September 2023 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. In our meetings, members share resources, problem-solve, and reflect on this important work. Our network includes volunteer-run organizations and organizations with 10+ staff members. There are organizations in rural, urban, and suburban communities in red, blue, and purple states. Each of them recognizes anti-Muslim discrimination as a threat to our communities and country. Each of them is committed to addressing this issue in their community alongside their Muslim neighbors, friends, and siblings.

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

S2S Programmatic Updates:

• Community Building With Films — Recording — This conversation features Pardeep S. Kaleka, co-director of Not in Our Town, Aber Kawas, a community organizer featured in An Act of Worship, and Dr. Hussein Rashid, a professor and scholar of religion specializing in Muslims and American Popular Culture. From exploring the role of documentaries in raising awareness about social issues to discussing the influence of fictional films in shaping our perceptions, this event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the world of community building through cinema.
• *NEW RESOURCE* S2S Movie and Book Recommendations
• October 5 | Bozeman, MT | Faith Over Fear: Countering Anti-Muslim Discrimination — In Person
• October 19, 1pm ET | Evangelism or Interfaith Dialogue: Do I have to choose? — Virtual
• November 21, 12pm ET | Addressing Islamophobia & Antisemitism: As a Jew, do I have to choose? — Virtual

Important Dates Coming Up

• Sept 24/25: Yom Kippur
• Sept 29- Oct 6: Sukkot
• October Clergy Appreciation Month
• Oct 2: International Day of Nonviolence
• Oct 4: St Francis Feast Day
• Oct 7: Simchat Torah
• Oct 9: Clergy Appreciation Day (Thank your religious leader for building communities of belonging where everyone is treated with dignity and respect no matter how or if they pray.)
• Oct 9: Indigenous Peoples Day
• Oct 15- 23: Maha Navatri
• Oct 16: Birth of the Bab and Baha’u’llah
• Oct 27, 2018: Tree of Life Shooting

Events

• Total Information Awareness: The High Costs of Post-9/11 U.S. Mass Surveillance and Current Policy Issues Tuesday, October 3 at 1:00pm ET REGISTER HERE
• Latino Attitudes Toward American Muslims and Islam | New Report from Institute for Social Policy and Understanding | Webinar October 4th | Attend the webinar to learn more about the Latino community in the U.S. and participate in rich discourse on the community’s views and approaches to American Muslims and Islam, including recommendations on how to further decrease Islamophobia and build bonds between communities.
• Join Muslims for Just Futures Chaplain Yasmin Yonis for our monthly healing justice program. Our first session will be Fridays Oct 6th, Nov 3rd, & Dec 1st, 7–8pm ET. We hope you join us to cultivate space to process and reflect together and deepen our relationship to one another. Register Here
• Center for Security, Race and Right’s 23/24 lecture series Humanizing ‘the Other,’ featuring an all-star lineup of experts on counterterrorism, Islamophobia, Palestinian human rights, critical race theory, and post-colonialism. Starts October 10th.
• Depolarizing Within | Saturdays, September 23 and 30, October 7, 14, 21, and 28, 1:00–4:00 pm Central and Sunday, October 15, 3:00–6:00 pm Central, Online | Too often, we criticize, dismiss, or even ridicule those who support the “other” party, its leaders, and its policies. That’s why Braver Angels is hosting a series of Depolarizing Within workshops. Designed as part of our Rise for America initiative, this effort will help participants learn how to be critical without demonizing or stereotyping, and how to redirect polarizing conversations with like-minded people. Register for any of these workshops on Saturdays: September 23, September 30, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28.
• Registration is now open for the 2023 National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA’s Annual Christian Unity Gathering! It will be held October 9–12 in Nashville, TN. To learn more and register, go to https://nationalcouncilofchurches.us/christian-unity-gathering-2023/
• A Mindful and Nonviolent Holiday Season 90-minute Class on Zoom Tuesday, October 24, 1–2:30pm Pacific
• FEMA Protecting Places of Worship Weeks of Action Virtual Events
• Little Amal is the 12 foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child at the heart of The Walk. She has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. Between 7 September and 5 November 2023, Amal is journeying 6,000 miles across the United States in one of the largest free public festivals ever created. More than 35 towns and cities from Boston to San Diego and 1,000+ artists and arts organizations will create 100+ free public events to welcome her.
• A Place of Welcome? A Multifaith Gathering on Practicing Hospitality in Minnesota | Thursday, November 9, 2:00–8:00 pm, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Avenue S, Saint Paul, MN 55116 Information Here

