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Born October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi, Fannie Lou Hamer was the granddaughter of a slave and the youngest of 20 children. Her parents were sharecroppers.

At age six, Fannie Lou began helping her parents in the cotton fields. By the time she was twelve, she was forced to drop out of school and work full time to help support her family. Once grown, she married another sharecropper named Perry “Pap” Hamer.

On August 31, 1962, Mrs. Hamer decided she had had enough of sharecropping. Leaving her house in Ruleville, MS

Sorrow, anger, fear, devastation… these were all feelings that I have experienced in the days following the attack on Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.  And while friends and family have offered support and a listening ear in the days since, I am still left mourning.  I did not personally know any of the victims of the attack, but I mourn none-the-less.  I mourn for the loss of so many young, vibrant, LGBTQ+ people of color.  I mourn for a world which will not know the realization of their dreams.  I mourn

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting students from  Manhattan College at the Darst Center. These seven students and one chaperon chose to spend their first week of summer vacation on an Urban Immersion Retreat in Chicago, learning about different issues of social justice. Their time with us was filled with energy, engagement, questions, frustrations, passion, and a strong willingness to learn. We hope that they will take the stories they heard and experiences they had back with them to their own communities, and that they continue to learn about the

Position Title: Development and Communications Director

Position Profile:
The Development and Communications Director is responsible for overseeing the center’s development, marketing, and communications efforts. This position is responsible for implementing comprehensive strategies to increase fundraising revenue and manage all print and electronic communications for the organization. The Development and Communications Director must possess excellent organizational, communication, and people skills, particularly strong writing skills, and a good sense of self-direction. Through a special emphasis on fundraising, stewardship, grant writing, and special events, the Development and Communications Director will aid in the growth and

This May, as we remember the Catonsville Nine and their action in protesting the Vietnam War, we also remember Father Daniel Berrigan, who recently passed away at the age of 94. Fr. Berrigan, a Jesuit Priest, peace activist, and writer, was one of the nine Catholics who participated in this act of civil disobedience. While our Center usually calls attention to Br. David Darst and his role within this action (as our organization is named after him), we now take the time to remember the life and work of Fr. Berrigan.

Here at the Darst Center the bedrooms are named after significant people who have been models for doing work in social justice. Each month we highlight an individual to learn about their lives, the work they have done, and the impact they have made. This month we are highlighting Oscar Romero. Here is a synopsis of his life and work, and his impact on others:

Oscar Romero was born in Ciudad Barrios, a town east of El Salvador, on 15 August 1917. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1942. In February

To celebrate a loved one’s birthday this past weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to southeast Michigan and partake in a winery / brewery tour. JJ, our guide for the day, coordinated our travel through the area, shared information on the history of the region, discussed the types of grapes and hops being grown, noted how the last few winters (prior to this one) were really hard on the industry, and was a general wealth of knowledge. More than that, though, he knew the places we were going and

Here at the Darst Center the bedrooms are named after significant people who have been models for doing work in social justice. Each month we highlight an individual to learn about their lives, the work they have done, and the impact they have made. This month we are highlighting Dom Helder Camara. Here is a synopsis of his life and work, and his impact on others:

“Archbishop Camara was a founder of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops, the main Roman Catholic Church body in Brazil, and a founder of CELAM, the

“This has been a time of powerful insight and reflection into areas of need and service in Chicago. It is a window into the needs of people all over our country and world. The ways many these agencies are helping others is a testament to true goodness in the world. Not all is lost, and much can be gained.

I have done my fair share of direct service, but I realized these last couple days that I rarely just listen. I can pack bags of food, make dinner, and play with children,

As Darst Center staff members, our Facebook news feeds have been reminding us, almost daily, of the multitude of opinions out there regarding the future direction and leadership in our country. We have had the privilege as staff not only to engage in those conversations in our own social networks, but to engage with young people from across the country in the last month. Groups have dialogued on questions regarding race, class, privilege, resources, education, faith, (the list goes on), and done so in a way that allows us to carefully