Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, came to Durango last month as part of Fort Lewis College’s Common Reading Experience and our local Community Read. This letter is thanking her for the time she devoted to our community. She encouraged us to think for ourselves and examine the issue of the death penalty from a compassionate, realistic, economic and legal perspective. She did not preach to us, but guided us toward making our own decisions based on evidence and thought. Her delightful sense of humor kept us from becoming immobilized in the midst of these dark issues of crime and punishment.
As the Common Reading Experience celebrated its ninth year, and the community joined in as it always does, I am reminded that we live in a community of people willing to attend events that ask us to think, discuss and argue with civility. Thanks also to FLC for focusing on ideas and including the arts in what could have been dry, academic discussions. Many courageous conversations took place, multiple cultural experiences were offered, and many were fortunate to meet Sister Helen as she spent almost every minute of her 48 hours in Durango talking with students and community members. As she presented passionately to more than 900 people at FLC’s Whalen Gym, her activism and compassion were unmistakably obvious. Thankfully, all events have been captured by a documentary about the full experience.
Equal thanks goes to coordinator Bridget Irish, FLC’s retired assistant dean of arts and humanities. Her determined and thorough work was manifested in the highly successful experience. There was a large team of courageous people who were responsible for inviting and hosting Sister Helen and creating so many events that surrounded her visit. Let’s invite Sister Helen back for another round of inspired conversation leading to activism against the death penalty.
Kathleen Adams
Durango
