Inspiring Stories: Healing Our World
Healing Our World is the theme of The Guibord Center and IslamiCity’s 2021 season of storytelling and guided conversation. In each session, people from various spiritual and ethical traditions share their personal stories about real-life issues they have encountered in working to heal our world. These stories illustrate how their spiritual beliefs give them strength and inspiration to continue their work.
Addressing the Wounds of Racism
June 23, 2021
“Healing the Wounds of Racism is about the spiritual issue at the heart of racism.
Racism is a spiritual issue when it sees people as less than human and less equal than one another.”
Dr. Lo Sprague, June 2021
The Stories
The Conversation
Candace Carnicelli
Candace Sofia Carnicelli is a longtime peace activist and nonviolence practitioner, artist and educator. She considers herself an omnist - one who recognizes and respects all religions and the sacred truths on which they are established – and ascribes to the Dalai...
Rev. Mark Hong
Rev. Mark Hong immigrated from South Korea in 1971 and grew up in Southern California. For 34 years, he has ministered to both Korean-speaking immigrant congregations and English-speaking next generation Korean American and multiethnic congregations. Rev. Hong began...
Mohammed Abdul Aleem
Mohammed Abdul Aleem is CEO of Human Assistance & Development International (HADI). HADI has been working since 1991 to build bridges of understanding through humanitarian and educational projects. Two of the organization's flagship projects are IslamiCity and...
Seeking Immigration Justice
May 26, 2021
Faith leaders share their personal reflections about the spiritual teachings and practices
that sustain them in their work for immigration justice.
The Stories
The Conversation
Mary Tanagho Ross
Mary Tanagho Ross is a senior staff attorney at Public Counsel, a pro bono law firm. In this role, she represents immigrant children in state and federal proceedings, securing and protecting their rights. Mary has been at the forefront of federal litigation...
Jonathan Fein Proaño
Born and raised in Ecuador, Jonathan A. Fein Proaño has worked with immigrants and in immigrant justice for the last 11 years. Currently, he is Integration Manager at the International Rescue Committee in Los Angeles (IRC-LA). He oversees an innovative department that...
Facing Climate Change
Facing Climate Change
April 14, 2021
Our storytellers share personal reflections about their work related to Climate Change the spiritual principles that inspire and sustain them.
The Stories
The Conversation
Allis Druffel
Allis Druffel joined California Interfaith Power & Light in 2009 and serves as Southern California Outreach Director. Involved in environmental issues for two decades, in 2008 she spearheaded the Los Angeles Catholic Environmental Ministry. Allis has a special...
David Partida
David Partida is an arts educator for P.S. Arts, a nonprofit organization serving students in underrepresented communities. He teaches visual arts to students from pre-K through middle school and to adults. In addition, he coaches elementary and middle school teachers...
Mona Bennani
Mona obtained an MS in environmental peacebuilding from New York University. She received her permaculture design certification from the Center for Ethical Living at Zaytuna College in Berkeley. Most recently, Mona worked as a sustainability educator with the Art and...
Cancel and Call-out Culture
Addressing Cancel and Call-out Culture
February 24, 2021
The Stories
The Conversation
Zachary S. Ritter
Zachary S. Ritter is Associate Dean of Students at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He also teaches social justice history there and at UCLA. He recently co-edited Marginality in the Urban Center: The Costs and Challenges of Continued Whiteness in the...
Rev. Michael Reid Trice, PhD
Rev. Michael Reid Trice, PhD, is Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and Theological Ethics and Director of the Center for Religious Wisdom and World Affairs at Seattle University. He is the founder of Religica.org, a platform committed to amplifying...
Marium Mohiuddin
Marium F. Mohiuddin is the Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region. In this role, she works on disaster response, biomed relations and preparedness. Marium has worked in communications and publishing for the past 25 years. After...
The Power of Nonviolence
The Power of Nonviolence
January 27, 2021
The Stories
The Conversation
Merilie Robertson
A social justice advocate and retired teacher, Merilie Robertson taught science at Forman High School for Girls in Lahore, Pakistan for 11 years. Following that time, she spent 11 more years at the Community School in Tehran, Iran. On her return to the United States,...
Daibik Chakraborty
Daibik Chakraborty is currently a second-year student at UCLA studying public affairs and economics. He has a love of public speaking and civil discourse and plans to enter the legal field after graduation. Daibik is a member of the Vedanta community in Los Angeles....
Milia Islam-Majeed
In 2008, Milia Islam-Majeed became Executive Director of the South Coast Interfaith Council (SCIC), California's largest and oldest interfaith council. The daughter of parents who immigrated from Bangladesh, she grew up in small-town Fulton, Missouri. Milia earned her...
Rabbi Susan Goldberg
Rabbi Susan Goldberg is the founder of Nefesh, an open-hearted spiritual community capturing the energy and vitality of LA’s Eastside. A fourth-generation Angeleno, she focuses on revitalizing the area’s Jewish community to again be an active part of these...