp organizer. Ms. Askew's work has always been centered on the goal of bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to build transformative communities and lead effective and lasting social change initiatives. As Executive Director of Crossing the Waters, Ms. Askew leads the important work of developing cultural awareness, sustainable exchange partnerships, and opportunities tailored to the needs of communities at home and abroad through education, the arts, and healthy living initiatives. Read more about Ingrid Askew .
Sister Clare Carter
Niponzen Myohogi Buddhist Order
Clare Carter is a member of the Nipponzan Myohoji Japanese Buddhist order, which focuses on healing modern civilization from materialism and violence by bringing human beings back to their spiritual foundations. The basic practice of the order is walking, beating a prayer drum, and chanting the prayer Namu-myoho-renge-kyo in order to bring peace into the world. Sister Clare was inspired to organize the Interfaith Pilgrimage of the Middle Passage while participating in another interfaith pilgrimage in Sri Lanka. That pilgrimage was organized by a monk in Clare's order with the goal of healing the country after years of devastating civil war. While walking in Sri Lanka, Clare couldn't help but think of the destructive forces in her own country. Even as a young girl, she had been aware of the suffering caused by American racism. She was particularly aware that "we (used to at least) frame the race issue as a - as a black problem, or a people-of-color problem. And of course the opposite is true. It's all of our problem. And I thought... if we walk this history, at least for white people, the truth shall make us free." Read more about Sister Clare Carter.
Dr. Sonji Johnson- Anderson
Co-Director & Director of Educational Initiatives
Scholar, poet, author, ethnographer, activist and social justice educator, Dr. Sonji Johnson-Anderson is Co- Executive Director of Crossing the Waters Institute, responsible for the development of Educational Initiatives in the United States and in South Africa. Her interests sit at the intersection of Black Feminist Epistemology, Critical Race Theory, and Performance Ethnography. Her work focuses on the experiences of students and families who are marginalized in public domains, primarily educational institutions. A gifted educator and public speaker, Dr. Johnson-Anderson brings decades of teaching experience and a deep commitment to critical and culturally relevant pedagogy.
June Thornton-Marsh
Moderator
June Thornton-Marsh, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker, activist, author, and transformation coach with a deep understanding of the profound impact of shared listening. She specializes in guiding individuals to unlock their potential, to foster meaningful connections, and to create positive change in their lives. June is committed to creating inclusive spaces and has successfully facilitated workshops, training sessions, and interactive experiences on campuses, in organizations, and within relationships where she has honed her skills in open and honest communication, building bridges of empathy and connection, and fostering a sense of belonging and understanding.