Pacific Together - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion- Shared screen with speaker view
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Laura Steed (she/her)
00:00
introduce our panelists by name and allow each of them to briefly share about their religious and non faith community or organization.
And so our first panelist today is Miss A Wilson Kennedy.
She's like to unmute and share briefly.
Production for for you.
Sure. Once again, my name is
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
00:19
Jay, Wilson Kennedy I ONE OF THE COACHES FOR THE CALIFORNIA. Poor People's Campaign, which is connected to the national campaign.
A call for more revival. I'm glad to be here and I'll be sharing information about the work we're doing statewide and then locally in Sacramento. Thank you very much.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
00:40
Thank you so much. We also have Noel and Aveiro joining us know well
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Noel Navarro
00:48
Hi, my name is too long. I spent two years volunteering at UC Davis medical as a chaplain. And now I am treasure and half OWNER OF THE REASON center.
The reason center is basically community center that acts as a venue for gatherings for things for like educational activities. Anything promoting science critical thinking civic responsibility and all through naturalistic worldview using secular values.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
01:16
Thank you so much. And we have an image from the Islamic Center in Modesto a mom amid kale. If you'd like to introduce yourself.
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Imam Ahmad
01:29
My name is Matt came along. I'm the mom of the Islamic center of Modesto, and the man stands for, like, a priest or the spiritual leader of the Community.
Our community serves about 5000 member or Muslims in Modesto and Stanislaus County and we're very active also with the
Outside community. So we're part of majestic community. Overall, and we have both inside activities and outside activities. I'm also a member in the interface console for the Stanislaus County.
So we sit on a monthly basis with the clergy is in town and we plan for a project. So for for the community.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
02:17
Thank you so much. So glad that you're here with us today. And then our fourth panelist is a Pacific alumni alum and also an affiliate campus minister, working with our students. And so a lot of Ferguson, would you like to introduce yourself.
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Ilana Ferguson
02:34
Yes. Hello, I'm a lot like Laura said, I'm an affiliate campus minister at Pacific
And work for a Christian ministry organization called University and we seek to build spaces of community on college campuses where students can go deeper in their faith or explore what it would look like to follow Jesus in college.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
02:56
Excellent. These are wonderful four panelists today sharing from their beliefs and experience and from their wisdom. I'm super excited for our conversation as we dive into
Faith and community, especially right now with with all that's going on. I think that there's no better time to have such conversations and so
How today's going to go. I'm going to ask two questions to our panelists and allow them to jump in and share. And then I'm going to open it up.
For our audience members to also ask questions and you can ask those questions to a specific panelist, or you can ask it to the the broader group of panelists and
You can do so by raising your hand with the reactions or you can just put that question into the chat and our monitor Jenny will be calling on folks for Q AMP. A when that time comes. So once again, thank you all for joining us. And without further ado, let's start this conversation.
So panelists. I'm like to ask you. What role has religious or non faith beliefs and traditions played for you and your community. During this pandemic.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
04:21
I'll, I'll, I'll take a crack at that question. So for me, Fe and the campaign locally as well as statewide so locally several people campaign we engage
Homeless encampment. We've been homeless at anywhere between 711 homeless encampment.
And and we were doing this before the pandemic and we were noticing leading up to the pandemic and during the pandemic.
That because people on how they don't have access to technology if they have a phone. It's a real basic phone so they were not hearing the message is about the importance of math.
social distancing or physically distancing. And so what we did was we started engaging people on a one on one. I'm a lay person. I'm not
A minister or a pass, just we just start engaging people. And then as we got out into the broader community, we realized we were seeing the same thing. So we found that the alarm.
We wrote articles for the local newspaper, we began to pull together zoom things similar to this to raise people's awareness about what needs to happen.
And then the same thing was happening throughout all the seven regions, that's part that make up the California for people Cafe.
And the as well as the national was doing the same thing we were talking about the importance of shelter in place.
To keep people safe because the focus of the Poor People's Campaign is the poor, poor and what we would call disadvantaged people and to sit at the center.
And those folks are essential workers. They can't shelter in place, like those of us who have jobs that can stay at home. So those are some of the ways we're using our faith.
Looking at it from a moral perspective, bring it in those entities are helping people understand why it's important to wear a mask and then we model the behavior ourselves when we go out to the encampments we wear our math we social distance we show people how to do that. And so
Thank you very much.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
06:43
Thanks at any others of the panelists like to share
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Noel Navarro
06:50
I'm also a little bit about what we've been doing over at the center. So normally we do hold a lot of talks where we'll have
Any expert coming down the field someone with a lot of experience and we just have normal talks, unfortunately. Now we have to do it via zoom. So we've been keeping that going. So we've had experts coming in and talk about mental health matter fact we just had a speaker come in.
