The Racial Justice Team

Messiah has a very active Racial Justice Team which is involved in MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equality and Solidarity) whose mission is to promote criminal justice reform. The group is also involved in the South Central Synod of the ELCA Racial Justice programs. They offer book studies on racial justice topics and offer a lending library of racial justice books so members can read about issues of systemic racism. Visit their Facebook Page - Messiah Racial Justice Team



Thank you to the Messiah community for your donations and support of the work of the Racial Justice Team this year.

The Racial Justice Team made end of year donations to the following:

1. Wunk Sheek is an Indigenous Student Organization that celebrates and elevates Indigenous students on UW-Madison campus. Their goals are to educate the general student body and honor Indigenous culture in an inclusive and positive manner. Throughout the year Wunk Sheek hosts different cultural events such as the Indigenous People's Day Powwow and different cultural workshops such as ribbon skirt making workshops and traditional medicine workshops. This is all to promote awareness, education, and further address Indigenous students' presence on the UW-Madison campus. Our donation to Wunk Sheek will go toward these events which are open to all and free of cost to those involved! We chose this organization as a thank you for the no cost First Nations Cultural Landscape tour on UW-Madison campus which 20 Messiah members attended on Nov 15th. 


2. A donation on behalf of the Racial Justice team has been made to Rock Greendeer, a Ho-Chunk man leading Ho-Chunk language classes. According to Rock, only .02% of Ho-Chunk citizens can speak and understand Ho-Chunk spoken at the Feast Ceremonies. Rock has individually taken on the task of teaching Ho-Chunk members the language and hopefully keeping their cultural traditions alive. Attached are two photos of the Ho-Chunk newspaper, HOCAK WORAK, in which there is an article about Rock and his language classes.


Community Conversations: Land, Resistance and Liberation Book Study & Conversation: 4:30-5:30 pm via Zoom on each of the following dates. 


a. January 14, 2025:   Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Pennimon

     Facilitator: Brad Henderson, Wisconsin Farmers Union

b. February 25, 2025:  Join us for a conversation with an honored guest from this movement.

     Facilitator: Leah Holloway, Milwaukee Riverkeeper.

c.   REGISTER   here!  Note: participants are responsible for securing their own copies of the books. 



Racial Justice Team led by Tara Von Dollen and Tracy Frank

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