Debi's mother and grandmother later reconciled, but Debi feels the conflict created a lot of "useless and unnecessary pain." In addition to this, she experienced moving to a WASP neighborhood in Pennsylvania where her family did not always fit in. She grew up in a community very aware of the WASPS, the immigrants, and the "differences" between blacks and whites. 'Yet racial and ethnic barriers "always seemed so artificial" to her.

Debi says that going to integrated schools and living through the race riots prepared her for her life's work in social justice. Moreover, Dr. King's assassination ignited her commitment to improve race relations and combat discrimination. She calls racism an "artificial delineation" and stresses that she will "never clearly understand why we accentuate differences."

"People are afraid when they see someone different from them," Debi comments, "but different does not mean that one is better than the other is, it just means 'different.' In our society, we tend to put a value on differences... we rank them."

As a result, Debi has worked tirelessly during the past decade as an advocate for increased dialogue between African-Americans and Caucasians. In the early 1990s, she served as the Publicity Coordinator and on the Fund-raising Committee of the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation.

In the mid 1990s she successfully chaired the Foundation's Education Committee and recruited the Kankakee County Board Association and McDonald' s Restaurants as co-sponsors for the annual "Best Practice and Student Awards Contest." Over $2,000 in cash prizes and awards were given to teachers and students for "exemplary instruction and student work that addressed the life and accomplishments of Dr. King, the Civil Rights Movement, and non-violent conflict resolution."

Furthermore, Debi helped establish a social justice committee at St. Patrick Church in Kankakee, and she served on the Task Force on Racism for several years. She later introduced the concept of "study circles" to the community, which involved openly discussing race related issues while bringing diverse individuals together.

One of the reasons racism exists, Debi believes, is due to a lack of familiarity and a lack of opportunities to interact. To this end, "study circles" acted as a bridge geared toward those with a "limited voice." Over 500 community members participated in one or more of the "study circles" discussion groups.

Still, people see Debi as a member of the "power elite" because she works closely with public policy makers (she holds a Master Degree in Public Policy), but she strongly feels that the power elite needs to connect with the community and re-energize it. Again, the initiation of "study circles" into the community sparked this connection, and it served as a foundation for building a trust between the community and the policy makers.

"Policy makers really want to listen to what the people say," Debi says.

But Debi did not stop fighting racism in 1995 with the successful birth of "study circles." She went on to graduate from the Joliet Diocese Peace and Justice Institute, and in 1998, Bishop Imesch appointed her to the Diocese Task Force on Racial Justice. She also helped draft the first survey of priests and parishes to gather information about what was and was not being done in the Catholic Church to eliminate racism.

In her current work with "Pledge for Life Partnership," she continues to draw representatives from all sectors of the community in efforts to eradicate barriers and create opportunities for ALL children to become caring, successful adults.

She sees her ministry as "Spirit driven" and comments that "God is effective through us so if we fail to respond that cripples the Lord---we must respond to the call."

Debi's call has clearly involved fighting racism and racial barriers. But no matter what the injustice is, "the fact remains that injustice hurts." Debi remarks that "we have to combat all the 'isms,' not just racism." We cannot judge, she continues, "because we are creatures created to love and it is out of that love that we serve."

Debi credits her life of service to her father who showed her faith and perseverance. He allowed her to disagree, and he told her if she could answer to God, and if she believed she was doing what God expected her to do, then she should never let anybody stop her. Knowing this, she reflects, centers her actions.

To others fighting racism, she offers the following advice and a prayer she wrote: "Confronting racism is hard and it is easy to become discouraged, regardless if you are a member of the minority or majority culture. It is difficult to recognize progress because change happens much too slow for most of us to see it. Maybe these words will help others to put aside their own frustrations and stay committed to this work.

Lord, in spite of my impatience and personal disappointment,

Let me not be among the negative voices extinguishing the sparks of hope for an end to discrimination and prejudice;

But instead, that I may be a source of light and inspiration for others, especially the children.

For this I pray to our God almighty