SALISBURY — The Catholic Daughters of the Americas has a new leader: Essie Walker, from Salisbury Court 1759, who’s a long-time parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Charlotte.
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas was founded in 1903 to enable Catholic women to join together in sorority within their communities through works of charity, unity and love.
Walker breaks barriers by being the first African American and the first North Carolinian to hold the position in the century-plus history of the organization.
Her formal installation will take place July 25 at the group’s 61st Biennial National Convention in Iowa.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to serve as the 29th national regent of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas,” Walker said. “It is a blessing and a great opportunity to take this two-year journey with a group of women of faith who believe in our motto: ‘Unity and Charity.’”
As national regent, Walker will oversee the organization of more than 53,000 members. She will manage nationwide charitable projects, scholarships and spiritual initiatives and create its bylaws. This move to leadership was a long time in the making.
“I have been climbing up this mountain for over 30 years,” Walker said. “One position at a time. I first went through all the ranks of the local court, and I was encouraged to continue. So, I kept going.”
“Keep going” is a mantra Walker has lived out time and time again throughout her life. And though the position may be challenging, she is confident in her leadership.
“I am not worried about anything,” she said. “When I am presented with a challenge, I just take it to God, figure it out, and then keep moving.”
Heading upward
In April 1994, Walker was new to the Charlotte area and looking for a Catholic parish to join. After a couple of trial runs, Our Lady of Consolation hit all the marks.
While making new friends after Mass one day, parishioner Addie Dew invited her to go to a Catholic Daughters of the Americas meeting.
Walker had never heard of the organization, but as she listened to Dew talk enthusiastically about the service work they did, and how their mission was to promote justice, equality and the advancement of human rights, Walker was already interested in joining before she stepped foot into her first meeting.
During that first meeting at the local Charlotte Court 1199, Walker felt at home. But more than that, she felt inspired. She saw herself getting involved with this work.
“I loved this group of women who love the same things that I do. We played together, we cried together, we served together,” she said.
Her leadership ability and the Court’s trust surfaced quickly. Soon after she joined, she was elected treasurer.
As the years went by, Walker continually advanced, first serving as the regent of the local Charlotte Court – a position that is comparable to an organization’s chapter president.
“By then, I had my sights focused on serving on the state level,” she said.
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas agreed, electing her state regent of North Carolina. She stayed in that role for four years, all the while traveling to national conferences as a delegate. Of course, she couldn’t stop there.
“I aspired to serve on the national level,” Walker said. “I came to see my journey as a mountain climb. I could see the top. But to get there, it was imperative that I took one step at a time. I felt that if I had rushed up the mountain, I would have missed something important along the way.”
She landed her first national role in 2016 as national director – the second African American to carry the title, following Lucretia Coates, now deceased. She was re-elected to serve a second term. Two months later, she climbed to a new appointment as national treasurer.
“Serving in this position was an honor and gave me a deeper understanding of the business side of Catholic Daughters,” Walker said.
In 2020, COVID struck the Charlotte Chapter hard and they were forced to disband. Walker joined the closest chapter, the Salisbury Court, which is now at 99 members.
Walker was elected second vice national regent, then first vice national regent just two years later. She continued climbing to the summit. While the steps got wider and steeper, her goal was in sight.
In 2024, she was elected national regent-elect, a position comparable to vice president. After serving for two years, the national regent-elect automatically steps up to serve as the national regent – the leader of the entire organization.
Raised to lead
Walker grew up hearing she was a natural-born leader.
She explained, “We sometimes forget that in order to be a leader, one must also know how to follow. It is important to remember that a true leader serves others, values clear communication, shows respect and leads with gratitude.”
Those have been words she has lived by ever since she could remember.
Walker, one of the oldest of 12 children, felt her call to service young. Raised in Whiteville as a “down home country girl,” she couldn’t make it to school too often because she had diapers to change and meals to cook. Somebody had to look after her younger siblings while her parents were working and trying to put food on the table.
“It wasn’t that I couldn’t make it through school. I just couldn’t get there every day,” Walker said. “I was babysitting when I was 6 years old.”
So, after she graduated high school, she packed her bags and headed to Brooklyn, New York, for her studies. She studied for two years before making the move to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
She entered the military as a single Protestant. Due to a medical condition, she left 10 months in with a new husband, a new Catholic faith, and a baby on the way. But she wasn’t finished. Ten years later she returned, eventually retiring after 25 years of service.
When Walker believes in a dream, she sees it through, and just as she did with the Marines, she pursued completing her education when she was able. In her later years, she graduated from Belmont Abbey College with a business degree.
“Oh, I am very persistent, you know. I do whatever I like to do as long as I am not hurting anyone or taking anything away from anyone,” Walker laughed.
Future goals
As the newly elected national regent, she plans to grow the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.
“I want to come up with a way to get more African Americans and young adults involved,” Walker said. “Being the first African American to reach this position, I feel like I can reach this community. Also, the youth. Sometimes, young women have difficulty committing to something like this because they have families and have to work, so it is difficult for them to come to the meetings. I think we can do better. I also hope to bring more unity to the order.”
She intends to restart the Charlotte chapter and other disbanded groups and has a 10-year plan to increase membership by 20 percent.
She wants to inspire the Daughters to pray the rosary every day and to continue their culture of unity, charity and love.
“My life has been good, so I believe in giving to those in need,” she said.
Walker backs that commitment with her actions.
In her “free time,” she volunteers for the Elder Ministry and Burial Assistance Ministry at Catholic Charities. She helps at the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte and Victory Junction in Randleman.
Walker’s reception Mass will be celebrated on Sept. 12 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh.
— Lisa M. Geraci