Solidarity in Action at the Ignatian Teach-In for Justice

Each year, the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice brings together students who believe that faith is not only something to be studied, but something that must be lived. This past November, 14 members of O’Dowd’s Solidarity in Action (SIA) team traveled to Washington, D.C. with Mr. Downs and Ms. Servais to take part in that call. The group joined more than 2,000 students from across the country who are learning how to turn compassion into action.

For SIA, the Teach-In is not simply a conference, whose theme this year was “Press On.” It is a space where students come to understand why justice work matters, how their own stories shape their advocacy, and how faith calls them to speak even when it feels uncomfortable. That purpose felt especially powerful this year, as students returned to the very conference where Solidarity in Action was first imagined ten years ago.

One of the clearest expressions of that purpose came when SIA member London Walker ’26 opened the conference as a mainstage keynote speaker. By sharing her experience as a young Black woman interested in coding and cybersecurity, London helped the entire assembly see why representation and access in tech education matter. Her story reminded students that justice begins when people can name where systems fall short—and when they choose to speak anyway. In doing so, London not only advocated for marginalized communities in tech but also modeled what it looks like to lead from lived experience.

Throughout the weekend, SIA students continued to reflect on why their work matters by sharing their program's story in a breakout session. They spoke about SIA's long-term commitment to justice through campaigns focused on food justice, Black maternal health, immigrant legal support, environmental sustainability, college access for first-generation students, and ending the cash/bail system. In conversations with students and teachers from other schools, SIA members saw how their efforts could inspire others to believe that meaningful change is possible within their own communities.

The question of why became even more tangible when students brought their advocacy to Capitol Hill. SIA students met with staff from five offices, including those of Senators Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla, and Cory Booker, and Representatives Lateefah Simon and Eric Swalwell. These meetings were not about abstract policy alone, but about reminding lawmakers that legislation has real consequences for real people.

For Ricardo Cornejo ’26, that meant sharing his family’s experience with immigration enforcement and the fear that can accompany it. Speaking in a Senate office, Ricardo transformed personal vulnerability into purpose, grounding national policy conversations in human reality. His advocacy reflected the heart of SIA’s mission: to ensure that those most affected by injustice are not spoken about, but spoken with.

Throughout the Teach-In, students were reminded that advocacy is not reserved for adulthood or elected office. It begins now—with listening, learning, and having the courage to speak. As members of the Ignatian Family, O’Dowd students deepened connections with peers and educators who share a commitment to a faith that does justice, finding hope even in a city often marked by division.

The weekend ended with an unexpected moment of affirmation when Nancy Pelosi thanked SIA students for their commitment to justice and faith. Yet the true impact of the Teach-In was already clear. Students returned home more grounded in their purpose, more confident in their voices, and more aware of why this work matters, not just for others, but for who they are becoming.

For Solidarity in Action, the Ignatian Teach-In for Justice is a reminder that justice is not a side project. It is a way of pressing on and living faithfully in the world.