Racial Justice
United Women in Faith is deeply committed to the ongoing work of racial justice. We strive to be in right relationship with one another; we work together for the transformation of church and world, following the teaching and example of Jesus Christ. This commitment is reflected in The Charter for Racial Justice Policies.
Conference Committee on Racial Justice
Our Conference Committee for Racial Justice wrote and supported a policy about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons that was adopted by the Mountain Sky Conference of the UMC last year at Annual Conference. We applied for and received a General Board of Church and Society grant in October 2025 to share information about indigenous persons across the Conference. Our committee members supported a workshop at Assembly about land acknowledgements; Missing, Murdered and Indigenous People (MMIP); and other key issues. We supported a MMIP workshop at this year’s Assembly in Billings: Gail Hoyt from Blackfeet United Methodist Parish was our speaker and shared personal experiences.
At the Annual Gathering in Helena in October, we are supporting a workshop about reducing the mass incarceration of women and girls—especially minorities—in our state, local, and federal prisons and jails. Our speakers are Sheryl Swanson, who ministers to women in prison, and Beth Bartel, a deaconess who works in the Billings area.
Looking to the future, we hope to support sharing information about Indigenous boarding schools, and the Sand Creek Healing Run.
Conference Committee on Charter for Racial Justice Policies
Robin Ball, Conference President
Beth Bartel
Marcia Canter, Mile High Metro District Co-President
Su DeBree
Judy Eicher
Laurie Fujinami
Maryann Hall
Tish Herries
Gail Hoyt
Glenna Kyker
Ariceli Melo
Cheryl Runyon
Judy Scrimshire, Conference Coordinator for Social Justice and Action
Olympia Tukukau
Susan Yeager