November Resource Roundup

Our Shoulder to Shoulder Community & Congregational Network is an opportunity to connect with interfaith and community organizations and leaders throughout the country who are, in some capacity, addressing anti-Muslim discrimination in the U.S. Members share resources, problem-solve, and reflect on this important work in our meetings. Our network includes volunteer-run organizations and organizations with 10+ staff members. Members include organizations in rural, urban, and suburban communities in red, blue, and purple states and beyond. Each of them recognizes anti-Muslim discrimination as a threat to our communities and country. Each is committed to addressing this issue alongside their Muslim neighbors, friends, and siblings in their community.

The notes below are a selection of public resources and events shared by network members and our various partners and friends. If you want to learn more about our Shoulder to Shoulder Community Network, contact us and/or check out our website.

A Special Note

We started the Community and Congregational Network in 2017 to live out our mission of equipping, connecting, and mobilizing communities to build a country where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. During the last five years, this network has expanded and deepened our collaboration and resource-sharing with local communities across 32 states. This work now includes our monthly Resource Roundup that our staff and community curate monthly. We have shared hundreds of jobs, grant opportunities, toolkits, reports, and events.

Over the last two months, we have rapidly ramped up our work to connect, equip, and mobilize communities, and we need your help to continue at this level. Our 2024 calendar is filling up with more Faith Over Fear trainings, new resources, and convenings.

If you value this monthly Resource Roundup and the support we provide you and our partners, DONATE to the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign today. Every dollar we receive contributes to this important work.

Are you staff at a community or faith-based organization? We know that many people on our email list are community leaders leading their own organizations, so please consider giving as an individual and/or as an organization. To contribute as an organization, please email us directly at info@S2SCampaign.org.

Thank you for all you do every day.

With gratitude,

Cassandra

S2S Updates & Highlighted Resources

• December 14th | It’s All About Love Festival Thursdays Webinar | Faith Over Fear: Countering Anti-Muslim Discrimination
• For additional trainings, including our virtual training visit our website
• On Muslim-Jewish Relationships — S2S Public Conversation, July 2021 (Aziza Hasan, Andrea Hodos, Sabeeha Rehman & Walter Ruby) https://youtu.be/YAVHXdZfDDk?si=Jsr-SC5naAGLuttM&t=156
• I’m Not Muslim, Why Should I Care About Anti-Muslim Discrimination, July 2022 (with Rabbi Burt Visotzky and Dr. Jordan Denari Duffner) Event Recording: https://youtu.be/WBee3e6FR4E?si=4weJubf2tCe1EyPe
• A recording of our November 21st conversation, Addressing Islamophobia & Antisemitism: As a Jew, do I have to choose?
• ’tis the season for those uncomfortable conversations: Here are a few of our favorite resources

Upcoming Important Dates

• Dec 1: Rosa Parks Day
• Dec 7–15: Hanukkah
• Dec 8: Bodhi Day
• Dec 10: Nobel Prize Day
• Dec 25: Christmas
• Dec 26 — Jan 1: Kwanzaa
• What Religious Holidays are Happening in November and December? — Interfaith America
• 2024 Religious Holidays Calendar from Encounter World Religions, an organization promoting pluralism and religious literacy.

