2026 KUJENGA
Updated: 5 hours ago
BLACK CATHOLIC YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
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KUJENGA is a Swahili word meaning "to build" or "youth leadership".
The KUJENGA Youth Leadership Conference in St. Louis was an inspiring, weekend-long program that celebrated the positive identity, cultural heritage, and spiritual gifts of Black Catholic youth. Rooted in the Swahili word meaning "to build," this transformative ministry equipped teenagers with practical leadership skills, deepened their faith, and fostered essential decision-making tools. Marking the program's triumphant and celebratory return for the first time since 2021, the event gathered young people from across the area for an enriching weekend of interactive workshops, prayer, and community building. This milestone gathering provided a vital, welcoming space that empowered the next generation to confidently step into their purpose as vibrant leaders within the Church and their communities.
The KUJENGA program itself originally began in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1977. Shortly after, young people from the Archdiocese of St. Louis began participating in the conference in 1992, initially joining the program alongside the neighboring Diocese of Belleville before it became a cornerstone annual offering hosted locally by the St. Charles Lwanga Center.
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Aug 4-6 2026 KUJENGA
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