I'm forgetting her name. She came in. She's a ex minister and now licensed counselor and she talked about some of the things about how to keep your mental health up
And that was really good. Another thing we've been doing is, again, just for mental health and keeping the community together.
Before we hosted things like movie nights and game nights at the center. Instead, we've done all these things via zoom. So I thought that was really good.
And just to keep up with the vein of community service were beforehand, where we would be making blankets. We've done a lot of highway cleanups
River cleanups we're now we're out and getting cold water to the homeless again is on these hot, hot days. I mean think about
How a cold bottled water now and you just want that cold water. What does that mean for somebody who is experiencing some homelessness, you know,
So it makes that big of a difference it. So we've been doing that getting out just trying to stay connected with our neighbors and those kinds of ways during the pandemic.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
08:05
Thanks. And I think I saw a lot. I was going to jump in as well.
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Ilana Ferguson
08:11
Yeah, I see the role that my religious belief and like tradition. What it's played for myself and my community is it's been our anchor in this time.
Because it's been a space to connect. Typically when we're physically distant just making sure that we've checked in with all of our members within our varsity making sure you check in with all of our students.
How can we provide for and how have we been providing for them like physically, emotionally, and spiritually so caring for people as as whole people and
Whether we can meet that need. Or we can pray for them interceding for them asking God to meet that need. Or just pulling together resources to
check in on people or encourage them having space to share your pains and share your grief and then also space where we can be reminded of
This is our faith. This is where we have our hope and we can also have joy in this time so
Trying to I guess to hit what's happening right now and also have a larger zoomed out view of okay if we believe that God is who he says he is. Then he has a plan and he's not surprised by this. So being able to remind each other that you
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Laura Steed (she/her)
09:32
Thanks Ilana and a mom.
I'm curious how this is also affected our Muslim communities locally and globally.
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Imam Ahmad
09:42
Well, I'm the mosque, which is a place of worship, and as long as the heart of the community and due to the fact that we have a very diverse Muslim community here who came from all around the world.
We feel that when we come to the mosque, we come to the house that
THE WHOLE FAMILY GATHERED
And out of a sudden that stopped, which has left left a very huge impact on on the congregants on the individuals, now I'm here. We have faith comes to serve very well because
We know and the Holograms through the verses that God revealed that we shall be tested. And this test can be hunger lust of 12 last of the beloved ones. So here, where the faith comes to serve the believer or the follower very, very well.
So most of the services that we provide.
Now is online facebook youtube zoom meeting the holiday and Islam as a Friday, where we have over 600 individuals.
Were attending the the service. Now the service has to move online. And so the younger children at home help their, their parents who are illiterate using the, the high technology.
Maybe this is one of the benefits they finally have the courage to to work on computers or or smart, smart phones.
We also have participated in the overall community projects such as hanging signs and this is by the beginning of the pandemic as part of London, the desktop project.
We've asked our young youngsters our youth to hang signs give help need help. If anyone needs help in the community, they can call certain numbers food banks.
To come and pick up food or even food delivery. We have done a project of the food basket. It's a drive thru service where people can stop by and then pick up free food basket.
We have participated. Also, and delivering food for seniors. Those who sheltered and and they can leave the house also our youth.
Willingly, they participated in that and plus also providing a constantly
Online counseling or visa.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
12:53
Wow, I just hearing from each of you already can see the, the large impact that you and your communities are making
On your local city and and beyond. I'm curious if there's a just as a follow up question. What are ways besides just having to move online that you are
Seeing the pandemic impact your own community had the challenges or ways, you know, the silver linings of that we can also find sometimes within challenges. How, how has this impacted your community. And today, yesterday, and how you see it impacting it going forward.
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Imam Ahmad
13:45
Anyone can ask me.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
13:48
Absolutely.
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Imam Ahmad
13:49
Okay, well, it is because we are
As faith.
Oriented on congregation. We have the five daily prayer, those that are held at the mosque, where we pray in congregation. The Friday is a big day.
We pray five times a mosque and all of a sudden you know that's that's stopping we feel like there is there's something missing. You know, in my day. I can't do
The prayer and congregation. I don't see the faces that I see five times a day, every day, or I you know I see them for one hour of every week. And here I am, I'm alone, you know, with the family.
sheltering. And so that was a very big dog is devastating time for everybody, as the
Time go through and people get used to the pandemic and we're learning more about about co lead. Now we are adapting to this new
Lifestyle where you can still socialize, but you know it has to be within within, within the limits for the benefit of myself and the benefit of others because this is also part of the faith requirements to be
Aware of the
Safety for for myself, my family and and those who are around me.
