2023 Summit on Human Dignity

DEBT & DIGNITY

Monday, February 26 through Thursday, March 7, 2024


    • The Summit poster was designed by Khalid Quintana '24, Jacob Krotonsky '24, Nuri Todd '23 and Braeden Castro '24 from Mr. Cooper Davis' 2D Art Advanced Graphic Design class. Additionally, the page banner was created by Jaxson Packer '24.

SUMMIT MISSION STATEMENT
Brophy’s Summit on Human Dignity always has as its underlying mission exactly that: the recognition of universal human dignity, and an exploration of the ways it is threatened by a given set of forces in our world. This year, we recognize the inherent link between human dignity and Truth, and the threats to human dignity that necessarily follow from the ways that Truth is denied, reality is distorted and narratives are manipulated in today’s world.

The Truth of God’s design for creation is that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God. Untruth, then, is always tied to some measure of rejection of this foundational Truth. Every distortion of the truth is a denial of the full human dignity shared by all. To untether ourselves from Truth is to disconnect ourselves from God’s will for His creation.

Our Summit will look at the many ways that untruths appeal to us and lure us to accept them as a convenient “reality” in place of the reality God has given us, or to reject the concept of truth entirely as we seek only our own narrow benefit. As men and women for and with others, all members of the Brophy community are called to recognize that we are all susceptible to disinformation, misinformation and other forms of untruth, and that we have all participated in spreading such untruths, whether we have been aware of it or not. We are all called to an examination of conscience that holds a mirror up to ourselves as we seek to correct our various disorientations to reality.

By becoming aware of our own misjudgments and vulnerabilities, we can then move forward to recognize how the forces of untruth are acting upon our society and our world as a whole. In so doing, we can contribute to a healthier information landscape that does not allow lies to propagate into acts of violence ranging from the online harassment so many people experience, to the mass shootings inspired by hateful conspiracy theories, to the wars and genocides we know from history books and current events. All violence begins with a lie that gets believed about human nature: the insidious idea that some people don’t deserve the dignity that God gave to us all.

Truth is real. It is worth knowing. And whatever powers and comforts we have acquired through untruths, they are worth sacrificing in order to uphold the Truth of God’s world: the full and equal human dignity of all people. 
2024 SUMMIT INFORMATION

List of 9 items.

  • > What is the Summit on Human Dignity?

    Part of the transformational experience that is Jesuit education is to start young men and women on an early path to awareness of social issues and current affairs, and to teach them how to become advocates for social justice and positive change in the world. At Brophy, the annual Summit on Human Dignity (modeled after those most often seen at colleges and universities and organized by Brophy's Office of Faith and Justice) highlights an issue or topic that is particularly relevant and informs students on its nuances, as well as its social and political ramifications.
  • > Debt & Dignity: Four Guiding Questions

    1. What is debt and why do we use it?
    2. To what extent is debt the result of individual choice vs. the result of circumstances, systems and policies beyond an individual's immediate control?
    3. Who tends to benefit and who tends to suffer from standard debt practices?
    4. What actions can we take to safeguard ourselves and, most importantly, others from unjust debt and its impact?
  • > Keynote No. 1

    First Keynote:  Craig Antico/CEO, ForgiveCo™  
    Monday, Feb. 26


    Craig Antico was a consumer debt collection agency and debt buyer executive for over thirty years. In 2011, he changed course and has been a pioneer in the debt forgiveness industry since.

    In 2014, Mr. Antico co-founded RIP Medical Debt, a 501(c)(3) that buys and abolishes medical debt. That charity has raised millions of dollars to forgive billions of dollars of debt for millions of people. More recently, Mr. Antico co-created ForgiveCo™ PBC Inc., a public benefit corporation that targets forgiveness of any debts of necessity for individuals in hardship because of debt.

    Mr. Antico was named one of Town and Country's Philanthropists of the Year in 2018.
  • > Keynote No. 2

    Second Keynote: Tillie McCoy and Pamela Roselle
    Moderated by Jennifer Kiernan – Executive Director, Saving Amy
    Thursday, Feb. 29

    Saving Amy is a local nonprofit that empowers individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness through mentoring, teaching life skills, educational advancement and financial stability through employment. Tillie McCoy and Pamela Roselle are two women who received assistance and support through Saving Amy after debt led them into financial distress and homelessness. They will be sharing their stories in a conversation moderated by Saving Amy’s founder and executive director, Jennifer Kiernan.
  • > Keynote No. 3

    Keynote Three: Braxton Brewington – National Press Secretary, The Debt Collective
    Monday, March 4

    Braxton Brewington is the national press secretary for The Debt Collective, a national debtors union fighting to cancel debts and defend millions of households. As press secretary, Mr. Brewington has been instrumental in getting the message of unjust debt practices and the importance of debt forgiveness out to diverse audiences. His work highlights the spiritual, political, cultural, racial, gender and socioeconomic intersections at which debt operates, and opens up important conversations about where we as a society can go from here.
  • > Workshop Day

    Thursday, Feb. 19

    Brophy welcomes approximately 40 presenters to offer workshops across our campus on subjects related to debt and human dignity. Our presenters work in diverse fields — from finance to the nonprofit sector, from government to advocacy, from courtrooms to auction houses — and all have unique perspectives to offer on the role that debt plays in society and people’s lives. Students will have the opportunity to sign up for three workshops of their choice, followed by a chance to debrief with their peers and to share and discuss what they learned.
  • > Activity Day

    Activity Day Presentation: Understanding Debt for Financial Literacy
    Friday, March 1

    Presenters:
    David Bloom ‘00 – Partner / Family Wealth Strategist, TFO Family Office Partners
    Kim Llumiquinga – Family Wealth Strategist, TFO Family Office Partners

    Brophy alumnus David Bloom, along with Kim Llumiquinga, are family wealth strategists at TFO Family Office Partners, a local wealth management firm dedicated to caring for their clients as full people and not just as accounts, and to doing the right thing in all their dealings. They will be offering our students a look at the way debt works and how to be smart in approaching it. They will share practical knowledge and tools that our students can use for their own financial literacy goals, as well as to educate and help others avoid the injustices, indignities and moral hazards that can creep into our lives when we become burdened by debt.
  • > Synthesis Day

    Synthesis Day: Immersive activity and "Late-Nite Bronco" with host Ms. Ashley Doud
    Wednesday, March 6

    Students will engage in an immersive role-playing game in their team rooms before coming together in Robson Gym to synthesize our experiences of the Summit and process our understanding of the way debt affects our decisions. Ms. Ashley Doud will be hosting her class Summit program, Late Nite Bronco, to facilitate these discussions.
  • > Summit Prayer Services

    Opening Prayer Service: Monday, Feb. 26
    Closing Prayer Service: Thursday, March 7