Events

• Beyond Divide and Conquer: Unite and Build Racial Equity — Four-part training
• Islamophobia Awareness Month
• December 5, 2023 | Join an online discussion of “Slavery and Islam,” by Jonathan A.C. Brown. Brown, a professor and the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University, explores the moral and ultimately theological problem of slavery across the Jewish, Christian and primarily Islamic traditions. 25 free books will be available to those who sign up. Register Here
• The Forum on Workplace Inclusion’s Navigating Spiritual, Religious and Worldview Diversity in the Workplace with Najeeba Syeed | Thursday, December 7, Zoom
• Institute for Social Policy and Understanding | Translating Research into Action and Change: A How-to Discussion — Thursday, December 7, 8–9 pm EST
• December 7 & 8 | Transformative Conversations is a training that seeks to equip community leaders to engage others in difficult conversations on hot button issues effectively. Register Here
• Wellbeing for Heart, Mind, Spirit, and Body | December 10 | In this virtual, experiential session, Rachel Baldi and Simcha Zevit share teachings from Islamic and Jewish traditions that promote a harmonious approach to overall well-being. Register Here
• Interfaith Photovoice Workshop | December 13th | Interfaith Photovoice founder Roman Williams will facilitate a photovoice workshop in which participants use their own photographs to have a conversation about gratitude. He will also present an overview of photovoice as a method of interfaith engagement, and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. Reserve your seat now
• Workshop and Lecture with Amy-Jill Levine | Tuesday, January 9, Chapel of the Incarnation, Olson Campus Center, St. Paul, MN. In person and on YouTube | Clergy Workshop: “Understanding Jesus and Paul Means Understanding Jewish Practice and Belief” | “The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: Why Knowledge of Jewish History Matters for Christian Preaching and Teaching” More Information and Registration Here
• Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom — Spain 2024 — MEJDI Tours

Jobs

• Come join our team at the Bridging Divides Initiative!
• The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom is Hiring! We are looking for a part-time office manager. For more information, please email tahija@sosspeace.org
• Careers — Interfaith America Director of Data Governance; Program Coordinator; Talent & Culture Administrator
• ISPU is seeking their next Executive Director! It’s an incredible opportunity for an experienced executive with a passion for our mission to provide objective research and education about American Muslims to support well-informed dialogue and decision-making. You can find the post here.
• Faith in Public Life | Senior Director of Development
• Vigilant Love is looking for a Community Organizer, Grants Manager, and Communications Coordinator as we grow our small and mighty team.

Fellowships

• M4BL will select 20 Black-led organizations from 20 different cities to participate in the 11-month People’s Response Fellowship to advance a collective strategy for Black safety and wellness. More information and application here
• Applications are now open for Collegeville Institute’s About Me, About You: A Writing Workshop By and For Women of Color with Roohi Choudhry. This generative writing workshop, designed to bring together women of color from diverse backgrounds to write creative prose rooted in personal experience, will be held from April 22–28, 2024 at General Theological Seminary in New York City. Applications are due Thursday, December 7, 2024.
• BJC Fellows Program: We are currently accepting referrals and applications for the 2024 BJC Fellows Program. If you know someone that is interested or if you work with young and emerging professionals, please share this information. They can visit BJConline.org/fellows for more information. FYI…Please encourage any past applicants to reapply. The 2024 Seminar will take place July 24–28, 2024. (Shoulder to Shoulder’s Director of Strategic Communications, Rev. Cassandra Lawrence, was a 2022 Fellow.)

Grants

• Emergent Fund: https://www.emergentfund.net/apply. Emergent Fund is a rolling, monthly rapid response and emergent organizing grant for movement and frontline communities responding to urgent and specific unanticipated crises or opportunities to build power.
• Urgent Action Fund: https://urgentactionfund.org/our-grants/security-grant/. We provide fast, flexible support to women, trans and non-binary activists so they can respond to unexpected risks and opportunities. We offer security grants, which are intended to support the safety and security of activists at risk. We also offer opportunity grants, which fund efforts to influence policy, raise awareness on important issues, and advocate for change.
• Inaya Care Fund from HEART: a grassroots fund for US-based Muslims in need of financial assistance as they navigate grief, organizing, and transitions. (Please share and support this beautiful care fund)
• Rise Together Fund is offering rapid response grants ranging from $5,000 — $25,000 to U.S. based community organizations. Each inquiry will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Whenever possible, RTF will support organizations with general support grants to allow for organizational flexibility. More Information Here

Call to Action

• Take Action to Stop Dehumanizing Language That is Leading to Hate Crimes Against Arab Americans
• Share your story of discrimination
• Get Help — Palestine Legal