As for the the future. The biggest concern as the hundred and 50 plus children that come for the weekend school where we do different projects with them. And now we're finding way, is how to reach out to them and get them more more involved.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
15:53
Thank you for sharing and a no there something that I learned during the switch to going online when I was working with our Muslim Student Association is
That our students share that they aren't able to zoom prayer as some other religious organizations would be able to zoom and record prayer, so
Understand that large piece of community that you're that you're speaking to that you're missing. So thank you for sharing.
Noel. How about the humanist and secular communities and the impact today the pandemic might be having on on your community.
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Noel Navarro
16:35
Actually while I did want to say was, um, thank you to email I made I wanted to point out something like you were saying. Silver Linings you notice really quickly. I'm really happy that you saw that where
Kids are getting this extra interaction with adults on teaching them technology right so you get to benefits.
Adults learning tech and children getting that interaction with their, their adults. Their, their parents this connection that you have to maintain. So thank you for recognizing that and cultivating that Cheers to you on that.
And yeah, we're feeling that same loneliness. You know, a lot of our community are people who left religion. So they've already left a family.
They already left this structure. They've already left to a large group of friends, just like you, Mom, I would imagine people in your community where you said they're coming from different countries.
You have people coming from these different areas, and they go, okay. Now, where's my new community.
So we lost that in person. But again, like we said, now we have our talks on zoom we get together, we're doing a lot of things on that. So that's where we've been able to really draw and see each other.
And if anything, connect a little bit more, you know, it's been nice because we know it's so important to keep these connections up. So now we're really focusing on them, you know,
That's one of the things I think you draw from as you recognize. Oh, this isn't just hanging out.
This is this needed thing we need each other and each other's lives. We are social creatures we do care about each other. Want to hear about each other's lives.
You know, we want to make sure you're doing okay I care about you. Just like a human cares about a human crazy me so it's definitely maintain those connections. I'm glad. Everybody seems to be going online and doing it in a safe way. So you got here like doing that.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
18:12
Thanks, Noel and faith with the committee and community that you're a part of impacts there and you've seen for folks that you haven't shared already. Anything else to add,
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Unknown Speaker
18:27
So,
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
18:29
The various fake foods in Sacramento and say why they were really engaging once again I'm going to remind everyone to poor people's campaign.
We're really about uplifting people who are poor building your capacity and they'll have above who may not be in that situation is set back. So the faith community open up their churches, but once cold in fit.
People kind of pull back for, I think, for for variety of reasons. We did. We did see faith groups begin to do food distribution and different things like that. But a lot of in Sacramento and I
Would have like respite centers where folks are how who are unhealthy to come get out of the cold, get out of the heat.
So, for example, right now in Sacramento. It's really nice and food today.
But in Sacramento. It can be 110 with the smoke in the small so we did was we called on our city leaders to open up cooling centers to open up air. Air Quality centers.
So people, those of us who live in homes. We can escape to our home. If you own house. You can escape.
To any place you're out there in the elements. So we're doing different things like that. The other thing that the campaign does on a national, state level is helping people really understand the impact that the
Virus has on folks. So people who are really impacted a black and brown and I indigenous brothers and sisters. So we're constantly reminding people
That we die at a disproportionate rate we become ill at a disproportionate rate and that impacts families that impacts children.
And so sometimes we make people feel uncomfortable. So when we go out to the homeless a catalyst and we identify people who have who are at risk or 60
Who have high blood pressure, who have diabetes and then we spend that information and then we try to connect them to health care.
And so I always like to share this. I was online for 30 minutes and the lady came back online. And she said, you're still here. I said, Sweetheart, I've been retired for 10 years
And will be on this call for another 2030 minutes until we get this person an appointment. So you can either give the appointment. Now, or you can give the appointment later. It's up to you.
And so go to some of the things that we say is we have a moral obligation. It's a moral obligation to make sure those
who are less fortunate will pour so they can get services and everything and through our campaign locally, we're able to get about 10 people how
So that doesn't sound like a lot, but that's 10 Sacramento has only 11,000 people. So that's 10 folks who are not part of that 11,000. Thank you.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
21:28
Absolutely. Wow. I'm just, I can see how much each of you are such a blessing to not only in your community, but the the wider cities and and the state. So I just appreciative of
Hearing from your experience and wisdom and Ilana maybe to speak to the student experienced of this impact within the student organization that you're a part of with the Pacific Christian fellowship, or your local church and congregation
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Ilana Ferguson
22:04
Yeah, I think it's similar to what people have already seated, there's a lot of sense of isolation loneliness.
