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Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:03 The civic love spirituality and social action program had its third event. Tuesday in parks hall. We're around 15 students and faculty came together to discuss the intersection of spirituality and social justice this week on d'Alene called Gotti who observes the high faith and is an educator came to speak and converse with the audience. An idea that started over the summer that will Buchanan a co-organizer with Kristen glass Perez talks about the setup of the event and the aim of the program.
Speaker 2 00:00:41 The be responsive to creating environments that we desire to see for Northwestern students. Um, so thinking about social justice and activism, um, and equity in the pursuit of those things in a space also where we could lift up meaning-making spirituality, um, giving students that opportunity to hear from people who are working on trying to do that well in their own lives locally. So kind of a, um, a mashup between, um, space for students to think about their inward lives and then their outward lives.
Speaker 1 00:01:19 Kristen glass Perez describes the religious and spiritual component.
Speaker 2 00:01:24 A lot of work in communities across the globe, really, but especially here in Chicago and Evanston, a lot of community work is carried out by organizations that have some kind of religious or spiritual connection.
Speaker 1 00:01:40 Buchanan describes Tuesday's event.
Speaker 2 00:01:44 We've set up the room in a circle. So we have the guest in conversation so far, it's been with one of us, right? One of the members of our teams. Um, and then we basically kind of like a fishbowl, right? Like people are sitting in, in the round and are able to, we kind of get ourselves situated. Uh, and then there's a listening to the conversation developed between the conversation partners and then an opening up to questions from everyone sitting around. So that's kind of been our format so far. So it's a nice conversation space that's meant to be non-hierarchical, you know, and kind of not in a classroom style, but in a space that kind of promotes everyone being able to see one another, appreciate one another. Listen. Well, and also kind of feel the connectedness of the person that we're inviting tomorrow is . And he is the assistant superintendent in district 65 schools. That's Evanston school district, and he's also a board member at books and breakfast. And we have a relationship with books and breakfast where a lot of Northwestern students are tutors in that, in that program. So it will be hopefully an opportunity for Northwestern students who are currently involved in Evanston schools to learn directly from on delete.
Speaker 1 00:03:02 spoke about his feelings going into the circle,
Speaker 3 00:03:06 The space tonight, seeing a circle in here. Um, I think it really speaks to my heart of promoting unity, helping people recognize that they're not alone, that we're all on this journey together. Uh, you know, I don't know if you've heard that there's a lot of like change in society in terms of people changing jobs and resignations and all of that. I just feel like some of that is just a disconnect. People want to feel connected. And so one of my hopes for those students who joined us tonight is that we can really engage in a fruitful conversation of like, how do we support each other through these tough times,
Speaker 1 00:03:41 Unbelievable elaborated on his background and how it brought him to where he is today.
Speaker 3 00:03:46 Growing up, I was in multiple educational systems and west Africa, east Africa, and I live in new Orleans and then Massachusetts. So just had a lot of different educational experiences. And one of the things that I realized when I was an undergrad, um, studying at the university of Massachusetts, was that in many of the ways in which injustice was promoted, really came through schools. When we look at even the construction of public education in America, it really was through this model of like we had to create a working class of people who knew how to punch in, punch out the focus. It wasn't really a true education, which is how do we help people achieve the best of what they are seeking to achieve rather, how do we create auto Mons or robots, so to speak, to achieve, to help the rich to better. Right? And so for me as an undergraduate, much like yourself, it was really a commitment that I realized that if I was going to help and really address injustice in the world, I felt like the best way to do that was to become a disruptor in public education and to be somebody who could really help change the way in which the trajectory of students in public school systems.
Speaker 1 00:05:00 He also expresses faith as an important motivator
Speaker 3 00:05:03 Founder of the high faith I'm a behind and the founder of the buy phase said that the fundamental purpose of the faith of any of religion is to carry forward an ever advancing civilization. So our goal as Bahais and my goal is to be a service feeling really nostalgic. I may not be the right word, but just like, um, in a few weeks from now, but highs all around the world, we're celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, who actually spoke here on campus in 1912. And so I think the relationship to Northwestern is very profound in terms of this is a very special place for us because of his visit here. He could have been lots of places in America in 1912, but he came here and spoke on campus about just, uh, the power of connection
Speaker 1 00:05:56 Beyond a single speaker. Kristen glass Perez has a larger vision of building a civic love community.
Speaker 2 00:06:03 Really, these are wonderful and rich conversations. That's what I would just say. Like you leave a civic love thinking like, wow, there are people doing really good things in this community.
