Justice Seeker Award: Sister Josita Colbert, SNDdeN, Accepts Distinguished Award on Behalf of NBSC
This article initially appeared in the inaugural issue of our magazine, 'Sowing Goodness.' The full issue is available here.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have a long history of commitment to social justice for the marginalized and impoverished. SNDdeN see themselves as part of a global community seeking to transform unjust structures and systems, participating in new ways of relating which enable all of creation to experience God's goodness. Working with advocacy groups is an important piece of dedicated personal ministry for many Sisters.
Sister Josita Colbert has spent her entire life working for justice and equality for the black community and people of color. Born and raised in Baltimore, Sister Josita's passion stems from the nurturing of her family who influenced her to collaborate with others who would further advance and internalize the Nguzo Saba, as it relates to quality education, the celebration and respect of diversity and seeing diversity as God's hand in it all.
As a young vowed Sister, Sister Josita was impressed with the Book of Esther. She said, "I was inspired by her willingness to strip herself of all that would be of distraction in speaking and acting for the liberation of her people, regardless of the cost. I realized that as a Black religious woman in the early 50s, I too had to be bold, courageous, and certainly prayerful to confront the sin of racism as one who believed in the goodness of God."
Sister Josita has been a member of several civil rights groups and has served on the boards of numerous organizations. In 1968 she was a founding member of the National Black Sisters' Conference (NBSC)—an inclusive Catholic organization of vowed Black Catholic women religious and associates from many religious congregations across the U.S.—and has served as its president since 2019.
In April 2022, Sister Josita received Network's inaugural Distinguished Justice-Seeker Award on behalf of the NBSC at network's 50th-anniversary gala dinner and celebration. network advocates for justice inspired by Catholic Sisters, and educates, organizes and lobbies for economic and social transformation. network awarded NBSC in recognition of their "pioneering and heroic stance … and their willingness to challenge racism, wherever it is found," according to Joan Neal, network's Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer.
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