Three Faiths Gather in Omaha to Address Race and Religion
September 28, 2022
Tri-Faith is a one-of-a-kind endeavor.
Our intentional and diverse community in Omaha bridges divides among three faith communities, local neighbors, and people across the country and worldwide.
Tri-Faith Initiative and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Department of Religious Studies hosted the first annual “Race, Religion, and Social Justice” conference, on Thursday, June 9 on the Tri-Faith Commons in Omaha, Nebraska. This year’s theme was Harm, Healing, and Hope.
As the only intentional co-location of a synagogue, a church, a mosque, and an interfaith center in the world, we invite people to be curious about our potential to fulfill the promise of new pluralism.
The conference objective was to advance interdisciplinary knowledge focused on the intersections of race, religion, and social justice by bringing a diverse group of interdisciplinary scholars; diversity, equity, access, and inclusion practitioners; community and civic leaders; and corporate executives together to spark cross-sector collaboration in the Midwest.
The most inspiring part of the conference was witnessing the various professions, fields, industries, and specializations of the 130 attendees and see them connect to promote racial and religious equity, justice, and inclusion in society.
We were focused on including a lens of belief, behavior, and belonging; religious pluralism; intersectional identities; postcolonial formations of power and whiteness; race, truth, and reconciliation; identity formation; collaboration and conflict; and bridging differences.
This was a unique opportunity to pull together sources of original and collaborative research, and the conference exceeded our expectations in building toward a more harmonious, equitable, and just future.
Created through a partnership with the university’s Religious Studies Department, the conference also included Department of Black Studies, Office of Latino/Latin American Studies, Native American Studies, and College of Public Affairs and Community Service to participate.
Tri-Faith utilized the expertise of Black faith leaders in North Omaha for the keynote panel: the Rev. Portia Cavitt of Clair Memorial, the Rev. Kenneth Allan of Zion Baptist, and the Rev. Stan Rone of 24th Street Church of God.
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I invited Rabbi Deana Berezin, Dr. Gloria J. Epps, and Yasmine Jakmouj to share a reflection on their experiences at the conference:. Opportunities like the Tri-Faith Initiative’s Race, Religion, and Social Justice Conference offer us a chance to be part of the solution. To build bridges of understanding and hope, we can find pathways to reconciliation. But it starts with us. It is not our fault, but it is our responsibility.
For more information about Tri-Faith Initiative and to learn more about the next conference on June 8, 2023, visit their site.
Wendy Goldberg
Wendy Goldberg is a founding board member and the Executive Director of Tri-Faith Initiative. For more than 15 years she has worked with clergy, lay leaders, social sector and nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and local educators to make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Wendy leads from her value of courageous living. She is deeply passionate about how we can understand ourselves and our neighbors better, adapting to meet the needs of our community.