And just kind of this weirdness of
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
22:15
Not know okay and
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Ilana Ferguson
22:17
I think for students. There's a lot of I want to do this. I want to reach out to my friends, but I don't know where they're at and kind of yeah feeling lost a little bit
But I think there's also been opportunities like students are usually away from their families, they're away from their communities. So there's been a lot of time to reconnect with with their families or with wherever they their act locally.
I think it's been really hard for, like, especially international students
Not knowing whether they can go back to their home countries or if they do go back and they come back to the US and figuring all that out and all the different things that they have to figure out like rent or if they have a car here, all those things.
But I think in the like silver linings like there have been barriers that have been broken down because everyone has to stay home.
There's a lot more room for collaboration. So I think that's been happening like within my church community within intercity
University is national though. We're also connected to international movement so
Being able to learn from people that maybe we wouldn't have had opportunity to do so for. And I think there's been a lot of room for self reflection as well and
Like within my church or than I guess the larger Christian church like what does unity look like what does it look like to like see things that are wrong, that are happening and what's our role and how does our faith, call it into action.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
23:57
It's a beautiful silver lining. Thanks for for sharing that. And
And when asked another question. However, I know we've, we've got a large audience here. So I want to go and open it up to the audience before asking
My next question. Next question. And so for those who have been listening, do you have a follow up question, or perhaps just something that you'd like to ask one or all of our panelists. You can raise your hand or put it into the chat.
We will be thinking about your question. I'll go ahead and ask my next question and then we'll return back to the chat.
But this, this is a conversation and a dialogue so feel free to ask those questions after this. This next go around and so my next question I have.
Is not necessarily pandemic related or kuvan 19 related but I'm very curious of how your religious and non faith organizations.
Are impacting the fight for social justice. All that's happening in our nation right now. And you've already mentioned a few things but expand on those. If you'd like to how your organization is impacting the fight for social justice.
And yes, I was just going to call on your favorite ex. Excellent. Go ahead.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
25:31
So thank you so um nationally as well as statewide and locally. A lot of work has been done to get people encourage people to vote to get registered to vote.
Also to participate in the census. So when we're out visiting the encampment.
We're encouraging people to register to vote week, those who have sophisticated phones, you can, you know, get registered online, you can do the census online really letting them know the week of September 21
That the census folks will be visiting the encampments we have a handout we're passing out. So the Poor People's Campaign whole thing is is to empower people who are poor.
To contextual can take control of their life. So I'm going to do is share with you some links.
And you can go to our go to the national website. We have a whole thing around voter education.
Where people can get involved. There are six different regions in California. So if people are fully La La reach and if people from the Bay Area. There's the Bay Area region.
I'm from Sacramento. We're in the process. On October 5 we're going to be left. We call it launching an at large, where people. So for example, if you're in Fresno and spots and you want to
Create a poor people's campaign in your particular community come to come join us on October 5 at 630
And see how to do that and all that we ask is that people be committed to put poor people at the center of the discussion to understand systematic racism.
To understand the war economy to understand ecological devastation and how it impacts for an impact that community.
And that everyone has to sign on, they cannot engage in any violent behavior, both verbal as well as physical if you can commit to that we want you to come join us.
And I wish I could say I was ribbon bar where are Dr live. I'm not. But you do get a chance to engage them via zoom from time to time.
So please think about joining the Poor People's Campaign, no matter where you live. You can join any one of those regions in engage and get involved in your community. Thank you.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
27:53
Excellent, thank you so much for sharing.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
27:56
From our other panelists.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
27:58
I would like to share about the impact on social justice.
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Noel Navarro
28:07
Organizations doing right now.
First of all, I wanted to thank you real quick. Those are 10 lives, you know, it sounds like it's not a small number. That's an entire life.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
28:17
Oh, yeah.
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Noel Navarro
28:18
Yeah, all the advocating you're doing
It. Thank you for children's
Lives and all the other
So yes, much appreciate. All right.
So in the band the space of social justice so
Like I said before, our group normally holds a lot of a lot of talks.
They're pretty much like a little mini Ted
Talks. And we've done those regularly. Now they're on zoom
We recently had a speaker.
Who is ex military and he was working on prison reform and he was giving a talk on incarceration versus education.
