Have you ever stumbled across an unwritten rule in your workplace or church? Maybe you’ve been involved in crafting specific procedures or guidelines in these same contexts, or helped others navigate them in schools, playgroups, or clubs? 

Whether explicit or implicit, the ways in which we relate to one another, to time, and to our physical environments and resources shape, and are shaped by institutional structures and organizational culture. They can bring clarity or confoundment, simplicity or frustration, and even equity or injustice.

From May 25-27, Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) is hosting Seeking Justice in our Institutions, a national virtual conference inviting justice-minded people across Canada to explore the role of institutions and organizational culture in our pursuit of a more just and sustainable society.

Kicking off the conference on May 25, Bernadette Arthur of Co:Culture Collective will explore “Where do we begin?”, unpacking some of the historic and contemporary structures and norms that shape many of our institutions today, and how we might begin to evaluate what’s helping and what’s hindering our pursuit of social justice. 

On May 26, workshops will dig into some specific examples of how institutions play a role in justice issues. Dr. Ingrid Waldron will speak on environmental racism & climate justice; Dr. Evelyn Encalada Grez and Sarom Rho will address refugee and migrant rights; and Erin Dej and Victoria Levack will explore housing, inclusion, and institutions.

On May 27, workshops will consider how we might put our learning into practice. Monica Dudárov Hunken will share creative examples and tips for activism and the arts; Naaman Wood and Héctor Acero Ferrer will explore how we might engage in decolonizing faith as individuals and institutions; and Billy J. Choi-Gekas will guide us in embodied practices of faith, justice, and solidarity.

The closing keynote on May 27 will bring us back full circle, featuring Larissa Crawford of Future Ancestors Services in conversation with Bernadette Arthur. Together, Larissa and Bernadette will discuss how we might re-imagine and co-create cultures that honour the rights and dignity of all people and all our relations.

This virtual conference will create a space to engage in brave, respectful, and impactful listening and learning about how we can seek justice within our institutions to honour the rights and dignity of all people, and promote the flourishing of all creation. This will be a space where people’s lived experiences of oppression will be named and acknowledged, taking active steps to subvert this oppression by co-creating more just, faithful, and healthy ways of being together.

Full details are available at cpj.ca/SJ2022. Tickets are available at different price points, including a free ticket option for those with low income. All tickets provide participants with full access to live sessions and recordings.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage heart, body, soul, and mind in exploring how we can seek justice together!