Research

• Faith in Action report advisory board, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum believe in the power of faith-based partnerships, and we want to hear your insights! Participate in the Faith in Action survey and share examples of impact: wef.ch/faithsurvey

Fellowships/Jobs

• Poligon Media Intern with strong knowledge of the digital media landscape, including social media, to communicate our programs and policy updates to our networks. More details can be found on their website.
• The Congressional Leadership Development Program (CLDP) powered by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is now open! Visit CLDP.org to learn more about the program and qualifications.
• Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and Trinity Church Wall Street, Interfaith Center of New York’s Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy gives diverse religious leaders the tools they need to make a difference. ​​Working with expert trainers from leading nonprofits, we have created an intensive leadership development program for a select group of fifteen clergy members, lay leaders, and faith-based activists. Applications are open. Deadline is October 22 To apply, click here. You can see the schedule and workshop topics here.
• The Family and Youth Institute is seeking a highly motivated Full Time Marketing Communications Manager. This individual will be responsible for developing, managing, and executing our overall marketing strategy. The Marketing Communications Manager will lead a team to enhance organizational branding both online and in person and build a strong online presence through various social media and web-based platforms.
• Faith in Public Life is hiring for a few positions. Senior Director of Coalitions & Campaigns (DC preferred) Grants Manager ; Finance and Operations Manager (DC preferred), Ohio Organizing Manager (OH only)
• The United Church of Christ DC Office is hiring a Policy Advocate for Domestic Issues & Policy Advocate for International Issues
• El Hibri Foundation Executive Assistant to the President and internships
• Muslim Counterpublic Lab’s inaugural Muslim Narrative Power fellowship. We have extended the deadline to Monday, September 25th by 11:59 PM Est. You can learn more about the fellowship and apply here. If you know any Muslim writers who might be interested and you could help spread the word, we would appreciate it.
• ReThink Media has an opening in their Peace & Security Collaborative for a Communications Associate/Sr. Communications Associate.

Resources

Toolkits

• A Wikipedia for microagressions, an unlikely but needed combination. The Micropedia “aims to collect everyday microaggressions and highlight their harmful impact through source-based definitions and real-world examples”. Houston Coalition Against Hate uplifts organizations and initiatives that work to address and document hate incidents.
• Center on Extremism Resources: H.E.A.T. (Hate. Extremism. Antisemitism. Terrorism) Map | Hate Symbols Database | Glossary of Extremism
• De-Escalation and Communication Around Contentious Meetings | Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative
• Unfold Your Own Myth Project uses film as a vehicle to communicate and teach the Power of Story in overcoming trauma and loss among marginalized youth. The audience for this project includes three struggling communities in America — refugee, immigrant and Muslim.

Books

• NEW RESOURCE* S2S Movie and Book Recommendations

Reports

• Georgetown University Bridge Initiative’s latest factsheet on the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF): The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) is a Frisco, Texas-based Hindu non-profit organization. GHHF supports Hindu nationalist ideology and regularly publishes discriminatory, inflammatory, and intolerant content about Islam and Christianity. The group promotes anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, has raised funds to aid the demolition of Churches in India, and supports the Hindu nationalist mission of making India a Hindu-only nation.
• Religion and Peacebuilding in Contemporary Global Crises | ISPI

Articles/Podcasts/Videos

• NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change
• Forum on antisemitism held in the Spring with Ken Stern, Eric Ward, and Stephen Smith in conversation with Rabbi Sarah Bassin.
• Hospitality with a moral punch — The Presbyterian Outlook
• Getting to honest conversation — Rob Corcoran: Trustbuilding
• What Gen Z needs to know about 9/11 and its aftermath — Chalkbeat
• Ordinary U.S. Muslims Are Still Being Victimized by the ‘War on Terror’ by Maha Hilal
• Uplifting this noteworthy email from the Interfaith Center of New York from September 11th. They shared a clip from the press conference held on September 13, 2001 and a simple note. Sometimes we don’t need to write something new, but rather uplift a previous statement.
• We All Belong: Interfaith Communities United Against Hate | URI Check out the beautiful public service campaign launched in San Francisco to address community belonging.
• Bridging & Belonging

Closing:

UC Berkeley: Othering and Belonging Institute