Another thing is we regularly had a chats within the community on Black Lives Matter and me.
And where do we fit in.
The Black Lives Matter movement both
As individuals as a community and some of us are talking about how do we fit as an organization, right, what are we doing
So we're holding regular chats on that. It's become much a bit of a series. And then we're also opening up advocating opportunities. So recently, there was the cares act that come we're getting money federal money from Sacramento.
And 80% OF THAT WAS GOING TO THE SHERIFF'S
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
29:22
And nobody was talking about it so
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Noel Navarro
29:24
We went ahead and we promoted that information also after that, though, we help circulate a survey the people survey. So this wasn't a survey that we created and circulate to the community. Instead, this one was created by a council member elect Katie Venezuela and then her in the
Black justice Sacramento created a survey.
And we got that circulated. So again, just creating advocacy arrows ways you can do it online safe.
On top of that, you know, what we've done is we do have a written statement.
On our website. We are an educational nonprofit in our, in our website we state that we stand with the Black Lives Matter movement.
And on that there's links to uncomfortable conversations with the black man.
So that our members can have that opportunity if they haven't had enough exposure to African Americans or brown people or whenever it is you can kind of have that conversation. And in that statement we do say the names of George Floyd and right here in Sacramento. Stefan Clark.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
30:19
Which was just a few blocks away from me.
So,
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Noel Navarro
30:21
We definitely stand with the movement.
And we've been making moves to do that and try to get something really concrete.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
30:30
Thanks, Noel and I think right at that same time you jumped in a mom Kaufman was also going to answer. So please share from your perspective and wisdom.
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Imam Ahmad
30:42
Well, you know, it's truly
As sorrow and our hearts and sadness, while we are differ in and faith and worship, but we still have many common practices and at the sad, just to see that the social justice is not part of our common practices that that we all share, whether we belong to a faith or are we are we done
Throughout my
Interaction with with my fellow
Cleary geez here in town and throughout my study and the country where where I came from. I'm from living on and live on on is a tiny, small country yet that has many, many
Religions is very diverse we grew up learning. You know what is. How is it you know to care for and and MUSLIM NEIGHBOR how the Christian, you know, neighbor would care about you know his his his Muslim labor.
Sitting with with the clarity is and I know at this part of every religious book that how you have to welcome the stranger, how you have to provide food and drink, how you have to respect human just because God honored us over all the other creations.
We know from the biography of Prophet Mohammed
That his disciples close companions were different in color. He has a companion name, so hey from from Rome. He has a son man who is from Persia.
He has below the one who used to call for the prayer from a senior and never the religion looked at them as as colors or as changes on every Friday sermon.
That we do at the mosque, I remind myself and remind the congregation with God's saying, O mankind fear or your Lord who created you from one soul and from this soul. He created for
Its mate means Adam and Eve and from them. He brought out many men and women. And God said all mankind. We have created you from male and female.
And we have made us through types and the groups so that you may know one another. It is a truly a black dog and history to see where people vulnerable people
Are suffering from from injustice as a Muslim. I'm speaking I have many Muslims that are coming to me and complaining about this this injustice to women who are wearing their scarves, who are
Americans and and in age more than those who are, you know, saying, Go back to your country. Well, this is their country to which country they're going to go to
So saying this and and and hearing this, and preaching this
In our gatherings as different clearer, geez, I have get involved in many discussion panels about bringing diversity, the respect of of the humanity.
Written statements, where the mining and Islamic center of Minister will be on on that statement education. I've get involved with educating our, our policemen who are graduating to be on on the streets and setting you know calls
It is indeed a subject that we all have to be part part in by any means by any way this got to stop and with our silence is not going to stop. We need to actions.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
35:17
Thank you. Yes, and Ilana I saw that you were about to raise your hand as well. And to add about social justice to the conversation.
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Ilana Ferguson
35:32
Yeah, I think the biggest one of the biggest things that we've been focusing on is like the importance of having uncomfortable conversations and repeatedly. So not just like
Okay, I did that, I listened to that or I read this. But then how does that impact the rest of your life. And the way that you live and
Just allowing space for for learning and for humility.
What, how we look at it as Christians to is there's a need for repentance of people that have brought painter have
Benefited off.
Like social systems, right, that are consciously or unconsciously, they've been hurting others. And if we say that others are brothers and sisters, and how do we repent from that and ask for forgiveness and
Sit with them in their pain.
Yeah, so I think there's been a lot of learning spaces made available for staff for learning how our organization.
