As America approaches its 250th Anniversary in an era marked with ideological polarization among neighbors, declining trust in institutions, and dissatisfaction with leaders on the hill, students in the nation’s capital are finding ways to connect across difference through collective action.
“People feel very discouraged right now,” said Avery Field, a political science and journalism student at American University (AU). “[T]hey feel like there’s nothing that we can do to help how divided we are as a society, as a school, as a country, as the government.”
Field is a 2026 Interfaith America BRAID fellow and American University Interbelief Bridge Builder working to build inclusive spaces on campus and counter a culture of division with a spirit of cooperation.
On Sunday, March 29, she organized an interfaith community action project on AU’s campus.
The gathering invited students and community members of all beliefs and backgrounds to assemble care packages for families and unaccompanied minors navigating the immigration system. These packages were distributed via IA Team Up partner Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services program.
“The service project is especially meaningful right now,” Field wrote on LinkedIn. “These are real people, families and children, who need support, and this is one small but concrete way we can show up for them.”
The project was an opportunity to support immigrant communities in Washington amid the federal immigration crackdown, which continues to target civil liberties and pose a threat to pluralism in towns, cities, airports, and borders across the U.S.
Student Melia Hawthorne Klinger, who attended Field’s event, hopes actions like this can uplift the best of our nation’s diverse democracy in times of uncertainty, especially as we look ahead to the next 250 years.
“For our whole 250 years, we’ve been a country of immigrants — and a country of interfaith immigrants”
“For our whole 250 years, we’ve been a country of immigrants — and a country of interfaith immigrants,” said Klinger, who was inspired by Eboo Patel’s recent address at the National Cathedral and call to uphold the pluralistic values set forth at our nation’s founding.
Embracing the diverse reality of our nation, she said, “is something people are still passionate about and something that’s still worth working towards […] even if we come from different faiths, different traditions, different countries, we’re all welcome to come here and build something better together.”
In addition to the hands-on work packaging educational and personal care items, the event also included a presentation, where Field spoke about the shared value of service.
Prompting participants to reflect on what from their background, religious tradition, or personal ethic motivates them to volunteer their time, she emphasized the shared humanity that grounds this work.
“Behind every pack is a person”
“Behind every pack is a person: a child who wants to learn, a parent trying to hold their family together, someone far from home navigating a system that was not built for them. This is a simple way that we can show up for them,” she said. “How beautiful is that?”
BRAID Student Fellowship
Are you a student ready to take the next step as an interfaith bridgebuilder? The BRAID (Bridgebuilders Relating Across Interfaith Differences) Fellowship is a grant for a select group of exemplary students working to build bridges on their campuses.
