Dear friends,
This year, we are launching an exciting new program called "Encounter RVA." Encounter RVA will be a series of public conversations featuring local religious, civic, and thought leaders from backgrounds as diverse as possible.
I'd like to invite you to our first session, which will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, November 8, at The Hof in Scott's Addition. It will feature a conversation between myself and Rev. Jim Somerville from Richmond's First Baptist Church. Here is the link to the Facebook event, where you can let us know if you're coming: https://www.facebook.com/events/1380184455434000/.
Allow me to provide a little background:
We developed Encounter RVA because current events have revealed the extent to which we Americans are strangers to one another. We live in ethnic, regional and economic enclaves. We consume media sources that align with particular outlooks and tailor social media feeds to engage like-minded people. It is natural for a large and diverse population to have differences. But when fellow citizens don’t know or understand each other, fear and anger fester. For more thoughts on this subject, check out this op-ed I wrote for the Times-Dispatch shortly after the 2016 election with my interfaith partners Dr. Imad Damaj and Rev. Bill Sachs.
Jewish tradition teaches that the path forward requires engagement, conversation and understanding. A famous rabbinic adage holds, “Who is wise? One who learns from everyone.” Our exile from one another will end only when we encounter others across social, political, economic, and cultural divides and strive to truly understand one another.
That's what Encounter RVA is all about. Our vision for Encounter RVA is to bridge divides, deepen understanding, foster diverse relationships, and move our community forward in these troubled and divisive times.
In this first gathering on Wednesday, November 8, Rev. Somerville (a minister in a predominantly white and conservative Christian denomination) and I will interview each other, engaging in dynamic discussion and even debate about each other’s answers. I believe the two of us will be able to showcase differing points of view and model an earnest seeking to understand each other better. Looking ahead, our second gathering (which will take place on Wednesday, December 6) will feature a conversation between me and Imam Ammar Amonette of the Islamic Center of Virginia.
There will be time for audience Q&A and for audience members to engage each other in conversation. I'm also hoping you will help suggest discussion questions for us in advance of each event, either by emailing me the questions, or by posting them on social media using the hashtag #EncounterRVA.
My intention is that the conversations that take place in Encounter RVA will not be “fluff.” Rather, they will be designed to be meaningful and meaty, delving into topics like faith, ethics, and politics, probing into what folks really believe - in all their uniqueness and diversity. We won't shy away from conflict, disagreement, and debate, but we will do so from a place of deep respect for one another, modelling civility even in passionate disagreement that is so crucial for this moment. Folks will seriously learn about other pathways beyond their normal comfort-zones. Through it all, my hope is we will all come to understand each other better and strengthen our larger communal fabric.
This program is free and open to everyone in our region, regardless of religious, ethnic, racial, or cultural background. In fact, the program will work best if the audience is diverse. I would be honored if you would join us and encourage your friends, family, colleagues, and coworkers of all backgrounds to attend as well.
I am also looking for future "guests," and would be happy to take your suggestions. Who are you curious to learn more about? I don't see myself as being on the stage at each session, so we can come up with all sorts of interesting pairings for this program. Happy to have anyone to send me thoughts for good panelists, or for you to tell me who you'd like to see in conversation.
As you can tell, I'm really excited about this program, and think it has the potential to be a game-changer for our community and our city. I hope you will join me in helping to make it a success.
Once again, here is the link to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1380184455434000/
Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, November 8 at 7pm!