Has been maybe favoring others and hurting others. And then how do we bring that back to our students and
Learn how our own chapters like seeing who's President having ICC having your so here who's president, who is it and why is that, and
How can we better love our communities because Jesus often went to the people that were overlooked or shun so if he's our example, then we need to do that as well.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
37:08
Thank you, and a perfect segue into Christian coronas question.
Also a great follow up question to your mom achmad who talked about your interfaith colleagues and clergy that you gather with Christian asks in our chat. Do you have advice on becoming more comfortable with discussing your faith with friends who may not be of the same faith.
As we seek to listen and learn and going back to your interface clergy mom hochman any advice.
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Imam Ahmad
37:44
Well, we have no I remember the first meaning to meetings that we have, we're sitting on a table we're kind of nervous. What does he believe about me. What does she believe about me.
We participated in breaking bread, nothing more beautiful than getting to know someone by drinking a cup of coffee or eating, you know, any simple meal.
And then talking about family talking about our tradition and culture we do talk about some some sensitive subjects, but we do commit to a list that we created about abiding by the rules.
Respect always assume that good intention, don't jump into conclusions. All these are in the paper and I'll be more than happy to provide you guys with all of what it takes, as someone to
Have a self trust and be a member who want to help the society.
I have non Muslims coming to the mosque and visiting asking for materials or even calling and I told them you know what your hero said why I'm a hero because the sun.
With all the stereotypes that you guys are hearing but you have actually took the initiative so that you yourself will will do it. This is what it takes, and the good place to start as a college as a university. Don't let this
What they call it.
fear about what is the response will be in order to to be a barrier.
Of interaction or even asking questions or sending an email or or even a simple phone call that that will do
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Laura Steed (she/her)
39:55
Thanks so much and others a lot. I said it was a good segue from your side, any suggestions for talking and discussing your faith with with friends have a different religious or spiritual background.
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Ilana Ferguson
40:16
I think it often feels like a lot bigger thing or harder thing, then it is so I think
Maybe setting kind of parameters going into it like we're not trying to convince each other of anything. I just care about you as a person and I want to learn more about
What you believe and what impacts how you live your life. I think it's great to come up with questions beforehand and
You can kind of see where the conversation goes, but at least I can have something in my back pocket like
Oh yeah, I wanted to ask about this and I'm just really curious about like how do you, how do you make a big decision in your life, what goes into that.
I think thinking through, like how your own faith impacts you then you can think through, like the larger questions of, oh yeah everyone
Like thinks about these things based on their background. So how can I have that conversation. And what do I want to gain from it, but I would say just go for it.
It feels really, it can feel intimidating, but the more it happens. I think you see the beauty that comes from it and you want to have that more
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Laura Steed (she/her)
41:29
Thanks, and Christian who asked this question. I apologize. I should have allowed you to ask instead of reading it for you. So just want to give you that space to follow up. If you have a follow up question after these two panelists have
Taken a chance at answering it.
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Noel Navarro
41:47
Christian what you tell me a little bit on
On. So as I was the chaplain, Chaplain at UC Davis Medical Center. Obviously, that's an interfaith place I'm
Going to a hospital. They don't care about what your religion is they care about what's going on. You're treating you as a person. So as a chaplain there you're meeting people from all faiths.
And you're not going there to impose any one thing on them. You're there to help them. But as far as the conversations go inside the chaplaincy, those were all very interfaith
Conversations and, you know, there's this thing where you need to be open yourself. It's not so much just looking for someone else to be open is being able to hear things and not take them defensively, but being open to hearing. If you're going to ask the questions.
And also knowing that everybody is kind of coming from a place of love. Nobody hates one another. They're just different views.
And, you know, I've been wrong 100 times before I could be wrong today. And that's another thing. And thank you for attention on this was, um,
You know, we're not here to convince one another, you're using your views and there. Those are beautiful views. I have no problem with your, your views.
We're here to learn. I'm not here to convince you. I'm here to here, where you're at in your life. I want to know.
So I think there's there's needs to be an openness and also honesty humor just being able to laugh at yourself and others.
Dude, if you could just be funny about it, it will make it so much easier.
Let's joke about it because it is going to allow the stuff we do and talk about if you think about, you know, it is kind of funny. There are there's humor in there. But that's because we're humans. And that's just part of the experience. So just being open to that I think is really important.
Little two cents, blah, blah, blah.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
43:27
Thanks, and Christian, did you have any follow up, or is this answered your question.
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Christian Cardona '19 she/her
43:34
I think that was answered.
