STA Race & Culture Committee: Mission Statement
The St. Thomas Aquinas Race and Culture Committee’s mission is to strengthen and enhance STA’s commitment to advancing the cause of racial justice in our community, provide a welcoming place for all people, and celebrate God’s gift of a diverse people.
To achieve this mission, the Committee will:
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- Promote ideas and events to further the spirit of diversity and inclusion.
- Engage the full parish and our neighbors in conversations and experiences about our shared cultures.
- Develop practices to welcome and support parish members with diverse experiences and attributes.
- Critically explore ways STA can incorporate racial justice and diversity in our community engagement and outreach efforts.
We encourage all at STA to become involved with our programs. If you wish to learn more, please contact Patrice Payne (patricejpayne@gmail.com) or Karla Hudecek (khudecek@staindy.org). Additional racial equity resources can be viewed at this site:
Results for the STA Parish Survey: “How to Grow Our Diversity”
In May 2025, the Race & Culture Committee asked the parish to complete a Diversity Survey. The committee would like to thank parishioners for taking the time to complete the survey. 88 people completed it and submitted over 200 comments. These results were grouped into eight key items and four recommended action items. A summary of the results show that parishioners value STA’s welcoming spirit but want a stronger, more visible commitment to racial diversity, outreach, and social justice—returning STA to its roots as an inclusive, action-oriented community. The Parish Council and the Race & Culture Committee are working together to implement some of the suggestions from the survey. The Race & Culture Committee suggests that all ministries look at the results and consider how their ministries could work to increase racial diversity here at STA. To see a written copy of the results, you may click HERE.