Sara Lawrence
Lasallian Social Justice Institute Participant Reflection, Sara Lawrence, President of Lasallian Educational and Research Initiatives (L.E.R.I.)
June 26 – July 2, 2022
Blackfeet Reservation, Browning, MT
I had the opportunity to join 18 other Lasallians from across the country at the Lasallian Social Justice Institute (LSJI) held at the De La Salle Blackfeet School in Browning, Montana in late June. This weeklong immersion program focused on understanding the Blackfeet Nation and was designed to be experiential, educational, practical, and reflective. Each day, we met leaders from the community who taught us about the Blackfeet way of life, including their history, language, spiritualty, and experience of trauma and search for healing. We also learned how to construct a traditional Natoyis (tepee), participated in a sweat lodge ceremony, and got to spend some time with a member of the tribal council. As part of the immersion, each of us was tasked to research the land on which our ministry resides and to write a land acknowledgement. It was a powerful experience. We plan to share our land acknowledgement with the whole organization in November during Native American Heritage Month. Sharing this with our organization allows us to be mindful of the history that unfolded on the land we have benefited from & honor the first people who inhabited this land. At the end of the week, we attended a traditional Powwow where we were reunited with many of the people we met throughout the week. It was there that I realized how connected we had become to the people of the Blackfeet Reservation.
I came into the week not quite knowing what to expect and left Montana deeply connected to the Blackfeet Nation and to our Lasallian cohort. I left renewed – my mind was opened and my heart touched. I have an even deeper commitment to celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion, to the importance of listening to the stories of others, and finding ways to bring these experiences to others within our organization. Our mission is to do what’s best for young people and I will carry my LSJI experience into the way I lead our organization. We start every company meeting with a Lasallian Reflection and incorporating reflections from students at De La Salle Blackfeet is one way to continue to honor the incredible people we met. I am forever grateful to the Blackfeet Nation for welcoming us with open arms and to the De La Salle Blackfeet School for providing us with such a life changing immersion. If you’ve ever considered LSJI, this is your sign, register next year, you won’t regret it!
Saint John Baptist de La Salle . . . Pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts . . . forever!
