Browsing by Subject "Diversity and inclusivity"
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Item Chanda Parbhoo Interview(2022-10-17) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Chanda Parbhoo, an Indian-American organizer and immigrant from South Africa who lives in Dallas, TX. Chanda compares her early experiences of ethnic integration in Canada with her experiences of apartheid in South Africa. She also shares the challenges and prejudice her family experienced in Canada and the States. She describes the influence of her father’s business ventures and values on her childhood and career. Chanda talks about her activism for representation in her school district and for AAPI voting empowerment.Item Chas Moore Interview(2022-03-31) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Chas Moore, founder of the Austin Justice Coalition and anti-racist activist in Austin, TX. Chas shares his story of exposure to deaths and incarceration at a young age and how those traumas shaped his beliefs and drive as an organizer. He talks about being directly exposed to overt racism for the first time in Austin and getting heavily involved in the city’s anti-racism organizing movement. Chas shares how the work of influential Black thinkers and activists as well as his faith have guided his activism. He also discusses challenges like funding, his goals for long-term change, and his hopes for a happier and more peaceful human experience. Content Warning: The following interview contains sensitive material. Please note that the interview includes discussion of anti-Black racial slurs. These subjects will be discussed at 6:15-7:20 (in the transcript p. 2).Item Gregory Han Interview(2022-03-14) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Gregory Han, an educator and Presbyterian minister active in interreligious dialogue in Houston. Gregory shares his story of growing up biracial in a very White area and the experience of simultaneously fitting in anywhere and nowhere. He talks about his path in education toward discovering his passions for both academics and ministry. Gregory discusses his work with Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, such as leading visits to houses of worship and organizing dialogue between leaders and communities of different faiths. He also talks about the unique challenges of interfaith work in Texas as well as doing this work in the aftermath of 9/11.Item Hasan Abbas Interview(2021-06-21) Institute for Diversity & Civic LifeThis interview is with Hasan Abbas, a Pakistani first-generation American who works in accounting. Hasan talks about his interest in culture, from American pop culture to traditional Pakistani culture, and his continuing efforts to participate in and learn about both. He compares his experiences of different places, having lived in New York and Texas and visited Pakistan many times with his family. Hasan also shares how his religious, cultural, and family backgrounds influenced his life path and his values of empathy and respect for others.Item Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Autonomy and Agency in Term-Limited Library Positions from Residencies Revisited: Reflections on Library Residency Programs from the Past and Present(2022) Hill, Natalie C.; Tadena, Laura A.; Cásarez, AdrianaItem Isa Parada Interview(2021-11-08) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Imam Isa Parada, a Latino Muslim leader with IslamInSpanish. Isa talks about growing up in New York City and Houston, the popular culture of his youth, and being involved in criminal activity as a teen. He tells the story of wanting to make a change in his life for the better, exploring Islam, and converting at the age of twenty. Isa describes the struggles of converting, such as his family’s initial concern and prejudice, as well as the joys, such as meeting his wife and studying in Saudi Arabia. He goes on to discuss the origin and growth of IslamInSpanish.Item Jaime "Mujahid" Fletcher Interview(2022-01-25) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Jaime “Mujahid” Fletcher, founder of IslamInSpanish. Jaime shares about his youth, during which he was involved in gang activity in Alief then developed his value of education in Colombia. After his conversion to Islam at twenty-three, Jaime began to translate Islamic literature and thought into Spanish so his Latino family and community could better understand Islam. Jaime goes on to describe the growth of IslamInSpanish from its inception as a family project to its current state as a vibrant community in the Centro Islamico in Alief. He also discusses the social justice projects IslamInSpanish is involved in and shares his advice for working toward social change.Item Jennifer Kamara Interview(2022-08-05) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Jennifer Kamara, an engineer living in Houston, TX. Jennifer describes the various cultural and religious influences on her life, such as the countries she has lived in, the Christian traditions she has been exposed to, and her marriage. She talks about her relationship with her husband and navigating an inter-religious, intercultural marriage. Jennifer also talks about her activity in supporting diversity in her workplace and gives her perspectives on prejudice and stereotypes.Item Jessica Pires-Jancose Interview(2022-04-11) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Jessica Pires-Jancose, an abortion rights organizer working for Avow Texas in Dallas, TX. Jessica talks about moving around a lot in their childhood and their impressions of the different places they have lived. She describes relationships with her family and her heritage, including exploring gender with her sibling and getting in touch with her Goan roots. Jessica reflects on the lessons they have learned from working in the reproductive healthcare field, such as the importance of intersectional knowledge and care. She also shares the challenges of the field, both combating anti-abortion legislation and getting democratic lawmakers to be bold in their support of abortion access.Item Lily Trieu Interview(2022-10-13) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Lily Trieu, a first-generation Chinese-American and non-profit director in Austin, TX. Lily shares her parents’ stories of coming to the US, living as a low-income family, and struggling with assimilation. She talks about her busy youth and her education. Lily describes her path from working in corporate marketing to working in policy advocacy and founding Asian Texans for Justice. She