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Unknown Speaker
43:37
Quite well I just wanted to thank you for that, and definitely the tidbit about being open and being open to that experience and also finding humor in it too is very relatable. Definitely the experience I can relate to. So thank you.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
43:56
Thank you. And Mike, you had a question. Would you like to ask your question.
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Mike Klocke
44:02
Sure, I'll be glad to.
As a Christian sometimes troubled Christian, I find difficulty coping with some leadership stances an organized organized religion political coded safety, etc.
When politics and other issues such as this arise. How do you keep them from dividing your places of worship or your agency's
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Laura Steed (she/her)
44:31
Excellent question. Any of our panelists want to raise your hand and jump in.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
44:37
Well, I think if if if they're pre. So for example, the campaign has fundamental principles that we all have to adhere to and agreed to. And one of the things that
I like about the campaign. You don't necessarily have to be a being a religious. You just have to be a person that believed in a moral stance.
And that everyone is welcome at the table, whether you are an atheist. Whether you are Christian, whether you're a Buddhist, you're welcome at the table. And when you see people
Trying to use the binding tactic. You know, sometimes you have to pull the person to the side. Find out what's going on. But in remind people about the fundamental principle.
That the whether it's the church. The mods the masjid, the temple, whatever. All of them have fundamental principle, they may be called different thing. And sometimes you have to desktop them off ball and actually review them and remind people of them.
In that, you know, like I always use the example I my politics really to the left my best friend that I've known since junior high school is married to a Republican. So you can imagine what life is like when I go visit her
You know, and she always says to me and my husband who that confirmed atheist says, I'm really glad that you guys can laugh and joke and make him feel at home. I of course I mean your house because when I go other places. I want to be treated with the same respect.
And so that's how we approach things like that the fundamental principles for us in the campaign we read those fundamental principles that we try to practice. Practice those fundamental principle anything
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Laura Steed (she/her)
46:42
That's great. I appreciate the layer of respect and know that that is just so vital to all conversations, whether we agree or disagree.
Others a lot or yes from your mom, man.
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Unknown Speaker
47:01
So,
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Imam Ahmad
47:03
We are a nonprofit organization and the nonprofit organizations are not supposed to bring
Politics at their places unfortunate. So that's a by law, but also I HIGHLY UNFORTUNATE THAT ONCE YOU ENTER THE MOSQUE politics has to stay in your car at the parking lot in even outside the parking lot.
We're here to serve God. And when we are saying, politics, to me it's a bunch of philosophies and many lies to as well.
And we have more important things to focus on. And in this life. I asked people, I cannot choose for you which party, you're going to support
But what I can tell you that yo be accountable before God on the day of judgment about the decisions you have made based on what and as the earlier speaker.
She said, you're going to be. We have more noble things to focus on in this life and
I'm not looking to be a fan of a personality, but I'm looking to some actions and and bills that will serve the humanity.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
48:43
Thank you. And I know we're getting. We've got less than 10 minutes and we've got one more question. So I'm going to jump to the last question that we have in our chat, which is from marsh a product, and it's a good one, so. Thanks, Jay.
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Marshea Pratt (she/her)
48:59
Hi everyone, I'm just going to piggyback on what was said before about serving humanity, which is very impactful and can be very exhausting. So what motivates you to keep going, despite all the challenges that you're currently facing
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Laura Steed (she/her)
49:22
Excellent. Thanks for that question mark Shea and to our panelists. If you want to raise your hand or jump in and motivation.
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Imam Ahmad
49:33
I can go I snow on this also is going
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Laura Steed (she/her)
49:36
Yes, thank you. Go for it.
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Imam Ahmad
49:38
So well, to me, I'm reading the, the holy book The Quran studying about the great symbols. The prophets and messengers.
Which is one of the pillars of belief in the Islamic religion has to believe and the prophets and messengers. Those are the most people who suffered when they face their people. Because God's son them to
The, the, to, to better their people to to fix some of the, the, the mistakes or the wrongs and in the wrongs endless society, they weren't. Some of them. They weren't faced with with the with the to be welcome.
Yet they they still moved on seeking their word from God being patients and forming to their people here. We're not here to make business off of you. We're not here to become popular
But we're here for the term that god you know assigned us and we shall be patients on the, the way you you face us the way you talk to us and
The, the, the simple
Word or sentence we can say to those who reject or dislike that is Peace be upon you.
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Unknown Speaker
51:04
We're not seeking the ignorant.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
51:13
Thank you.
And say I saw your, you have a yellow box around yours, where you're going to jump in.
