Over fall break, from Oct. 28-30, ten Rockhurst University students traveled to the nation’s capital to participate in the annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

The Ignatian Family Teach-In is an annual three-day conference held in late October where hundreds of Jesuit institutions and thousands of students come together to be empowered, challenged and supported by a community that links faith and justice together, aiming to make a difference amongst current issues relating to social justice.

On the first two days, students listened to keynote speakers on the topics of immigration and ecology, attended small breakout rooms that focused on particular social justice topics they found interesting, discussed forms of advocacy, listened to music and formed a community that fosters this year’s theme: Boundless and Beloved.

“The activities throughout the conference provide valuable insights, but they also equip students with practical solutions to kick-start the chain of change within their own communities,” said sophomore attendee Adieli Gongora.

The teach-in allows students to step back from their daily lives and look at society from a perspective of the injustices that occur.

“By gaining a deeper understanding of the harsh realities our world faces,” said Gongora. “Students can open their hearts to challenges, fostering a sense of compassion and a fervent desire to instigate meaningful action.”

Fighting for injustices in aspects of the world can be a heavy and complex process. The conference tries to simplify these processes for students to understand, while not undermining their importance and still keeping their meaning at hand.

“Students who go on the teach-in finally get to use their voice, speak up and eventually act for justice,” said Campus Minister for Retreats and Spiritual Development, Anna Muenchen, who accompanied Rockhurst students on their pilgrimage. “It’s very empowering and uplifting.”

One of the conference’s main learning objectives is to emphasize the idea of thinking about the world beyond yourself.

“It serves as an opportunity to sow the seeds of determination within individuals, encouraging them to light the path toward meaningful action rather than just passively learning about the critical issues we face,” said Gongora.

Many students go to the teach-in to become more connected with their school’s mission and engage with the larger Jesuit community. Students begin to educate themselves and reflect, and through the conference, they start to gain a stronger understanding of their own values.

“Personally, my perspective has undergone a significant transformation since my involvement,” said Gongora. “This event has allowed me to empathetically step into the shoes of those directly affected by the critical issues discussed.”

This year’s teach-in theme expressed the notion of community and the importance it plays in advocacy work. Without a community engaged, the process of fighting for justice becomes challenging. Education and dialogue are two major factors in a community.

“Learning from people who have been in their shoes, sitting where they are, and then having conversations with people who have done the research,” said Muenchen. “Individuals who can support them in their topic of interest.”

On the morning of the final day of the teach-in, the students made their way down to Capitol Hill to participate in a public witness. This included hearing personal testimonies from other students of the direct impacts of immigration and climate policy being underrepresented by public officials in their lives. Students then sang together, further creating a community of love and support.

After the public witness, students entered the US Capitol Building to engage in the most important part of the conference: meeting with the representatives. Rockhurst students met with three of Josh Hawley’s staffers to have an open dialogue about the topics of immigration reform and ecology, putting their newfound knowledge into action.

“Without the advocacy piece, it seems like a bunch of floating ideas, and so actually advocating for change is really important,” said Muenchen. “It’s a part of the mission and ministry here at Rockhurst, being a Catholic Jesuit university.”

Rockhurst students had the opportunity to reflect on this school year’s core value of Magis.

“The Jesuit value of Magis is evident here, as students aspire to do more for their community, and our Jesuit education prepares for the world beyond academics,” said Gongora.