also shares her perspectives on anti-Asian racism and the needs of communities like hers.Item Meenal McNary Interview(2021-04-28) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Dr. Meenal McNary, a first-generation Indian-American dentist and local activist in Round Rock, TX. Meenal discusses the contrast between the goal of assimilation when she was growing up and the goal of instilling in her children senses of pride in and connection to Indian culture today. She talks about her racial equity work with the local government and Round Rock ISD, in which she advocates for the safety and dignity of Black and Brown children. Meenal also talks about her time serving as a dentist in the US army and the importance of building trusting relationships with her patients.Item Nabil Yazdani Interview(2021-05-14) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThe interview is with Nabil Yazdani, a member of the Austin Baháʼí community’s Spiritual Assembly. Nabil talks about growing up in Suriname and his experience of moving to the United States for college, then settling in Austin. He discusses how tenets of the Baháʼí faith influence his thoughts and actions, and how they guide the work of the Spiritual Assembly. He also speaks about how the Baháʼí community in Austin responded to the pandemic both as its own entity and as part of the broader community.Item Negena Haidary Interview(2021-03-28) Institute for Diversity & Civic LifeThis interview is with Negena Haidary, an Afghan-American Shia Muslim woman. Negena speaks about her relationships and experiences with her family, particularly as a first-generation American. She speaks about the impacts of 9/11 on her family, the difficulty of finding community as a member of a minority group, and the ongoing act of balancing immigrant parents’ expectations with the necessity of participating in American culture. Negena also discusses the challenges of navigating mental health and finding one’s own life path, sharing the wisdom she has gathered through her own journey of healing and growth.Item Neil Blumofe Interview(2021-03-16) Institute for Diversity & Civic LifeThis interview is with Rabbi Neil Blumofe, leader of the Agudas Achim congregation at the Dell Jewish Community Center. Rabbi Blumofe speaks about what the future may look like for congregations that want to maintain the benefits of online worship while eventually returning to traditional services. He considers the challenge of balancing a plurality of needs and perspectives in a community of diverse voices.Item Obaid Zia Interview(2021-10-17) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Obaid Zia, a pharmacist living in New York City. Obaid compares the Muslim communities and diversity present in the different communities in which he has lived, including Houston, TX. He describes the profiling and prejudice he experienced after 9/11, especially when traveling. He discusses his personal experiences of religion and the role Islam plays in his life today. Obaid also shares his experiences of being active in his high school’s Muslim Students Association and of participating in protesting following the 2017 Muslim ban.Item Omar El-Halwagi Interview(2022-01-18) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Omar El-Halwagi, an employment discrimination lawyer in Houston, TX. Omar talks about growing up as a Muslim in the American south and discrimination he faced at a young age. He tells his story of being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union in order to secure the time and place to pray during high school. Omar also describes co-founding the organization Grassroot Islam, a virtual space for a diverse and inclusive Muslim community created to combat pandemic isolation. He discusses coming into his relationship with God on his own terms and learning from the spiritual journeys of others.Item Rais Bhuiyan Interview(2022-12-12) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Rais Bhuiyan, the founder of World Without Hate, who currently lives in Seattle, WA. Rais describes his youth in Bangladesh and his first career in the Bangladeshi military before coming to the US for school. He describes his experience of 9/11, after which he was the victim of Islamophobic gun violence, and then experienced food insecurity and medical debt due to his lack of medical insurance. He shares about his decision to try to save his attacker from death row with the help of Amnesty International and fellow humanitarians. Rais also talks about World Without Hate and its current projects. Content Warning: The following interview contains sensitive material. Please note that the interview includes description of graphic violence and hate crimes. These subjects will be discussed at 21:17 - 26:27 (in the transcript p. 5).Item Saagar Shaikh Interview(2022-08-10) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Saagar Shaikh, an actor living in Los Angeles, CA. Saagar talks about growing up as a Pakistani Muslim in Alief and San Antonio and describes the differences between those communities during his childhood. He describes his career path, including his decision to become an actor and the ups and downs of finding his place in the industry. Saagar goes on to talk about his recent role as Aamir Khan in Disney’s Ms. Marvel series. He shares about a day in the life, favorite scenes and memories, and what the role means to him.Item Saatvik Ahluwalia Interview(2022-10-18) Institute for Diversity & Civic Life; Department of Religious StudiesThis interview is with Saatvik Ahluwalia, an Indian-American political organizer living in Boston, MA. Saatvik talks about his mother’s influence on his values and activism work. He shares his journey toward self-love and pride in his culture by way of Bhangra dance. Saatvik also describes his vision for community, which includes humility in organizing and protecting minoritized children from hate.Item Sandy "Sakinah" Gutierrez Interview(2021-06-11) Institute for Diversity & Civic LifeThis interview is with Sandy “Sakinah” Gutierrez, a Colombian-American revert to Islam and co-founder of the non-profit IslamInSpanish. Sakinah tells the story of being a spiritual seeker alongside her husband, and how the two ultimately found fulfillment in Islam. She talks about how several members of their family decided to accept Islam due to the example and education she and her husband offered. Sakinah also discusses the founding and growth of IslamInSpanish, whose mission is to make information about Islam available to Spanish-speaking Latinos.