Resources

Toolkits

• FACT SHEET: The U.S. Department of Education Announces New Tools to Tackle Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Discrimination and Bias
• Before you talk to a journalist — MLK50: Justice Through Journalism
• Constructing Solidarity Narratives in Challenging Times | Solidarity Is
• Immigration-focused Advent campaign | SojoAction | This month, piñatas, tamales, and holiday cheer will fill the air among Latine communities hosting Christmas celebrations known as Posadas. Posadas are a time to re-enact the migration journey of the Holy Family, remembering Christ’s birth amid strife. Scripture narrates Joseph and Mary’s arduous journey to Bethlehem, the rejection they experienced, and the birth of Christ in a humble stable (Luke 2:2–7). This holiday season, Sojourners SojoAction invites you to our national Posadas from December 3rd through December 12th. We will highlight hope and action with opportunities to advocate with our immigrant communities during a time of advocacy, reflection, and Christmas cheer as part of our Caminando Juntos, Journeying Together campaign, an advent experience to pray, reflect, and act with immigrant communities across the nation for a just, humane, and common-sense pathway to citizenship.
• Learn to build a world where everyone belongs. Take free classes with the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI) at UC Berkeley. We help changemakers build more vibrant, just and inclusive communities and structures.
• American Muslims and Religious Freedom FAQ — Interfaith Alliance
• Factsoverfear.org | A Website dedicated to countering anti-Muslim discrimination
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Islam and Muslims — ING
• Responding to Anti-Muslim Tropes
• Islamophobia: 9 tropes about Muslims | CNN
• Anti-Black Islamophobia Tropes | by Margari Hill | Medium
• Factsheet: Common Anti-Muslim Tropes — Bridge Initiative
• Islamophobia is Pervasive, Systemic, and a Threat to All | ISPU
• Be an Advocate Against Islamophobia
• Revolutionary Love Compass
• Anti-Semitism & Islamophobia — Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®

Books

• Naming God: Christian and Muslim Perspectives, edited by Dr Jucinda Mosher. This book is the result of the 2021 Building Bridges Seminar — an international dialogue of Christian and Muslim scholars — the contributors examine the many ways Christians and Muslims refer to and describe God and the significance of naming God differently.
• 30 Days of Gratitude with Salma Hasan Ali
• With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps and Mistakes | Edited By: Lucina Mosher, Elinor J. Pierce and Or N. Rose | Includes chapters from Wendy Goldberg and Cassandra Lawrence, Kathryn Lohre, Hussein Rashid, and more.

Reports

• Political Psychiatry: Policing Mental Health Beyond Guantánamo | Vigilante Love
• Costs of War project’s updated U.S. Counterterrorism Operations Under the Biden Administration, 2021–2023 report and map, which was featured exclusively in USA Today.
• Inviting the Elephant into the Room: Culturally Oriented Mediation and Peace Practice. Through six case studies based on Zaza’s work, the paper outlines the attitude and techniques of the mediator to address deep disagreements arising from different collective imaginations and social polarization in the UK. In this blogpost, Katrina Abatis discusses culturally oriented mediation based on the work of UK mediator, Zaza El Sheikh, who places culture and religion at the heart of her interventions.
• Hindutva in Britain — Bridge Initiative | This report analyzes the historical and contemporary context that has cultivated the complex landscape in which Hindu nationalist influences have materialized in the UK. Bridge Initiative research provides an overview of Hindutva in India, the Islamophobia industry and its connection to Hindutva, UK-based groups and individuals who have expressed or supported Hindu nationalist sentiment, and the 2022 Leicester riots, the political response and fallout following the events in the city.
• Native American and Indigenous Muslim Stories (NAIMS): Trends and Treasures
• Center for Security, Race, and Rights launched a groundbreaking report entitled Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine-Israel Discourse

