Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Wires.
Hi Katie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We are a company centered around racial justice. As a white woman, who grew up in a white church, I have seen and experienced the lack of conversations about race and justice in the church setting. I started the company as a way to come alongside white pastors and leaders, to equip and encourage them towards increasing their own racial awareness and dismantling their biases.
Partnering with my friend, Patience Regular, has been an incredible gift. As a Black woman, she brings insight, wisdom, and lived experiences that I will never have. We passionately believe that the Church can do better, and we want to help however we can!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think starting your own company can ever be described as a smooth road! The biggest struggle is connecting with white pastors and helping them see that this is vital work. Our communities desperately need them to care about racial justice and creating places of true belonging.
I think another struggle has been not letting the fear of getting it wrong keep me from starting the work in the first place. This work is important and necessary, and for too long, People of Color have been fighting this fight alone. My hope is that we can begin to change that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At the Reconciliation Group, we desire to see the Church become a leader once again in the pursuit of justice and compassion around the world. To that end, we provide a variety of programs that are designed to encourage and equip white pastors and church leaders to become antiracism advocates within the body of Christ and their communities.
We are aspiring Peacemakers who believe the gospel without justice is incomplete. Inspired by the words of Osheta Moore, Austin Channing Brown, and Sarah Bessey, we believe the best way to call the Church to a higher standard in its antiracism journey is from within.
For our coaching programs, your staff will meet at regular intervals, in-person, with a member of The Reconciliation Group team, for specialized training and discussion. Throughout the intermediary months, your staff will commit to completing focused action steps.
We offer:
– Fully customizable coaching programs
– Speaking engagements
– 2-day Workshops
– Q&A’s and panels
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Rochelle Mason, Founder of The Accomplish Group, has been an amazing mentor. Her firm specializes in small businesses, and she has been an incredible asset – walking me through each step of the legal and procedural aspects of starting my own business.
Joy Drake, creator Joy Drake Studios, has been my media guru! From social media to landing pages to graphics, there isn’t much Joy can’t do. She has a page on Etsy, and you should definitely check her out.
There are also amazing individuals who have inspired us along the way through their leadership and teaching on social media. Bobby Morgan, Founder of Liberation Lab; Kina Reed, a DEI expert with Divesting Whiteness; and Kat Armas, author of Abuelita Faith, are just a few of the men and women who have been walking this road much longer than we have. I respect them deeply and I’m thankful for their presence online.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheReconciliationGroup.com
- Instagram: @TheReconciliationGroup
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGJDxCCyTRjJ2apmPqa8dmA
