Dr. Catherine Meeks

Catherine Meeks, PhD, is Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing. Prior to the center’s opening she chaired its precursor, Beloved Community: Commission for Dismantling Racism for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. A sought-after teacher and workshop leader, Catherine brings four decades of experience to the work of transforming the dismantling racism work in Atlanta. She characterizes herself as a midwife to the soul of her students and workshop participants. She has spent many years sharing the insights that she gained from her pursuit of the truth. She has had many great teachers including her sons, the Bible, Jungian psychology, cross cultural stories and other books of wisdom. But her greatest teacher is rheumatoid arthritis because it has forced her to learn many new ways to listen to her body and to pay attention to the messages from her heart. She is the author of six books and one inspirational CD and is the editor of the bestselling book, Living Into God’s Dream: Dismantling Racism in America and co-author of Passionate for Justice: Ida B Wells as Prophet for Our Times and her most recent book The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Clark Atlanta University and PhD from Emory University. In August 2022 Dr. Meeks was awarded the President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement and Service Award

On February 11, 2023, Catherine Meeks, PhD was the preacher at the Commemoration of Absalom Jones at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine service.