Written by Camila Perez and Sha’Kia Smith
Pax Christi USA National Staff and PCYAC members
On the Thursday and Friday before the start of the 2025 Pax Christi USA National Conference, members of the Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus (PCYAC) came together in Detroit for a sacred time of connection, learning, and spiritual grounding. Over two days, this pre-conference gathering created space for meaningful conversations, deep reflection, and the strengthening of a vibrant, justice-seeking community. During these days, PCYAC embarked on a meaningful and immersive journey through the heart of Detroit. We visited the Solanus Casey Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Heidelberg Project, which offered us rich opportunities for spiritual reflection, historical reckoning, and creative inspiration.
The Charles H. Wright Museum experience was powerful. It provided a profound encounter with the enduring struggle for racial justice, illuminating both the generational pain and the remarkable resilience woven into African American history. The museum challenged and inspired us to recognize how the past informs our present call to action.
At the Heidelberg Project, we were moved by bold, transformative art that reclaims abandoned urban spaces to tell stories of hope, resistance, and renewal. This vibrant and thought-provoking environment spoke to the creative spirit of justice.
At the Solanus Casey Center, we explored the life and legacy of a humble Capuchin Franciscan friar known for his deep compassion and tireless service to the poor and marginalized. It was a grounding and contemplative space that reminded us of the power of humility, simplicity, and spiritual depth in the work for justice.
Together, these experiences deepened PCYAC’s commitment to Gospel nonviolence and a more just, peaceful world. They shaped not only how we see the world but how we choose to engage it, with compassion, courage, and creativity. When the full Pax Christi USA National Conference began on Friday evening, the young adult community carried this energy with them—contributing to the intergenerational gathering with fresh vision, prophetic hope, and a deepened sense of purpose. Through keynotes, workshops, prayer, and communal worship, we felt the Spirit move among us, calling us again to be peacemakers in a world crying out for healing.
For those who are curious about what it means to be part of a movement for peace and justice, this gathering was a beautiful entry point. No matter your background or experience, there’s a place for you in this community.
Peacemakers in your 20s and 30s, we hope you’ll join us for future gatherings. Come as you are, and be part of what’s growing. The work of peace needs all of us.
Reflections
Mackenzie Doyle (she/her), Cincinnati, OH.
The PCYAC pre-conference events were my first events with this young adult group, and it was a meaningful first experience. I work in social justice work for a women’s religious congregation and was encouraged to attend these events prior to the conference. I loved getting to meet other young people passionate about creating a new world of peace and nonviolence. It was also exciting to get to see Detroit, despite living relatively close most of my life, I had never been. I thought that the Charles H. Wright African American History museum was a great start to become familiar with the history of Detroit in the context of the larger Black American freedom struggle that still continues today. It wasn’t lost on me that this history is actively trying to be erased from public memory, and yet it can never be. That was evident from our second stop, the Heidelberg Project. Knowing how many times this Project was attempted to be stopped and destroyed, it still exists to show art is resistance, and to witness to the continued dreaming of alternative futures that happens no matter the forces that oppose us. These two stories were a wonderful entrance into Detroit and helped me enter the conference with an understanding of what the current moment offers us.
James Conway, Baltimore, MD.
My experience with the PCYAC pre-conference activities were a little different because I was late arriving to Detroit but the impact was lasting and very impressionable. I work with individuals and groups to help them reconnect to the church so 100 percent of my focus is on being intentionally relational. When we were visiting the Heidelberg Project as well as when we watched the film we were given the opportunity to explore and engage with the events and one another which made them much more impactful to me. You could feel the connection through the intention of the art and artists. You were immersed in the film and captivated by the result as well as the struggle. It gave you insight to go deeper than superficial and surface level engagement to really feel what our brothers and sisters were and are going through. And I am grateful for the opportunity to experience and share these moments especially with other young people.
Gabriella Dudajek (she/her) – Hillsborough, NJ.
It was truly a gift to be able to spend some time with other Young Adults before the conference and explore a little bit of Detroit. Going to the Solanus Casey Center was my favorite part. I had never heard of Blessed Solanus Casey, and I got to learn and reflect on his ministry to the sick, which was inspiring. Also, visiting the Heidelberg Project was an opportunity to reflect on the realities of inequality built within the fabric of urban areas. The exhibits at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History hit me the hardest because they showed a comprehensive history of slavery in the United States, with life-sized scenes of different situations in which those who were enslaved found themselves. What was particularly moving was walking through a scene in the lower deck of a slave ship. As I walked through, I was surrounded by the cries of the people crowded on the hard wooden bunks in front of me. It was a harsh reminder that when people don’t recognize the inherent dignity of others, they see no issue in treating them as less than human. Overall, I appreciated the space to be able to reflect on faith and justice within the context of where the conference was held and to be able to do so with fellow PCYAC members.