Gaining understanding by getting to know each other

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Kristina Gibson has witnessed great strides made between the races since she has been director of the Isaiah 43 parenting and mentoring program through Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. 

“I’ve seen people from different backgrounds coming together and creating shared experiences with each other,” said Gibson. “It is an important step if we are to work with each other. As a society and community, we need to do more to bring each other together, to build those relationships.”

Gaining understanding and building common ground among people of diverse backgrounds through shared experiences and discussions have been critical to Isaiah 43’s mission since its inception in 2012. Isaiah 43 has stressed “faith in action” through its mentor/mentee program and parenting workshops in parishes and peace walks throughout the archdiocese. 

The ministry was an outgrowth of the archdiocesan “Family Prayer” to put an end to violence, murder and racism in the community by building stronger families, Gibson said. Using “peaceful conflict resolution, skillful communication, constructive discipline and leadership development” through a Christian lens, Isaiah 43 has built community.

“Archbishop Aymond’s vision was bringing families together and bringing church together to support families and engaging parishes,” Gibson said. “We are all affected by the issues we are all experiencing. … One could argue that all the issues are intertwined, and prayer brings together all the issues that we are praying for.”

Three main tenets

Adult mentors of all backgrounds, who are at least 25 years old, are always needed to work with mentees in elementary and high school, Gibson said. Mentors act as role models to provide love and stability in a mentee’s life. They have one-on-one meetings and participate in group activities monthly with their mentees. The simple concept of sharing a meal together allows the mentor and mentee to talk, get to know each other and gain an understanding and awareness of issues that affect families of different ethnic backgrounds.

“We have a combination of youth – some growing up with single parents, grandparents, incarcerated parents, kids acting out at school,” Gibson said. “Over the years, there has been a lot of community-building taking place.” 

The bonds between mentors and mentees have resulted in long-term relationships continuing through high school graduation. Because siblings participate in the program, Gibson says the bond with mentees is maintained well after high school.

Gibson is proud of mentees’ successes – from high school graduates to Air Force Reserve members, first-generation college students and beyond. Many of the young people return to share their successes, such as participating in a recent virtual graduation ceremony to celebrate current mentees.

Youth as peacemakers

Several mentees gravitate to Isaiah 43’s Young Catholic Peacemakers Council, which forms young adults (generally high school age) of diverse backgrounds into leaders. The council grapples with topics such as what building peace in the community looks like; how to hold public officials accountable for community concerns; and how to look at homelessness, poverty and police brutality through the lens of Catholic social teaching. 

Isaiah 43’s parenting program in parishes builds a network of support and skills through workshops using “Christian Active Parenting” curriculum. 

(Read a related story from 2011 about the beginnings of Isaiah 43.)

Several parishes have implemented Isaiah 43 parenting and/or mentoring to help families and build community, Gibson said. Isaiah 43’s parenting and mentoring program instituted at St. Joseph Church and Shrine on the West Bank and St. Anthony Parish in Gretna over the past two years has been successful, according to Father Gary Copping, who pastors both parishes.

“It’s been a great bonding experience between the adults and kids,” Father Copping said. “The kids have a great time when we have a meeting together. We serve a little food, followed by fun and games, and we have a learning experience. There’s been great, positive feedback between mentors and mentees that they enjoy.”

The COVID-19 crisis has cut down face-to-face time, Father Copping said, which the kids have missed, but mentors have tried to stay in touch online or by phone. 

That is what the whole Isaiah 43 program has done, Gibson said. This type of exchange opened the eyes of some mentors to various difficulties mentees face, which mentors didn’t realize.

“It has provided dialogue and opportunities to learn and listen to each other,” she said.

Peace walks held monthly

Monthly Peace Walks, a collaboration with the archdiocesan Office of Justice and Peace and the Racial Harmony Commission, promote peace, unity and relationship-building, again by mingling people of diverse backgrounds.

“First, we started with a focus in high-crime areas to go and pray,” Gibson said. “It was a very mixed group of people coming together out of concern for violence in the community who wanted to be a witness of peace and God’s love. Through that, people who participated long-term got to know each other and built those relationships. Through these interactions, they realized what we had in common and opened doors to be open to relationships outside of what we know and understand.”

Archdiocese in harmony

Gibson sees the future of the program moving to youth development.

“We are looking for parishes who want to collaborate – even if it is a parish only wanting to work as mentors,” she said. “We have children on a waiting list for mentors. We are looking for someone who has a will and a desire to work with young people.” 

For details or to volunteer as a mentor, Kristina Gibson at (504) 310-8772 or kgibson@ccano.org.