Hello, my name is Dr. Roxanne Casey. As a child reared in the inner city of Chicago, I overheard women often talking about the constant inequalities due to society limiting them to domestic roles, submissive wives and mothers. I lacked understanding as a child regarding their conversation, but I recalled their conversation when I was in eighth grade.
I was teased regularly by the boys who said I would never be anything in life but a loudmouth! I will never forget the day our teacher, Mrs. Glenn, asked for a volunteer to give the eighth-grade farewell speech. The boys whisper jokingly, “Ask the bigmouth girl!” I was very angry with the boys and equally fearful of volunteering. The voice within firmly nudged me to risk the fear and volunteer. I quickly raised my hand and was given two weeks to turn in a draft. Mrs. Glenn’s eyes and tone of “yes” to the speech gave me great confidence to stand before a full auditorium and the class of 1984 to give a speech that led to a standing ovation, while the boys in my class joyfully clapped and hugged me as I returned to my seat. I spoke with an intense volume from within outwardly, which scared me greatly.
During my high school years, I intentionally kept quiet and observed many people, because the power of my voice overwhelmed me. In my senior year, I learned about the women’s rights movement led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The movement established legislation and gave women legal rights for equality, which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This learning was the basis of my seeking knowledge and effective skills to unleash my voice within; however, I remained afraid of the voice within.
My time in college and graduate school allowed me to develop academically, yet I still struggled to release my voice. I was introduced to Faith Coalition for the Common Good in 2008 and was an active member several years before returning to school for my doctorate. The training FCCG offered opened my eyes to the great possibilities of how to use my voice without fear. I returned to FCCG in 2022. I attended a Ntosake-Women three-day training. Participating in the training strengthened my voice in speaking confidently with greater insight into my inner self.
The history of Ntosake-Women was established in 1993, in response to deep, historical systems of patriarchy, a group of women organizers and leaders across the Gamaliel Network created the “Women’s Weekend.” They freely explored how to effectively build a life as a leader in their communities and congregations. The founders understood that women often did not find spaces that were bold, life-giving, and affirming while honoring spirituality. The Rev. Dr. Brenda Hayes of the African Methodist Episcopal Church used the word “Ntosake (Swahili) in her closing sermon, “A woman who walks with Lions and who comes with her own things.” Upon hearing the word and its definition, an awakening swept through the room, and 75 women declared, “We are Ntosake.” Vision: Listening to women’s unique stories and valuing relationship building, Ntosake is a leadership development program giving women the tools to build power to transform their lives, their organizations, and their communities.
After a tragic accident I had in April 2023, the vision and mission of FCCG and Ntosake were one of the catalysts that inspired me to shift with a greater purpose of reaching my goal of becoming whole. I am regularly adding positive affirmations, and skills learned from FCCG and Ntosake to continue moving toward becoming a better me daily.
I would like to invite the women of Sangamon County to our next Ntosake meeting at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17.
Dr. Roxanne Casey is the chair of Faith Coalition’s Ntosake Pride and FCCG board member representing the Ministerial Alliance. If you have any questions or want more information on how to get involved, email tyshianna@faithcoalition-il.org or visit https://faithcoalition-il.org/.
This article appears in October 2-8, 2025.