Northwest

jesuit advocacy summit

February 27, 28 and March 1, 2025

At Bellarmine Tacoma and Seattle University

About

The Northwest Jesuit Advocacy Summit brings together Jesuit students, volunteers, parishioners, faculty, priests and other leaders to use the power of our collective voices to put our faith into action. 

Held from February 27, 28, and March 1, 2025, at Seattle University, the event takes high-school students through a 3-day experience of Ignatian reflection towards prophetic action, with university students, Jesuit volunteers, parishioners, faculty and other adult allies joining for evening programming and a direct action town-hall on Saturday morning.

For the 3rd year in a row, the summit will focus on standing with Native peoples in collaboration on care for common home. Built around the pastoral cycle, it will include direct encounter with creation and those being most impacted by climate change, social and pastoral analysis, skill training and direct collective action with public officials.

***Launch Call January 29th***

Details and registration information

  • adult participants

    Adult participation is key to the advocacy summit! Whether you're a Jesuit Volunteer, a parishioner, community member, faculty or staff, we need your presence and support to make the event a success. Details here.

    adult participant
  • Highschool Delegations

    Click her for details on the full agenda for high schools, and how schools can register their delegations.

    resources-for-core-coordinators
  • University Students

    University students will take the lead in planning the Saturday morning town hall with elected officials, and are invited to the entirety of the 3 day event.

    resources-for-core-coordinators

A partnership of Jesuit ministries across the northewest!

What?

The Northwest Jesuit Advocacy Summit will bring together Jesuit students, parishioners, priests and other leaders to put our faith into action.  Held from February 27th-March 1st in Tacoma and Seattle, the event will feature voices and speakers highlighting the experiences of those in the West. The three days invite participants into an experience of the pastoral cycle through 1) Day One: local immersion and experience; 2) Day Two: Analysis; and 3) Day Three: Collaborative Direct Action.

Objectives:

  • Develop educational practices, workshops and keynotes that invite students to take lead in discerning, planning, and taking advocacy steps that center on the circumstance, need, and reality of those whose political power is diminished in our local communities in the West.  

  • Situate the unique history and practice of Ignatian Advocacy as a means of cooperation and collaboration in our region by galvanizing collective impact in response to the plight of the marginalized.

  • Provide an example of collaboration that propels students to think of their place within a wider network of faith and justice engagement beyond their institution.

  • Train, establish and animate advocacy praxis in which participants engage with their local political powers in solidarity with those in need.

Highschool Students: Participating students engage in 3 days of relationship building, formation and common prayer culminating in a collective action on held Saturday morning. Details and Registration Here.

University Students lead our town-hall and are invited to all programming.

Adults: Parishioners, Jesuit Volunteers, JV EnCorps Members, Faculty and all community members are invited to join for intergenerational evening programming and the Saturday townhall, including:

  • Thursday 2/27 at Bellarmine Tacoma:

    • 5:15pm “Already Ignited” Adult Justice Leader Dinner

    • 6:00pm Story Slam on Indigenous Climate Solidarity:

  • Friday 2/28 At Seattle U:

    • 6:30pm Intergenerational Conversation on Faith and Justice with Jesuit students, JVs and more

  • Saturday 3/1 at Seattle U Public Witness on Salmon Watershed Protection and Native Leadership

Details on adult programming and registration here.

Who?

The event is organized by:

  • Jesuits West

  • Seattle University

  • The Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center

  • Gonzaga University

  • Jesuit High School, Portland

  • Seattle Prep

  • Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest

  • St. Joseph Parish Seattle

  • Gonzaga Prep, Spokane

  • Bellarmine Prep, Tacoma

Event Schedule from 2024

Day 1

  • 12pm -1pm Registration & Lunch & Opening Prayer

  • 1:00pm - 2:30pm Large Group Workshop: Identity Development - Who are we, what is bringing us here? 

  • 2:30pm - 3:00pm Break

  • 3:00pm- 4:45pm Large Group Workshop: Storytelling

  • 4:45pm Transition to Dinner 

  • 5:00pm-6:00pm - Dinner Large Group 

  • 6:15pm - 8:00pm - Covenant of the Salmon People - Movie showing and Q & A


Day 2

REFLECTION

  • 8:30am - Light Breakfast Fare Served (LeRoux, STCN 160) 

  • 9:00am - Welcome back, grounding for the day, opening prayer? Relational exercise? (LeRoux, STCN 160)

  • 9:30am - 12pm: Large Group Workshop - Historical/Social Analysis: Root Causes & Power Map of Issue (LeRoux, STCN 160)

  • 12:00 pm - Lunch / Break 

  • 1:30pm-3:30pm Taking Action 

    • Advocacy Meetings

    • Town Hall Prep

    • Sustainability on Campus- Tacoma Bellarmine - Field Trip (Tacoma, WA) - Mary

  • 3:30pm-5:00pm Break

  • 5:00pm-6:00pm Youth Dinner and Reflection on the Day

  • 5:15pm-6:30pm Parish Leader Dinner

    • Are there resources IPJC can share in that space

    • What action items can adults take coming out of this

    • Focusing on how we empower directly impacted voices: Indigenous folks and youth.

  • 6:30pm-8:00pm Intergenerational Conversation


Day 3

  • 8:30 Light Breakfast Fare Served (STCN 160)

  • 9:00 am - Town Hall Prep - Framing, Context, and Plan (STCN 160) 

  • 10:00 am - TOWN HALL: Environmental Justice -  Dam Removal - Congressional Delegation from WA (STCN 160(

  • 11:30 am - Reflection and Closing Ritual (Chapel)

  • Light snacks provided for folx headed out 


Day 3:  Mass Public Action / Public Witness