New national co-ordinator for CARJ

Mrs Uzoamaka Agyare-Kumi (known as Uzo Kumi) has been appointed the new national co-ordinator for the Catholic Association for Racial Justice. Uzo will take up the post in May. She is a Catholic woman, of African origin. Uzo was formerly a parishioner in an East London Parish and worked for TELCO for about a year. She now lives with her family outside of London and has most recently been working for Lambeth Council. She was on the planning group for the CARJ Congress last year. Margaret-Ann Fisken, chair of CARJ, said: "I am delighted that Uzo has will be joining CARJ as its director in May. She is a highly talented communicator and a deeply committed believer in racial justice. Her experience working in Lambeth Social Services, and before that as leader of a communities organisation in east London, means that she is ideally suited to take on this challenging role at the forefront of the Catholic Church's mission in this vital area. At this time when racial justice issues are in the spotlight perhaps as never before, Uzo is the right choice for a bright future at CARJ." Mgr Andrew Summersgill, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said: "On behalf of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, I welcome the appointment of Mrs Uzoamaka Agyare-Kumi as the new National Coordinator of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice. I am aware of her excellent work with The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) and as part of the team who organised the CARJ Racial Justice Congress 2003; and I look forward to working with her in the future." CARJ is an Agency of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, linked to the bishops' Department of Christian Responsibility and Citizenship. It was established in 1984 with the support of the bishops to educate the Catholic community and to speak out on issues of racial justice.