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Unknown Speaker
51:20
Well,
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
51:22
Yeah. So for me, my parents came from the deep south and faith incredible all
That literally fled the South to give a better life for my oldest sister and I both of my parents are deceived. My sister is the end. So my parents would tell me
And my assistant. Look, you have so much you know you have a house, you have two cars, you know, blah, blah, blah. In other words about wine. So for me, how I regenerate myself that don't laugh, you guys.
I love going to San approve. I love staying on the beach. I love sleeping on the beach. I love getting into the same the warm sand. I'm from OBO if anyone's visible boo, you know, movil
You know, I love that. And so that's how I and I take my books, my magazine and I read a paragraph, but then I fall asleep. You know, my husband.
Is when when our daughter was younger, he would, you know, take care for. So for me, that's how I reconnect with the Sun, the Earth and just replenishing my cell.
Is saying I deserve this, but also remembering that for the majority of us we do live a privileged life. I do have a house. I do have two cars. I have a cell phone.
And the majority of the people that I work with have none of that. And so I have to constantly remind myself how privileged I am
In just I can't wait to go back to Santa Cruz then make it this summer. But I want to go to Santa Cruz.
Thank you.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
53:16
That is, that's awesome. I love it. And I would never laugh at that, that's so important.
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Faye Wilson Kennedy
53:22
Self care. Absolutely.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
53:23
And just a brief response, perhaps from Noel or Ilana and then we'll say some closing remarks.
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Noel Navarro
53:31
Yeah, I'll go. So definitely fake.
Oh my goodness. I am so lucky in my life, you know, and I think it does. It comes from. I know people growing up and I can name people who right now, do not have what I have
I I know their names, and I know their stories and you know what it is to grow up in a community where you know you have some rough stories and you but you trade them as jokes.
But it's definitely that it's knowing how much I do have and seeing people with less and knowing that that is not right that inequality is not right.
So both that that thankfulness gives you that willingness to fight against that inequality. Right.
And then, you know, just much like you, I was very fortunate. I had a mother who was active she she was working with my la
la familia, she was working with my sister's house, she was doing good work in the community. You know, my, my dad, he, he was a Marine.
He went to prison and still I remember he would not hurt a spider. He would pick up a spider and put it outside rather than and spiders life because I spy didn't do nothing to him.
He was a good dude through and through. So I had the fortune of having good parents I had that, again, things that I had that I know not everybody did
So just knowing that you things down to our fingers and toes. Right. I can't tell you how many patients. I sat down with my age had just lost their ability to walk permanently.
No longer could do all the things that we identify make us this normal person that gets us through day to day that we take for granted. Right. We think it's funny. Nobody cares about two things until you don't have them and that's money and air.
And it's one of those things when it is difficult to breathe. Yeah, then then air matters. It's those little things that we don't think about that we need to take just they're so precious
Anyways, knowing I have all those things. I know not everybody does just even my life again with this movement, even my life. Not everybody has it still so just knowing that, and that is not fair.
I have no problem doing all this work and doing it again and doing it again working with everybody to make get rid of these inequalities wherever they exist.
Show everybody that love so easy for me is these inequalities and they just love each other, easy stuff, man. Come on, everybody hugs. Well, not right now. Not right now. Wait a few months.
Yeah, so that's what keeps me going.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
55:55
Thank you and Ilana, would you like to add anything
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Ilana Ferguson
56:00
I just echo the need to take time to rest. I think that's a discipline. When you're giving out that you're also important to so you need to be filled up if you're giving out and then
Yeah, if we're blessed with things where we're to hold it loosely we're stewards over those blessings. So it's just passing from us to others. So
Yeah, I think your mindset and helps a lot. And knowing that when you're giving out. You're also receiving. So I think that it's a life giving thing to be able to bless and help others. They may be blessing you in ways that you don't realize as well.
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Laura Steed (she/her)
56:39
Absolutely. And speaking of blessings. We have been so blessed to be with you all today, I want to thank our audience members for for being part of the conversation. I want to thank
You huge thanks to our panelists to fade to Ilana to Noel to a mom, mom. Thank you for sharing from your experience and wisdom and for all the important work that you're doing in the community had to
Our neighbors near and far. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so I had to turn it over to Steve for our closing announcements.
That we we truly thank you for, for joining us for today for Pacific together and join us on September 17 for a discussion on leveraging
Your agency for change with Shane Nelson and just really thank you for this opportunity to be with you today to the university committee for diversity, equity, and inclusion in partnership with President, Mr Callahan, thank you all, and have a wonderful, and blessed evening.
Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you for