Third Thursdays

Thursday, May 19th
7-9:30pm
Japanese Cultural & Community Center
1840 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA

From Abolition to the Civil Rights Movement to Gandhi’s anti-colonialism-nonviolence movement, many of the great social justice movements have sprung and been sustained by religion and spirituality. As in these past movements, today’s activists encounter a range of emotions in their daily work and struggles: joy and resentment, anger and peace, hope and despair, numbness and connection, meaning and its loss, confidence and doubt. Often, activists get burned out from the struggle. Through all of these ups and downs, what can religion/spirituality offer to activists?

Religion and spirituality can offer meaning and connection to a community. Furthermore, in many religious/spiritual traditions, there is often a prophetic call to challenge injustice. Yet, sometimes religion and spirituality can seem to maintain the status quo and focus on helping its members adapt to existing and often unequal conditions. Given this, what can social justice offer to those in religious/spiritual communities? Come hear current activists and people of faith/spirit share their experiences on this topic.

Come hear current activists and people of faith/spirit share their experiences on this topic.

Panelists include:

• Viveka Chen
  Chairwoman
  San Francisco Buddhist Center of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
• Samina Faheem Sundas
  Executive Director
  American Muslim Voice
• Christina Leano
  Co-founder
  Filipino/American Coalition for Environmental Solutions
• Michael Yoshii
  Pastor
  Buena Vista United Methodist Church