Religion & Spirituality
ENDOW - Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women - is a potent formation resource inspired by the vision that each woman encounters her infinite God-given value and dignity, untold talents and beauty, deserving of respect and of love. When I reached out to Katherine Meeks, West Coast director of ENDOW, I was looking for an articulate Catholic female voice to discuss the fruits of the program, Catholic feminism, and the contributions of “the feminine genius” that so enrich the world. Well, I got that, for sure. But as usual, my conversation took unexpected turns as Katherine opened up about her story. The tragic loss of her brother during high school provoked deep existential questions and gave the Christian proposal new significance. Her journey took her from the Chicago suburbs to college in Indiana to Los Angeles, with extended stops along the way doing non-profit public health work in Peru, South Africa, Cameroon, and an Indian reservation in New Mexico. She came to LA after landing a coveted job with humanitarian innovators TOMS shoes, and was eventually offered a dream job in public health development at UCLA - only to turn it down to work for ENDOW. People of all backgrounds - but perhaps especially Catholic women - will find inspiration and encouragement in this extraordinary conversation.