NCR's Member Spotlight shines a light on the passionate, diverse individuals who make up our NCR Forward member community around the world. If you are interested in being featured in a future Member Spotlight, please drop us a line at membership@ncronline.org.
Dusty Krikau
Fond du Lac, WI
Member since: September 2019
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in a small town in southeast Wisconsin, but from 2003-2013 spent time living in the UK, Colorado, Virginia, and Indiana. During that time, I earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees and worked in higher education in residence life, multicultural student services, alternative break programs, and immigration services. I also got married and had two kids who are now 10 and 12 years old. Since moving back to Wisconsin in 2013, I have transitioned over to the non-profit world, working for the local Volunteer Center and then with our downtown business development organization. In December of 2018 I took on the role of Director of Mission Advancement for the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes. At that same time, our family moved into an old farmhouse on an acre of land where we grow some food for our family, but are also actively working on providing a respite for native pollinators and other wildlife.
What inspires your faith?
In a world of “Nuns and Nones,” I identify primarily on the “Nones” side of that spectrum, with pantheism being the closest label that I would find comfortable. I grew up as a Wisconsin-synod Lutheran and meandered my way through evangelical non-denominational Christianity, atheism, and now live my life Jewishly since my partner is Jewish and we are raising our children in that faith tradition.
My inspiration to find the divine in everything comes from watching flowers and animals in nature, seeing the joy that comes to my children when they create art, and witnessing the altruism of people who take action to help others when there is no benefit to them.
What parts of NCR do you read/enjoy the most?
My day begins with the “Copy Desk Daily” and I usually find at least one article that I want to read in full. The book reviews have inspired more than one purchase, the Global Sisters Report and Earth Beat articles are regularly shared on LinkedIn, and I will often share articles about the social justice efforts on my personal page for family who still don’t quite understand how or why I would work for a Catholic organization!
Is there a person who has been influential in your faith journey?
The books by Rabbi Harold Kushner were instrumental in bringing me back to having faith in anything. Years later when we moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and I met a Sister of St. Agnes, I was floored by their embodiment of the prophetic Jesus who refuses to ignore injustices and works to fix them. It was a part of Catholicism that I had never known, and for the first time, I saw the value in the “organized” part of organized religion.
Can you recommend a book to other NCR Forward members?
The first Kushner book I ever read, Who Needs God, was a much-needed book while I was immediately post-partum after my first child and I highly recommend it for anyone feeling down or alone. If you’re intrigued to read stories of the Sisters of St. Agnes, there are two books discussing their history, one of which was just printed this month. Ordinary Sisters: A Story of the Sisters of St. Agnes in Latin America, 1945-1995 is a page turner and the story is still in progress.
Thank you for being an NCR Forward member. We are grateful for your support. If you have questions about your membership, please contact Kayla Bergman, Member Services Coordinator at membership@ncronline.org.