Event Recordings & Podcasts

• UNESCO REP Webinar Series 6th Event | New Perspectives on Collective Healing, Social Justice and Well-Being, an international webinar series, jointly hosted by The UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project and the Global Humanity for Peace Institute, University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD).
• Paths to Understanding | Host Jeff Renner facilitates conversations about anti-semitism, interfaith, Islamophobia, cultural racism, religious oppression, and violence against faith-based communities. Watch Here
• In a recent Interfaith Dialogue hosted at Muslim Community Center, East Bay, Rev. Andrew Lobban and Dr. Ali Ataie examined the role of Jesus, son of Mary (peace and blessings be upon him), in the Bible and Christian theology and contrasted with his role in the Qur’an and Islamic theology. Watch Here
• New Ground: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change — Public Forum on Antisemitism
• New Ground: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change — Public Forum on Islamophobia
• Understanding and Countering Online Hate During the Israel-Gaza Conflict — JCPA
• Organizing for the Long Haul by Building Community
• In her talk on the theme of ROOTS, Malaka Gharib shares her creative history and some funny, touching examples of her work. As an artist, journalist, writer, cartoonist, and zine maker, Malaka speaks about her experience as a first-generation Filipino Egyptian American and how her cultural identity has shaped her work. In her talk, she tells us that it’s never too late to explore and embrace your roots.
• In the latest episode of Interfaith America with Eboo Patel, Harvard political scientist Danielle Allen discusses the role of power, agency, and religious identities in reinvigorating American democracy.

Articles

• Hate at Home: Islamophobia, antisemitism, and the harm Christians cause | Dr Jordan Denari-Duffner
• How Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism are manufactured through disinformation
• How reports of hate crimes in the US were already at record highs, in 4 charts
• A Dispatch From the Muslim Girl Scouts of Astoria — The New York Times
• Responding To Religious Harassment In US Schools — A Guide — MuslimMatters.org — We had a workshop with her last year.
• Hate Crime Charges Filed Against Man Accused Of Killing Sikh Man In NYC Fender Bender
• Campuses should model care: Engaging deep divides on Israel, Palestine and beyond
• Pro-Palestine Student Group in Florida Sues University System to Prevent Unconstitutional Deactivation
• According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire for his alleged role in the plot to kill the Sikh American individual. Gupta is accused of working with an Indian government employee to recruit and pay an assassin to carry out the killing. Sikh Activist Named as Assassination Target Says India Wanted Him Dead — The New York Times
• A Civil Rights Firestorm Erupts Around a Looming Surveillance Power Grab Dozens of advocacy groups are pressuring the US Congress to abandon plans to ram through the renewal of a controversial surveillance program that they say poses an “alarming threat to civil rights.”
• Opinion: An anti-Muslim tirade inspires a beautiful response | CNN
• Why campuses need centers for pluralism (opinion) | Eboo Patel
• Grieving Together — Valarie Kaur
• Unresolved Grief in a Nation — Valarie Kaur
• The Focus on Black Anti-Semitism by Margari Hill, Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative
• Humbled by Humanity by Rev. Terry Kyllo

Closing

Steve Garnaas-Holmes

Unfolding Light

www.unfoldinglight.net

At the bird feeder I see sparrows and finches,

catbirds, chickadees, mourning doves,

woodpeckers (downy and hairy,

and even the occasional huge pileated

hanging comically on the tiny suet cage),

bluebirds, jays and cardinals….

each with their own calls, their own habits,

their flight patterns, their ways of flocking.

Each different. All distinct. All their own.

God grant you the grace to have your voice, yours,

not another’s, not what another wants of you,

even if you upset them.

God grant you faith to trust your own goodness,

in your own form, with your own gifts,

not what others wish or expect of you.

Let the bluejay next to you squawk all they want;

you don’t have to be a bluejay, or pretend,

or make the bluejay happy.

Don’t let even the mockingbird get you

to sing another’s song. If you’re a sparrow,

be a sparrow, sing your sparrow song.

That’s what gives The Listener such joy