District 214 hosts World Religions Summit, explores religious diversity in a multicultural society

District 214 hosts World Religions Summit, explores religious diversity in a multicultural society

The all-day summit brought together 75 students from four schools, classmates in the district’s World Religions courses. Keynote speaker Dr. Hussein Rashid, assistant dean of Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School, talked about religion in the cultural landscape — how religion and religious traditions are embedded in daily life — with Chicago as a model.

Courtesy of District 214

Event: Antisemitism and Allyship (April 8-9)

ANTISEMITISM AND ALLYSHIP: ASSESSING THE PRESENT, IMAGINING THE FUTURE

Monday and Tuesday, April 8 and 9
In Person at JTS
3080 Broadway (at 122nd Street)
New York City

At this two-day convening, join us as scholars, religious leaders, and artists come together to discuss the timely topic of antisemitism and how best to respond to its threat. Given the choices for responding to antisemitism, we will explore the strategies that have proven most effective for combatting this hatred with a focus on allyship. Themes to be discussed include what does and doesn’t count as antisemitism, relations between Jews and non-Jews in historical context, the potential for allyship among religious faiths and communities (including interreligious dialogue as a key form of communication and connectivity), and the college campus as a site of division and potential alliance. In addition, we will feature artistic and literary responses to antisemitism as another means of creating a more tolerant society.

Details and registration: https://www.jtsa.edu/event/antisemitism-allyship-convention/

Video: Faith in Action: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Solidarity for Just Peace in Times of Conflict

This dialogue was held between three scholar-practitioners who drew inspiration from their respective faiths in order to advocate for a just peace. This talk provided an opportunity for a deep discussion of faith-based activism, liberatory readings of theological texts, and the complex and, at times, controversial role of multi-faith and international solidarity in the Palestinian liberation movement during times of crisis.

This event took place October 18, 2023.

Video: Civility Project Session 5: Lessons and Challenges for Civility from Civil Society

Through its Civility Project, the John Brademas Center has convened thought leaders, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the value of civility in politics and the public square. This final session will go beyond civility in the body politic to look at lessons and challenges from other parts of American life. Is there a growing generational difference in the concept of civility? What does Civility mean for Millennials and Gen Z? How are campuses and classrooms facing the collision of civility and regulated vs. free speech? What can we learn from other sectors, such as entertainment and the arts? What lessons are there from how artists build connection and empathy? How can satire and humor be used as a tool of civility, or of incivility? What lessons can we draw from the power of humor to confront leaders in disarming ways?

Speakers for this final panel include Caty Borum, Executive Director, Center for Media & Social Impact, American University, Ricardo Maldonado, President and Executive Director, Academy of American Poets, and Hussein Rashid, Assistant Dean, Religion and Public Life; Lecturer, Harvard Divinity School.

Video: From Ms. Marvel to the Smithsonian

In this conversation, Dr. Rashid discussed his work and its uses in the classroom, with a particular focus on the Children’s Museum of Manhattan exhibit “America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far?”

Dr. Hussein Rashid is the new Assistant Dean for Religion and Public Life and brought to RPL with a wealth of experience as an educator in public and classroom settings. He has particular expertise in integrating the arts into the study of religion. From work with museums to film, documentary, and comics, Rashid has long engaged the power of images and art to highlight complexity and captivate learners when teaching religious literacy.

Among other projects Dr. Rashid executive produced the Times Op-Doc “The Secret History of Muslims in the US” and co-edited a volume on Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim to have her own comic series with Marvel Comics.

This event took place October, 24, 2023.

For more information, https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/home

Event: Leading Toward Justice: Intersections of Religion and Public Life

The Leading Toward Justice series features panel discussions spotlighting alumni impact in the world and the critical importance of religious literacy and ethical practices in secular or public professions.
 
Moderated by Hussein Rashid, MTS ’98, PhD ’10, assistant dean of religion and public life at Harvard Divinity School.
 
Featuring:

  • Pierre Berastain, AB 10, MDiv ’14 | Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, Caminar Latino – Latinos United for Peace and Equity
  • Lane Dilg, MTS ’01 | Global Government Partnerships Lead, OpenAI
  • Jack Jenkins, MDiv ’12 | National Reporter, Religion News Service
  • Yasmeen Shaheen-McConnell, MTS ’13 | Director of Strategic Partnerships, AmeriCorps 

This event is free and open to the public.

More information here

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