Bahai Community Ye shall know them by their fruits Michael Penn: I started to cry, but I wasn’t sure why I was crying.
Racism in America Addressing racism through constructive resilience Michael Penn: In addition to dismantling destructive processes, we have to build what we think is right.
Bahai Community Standing up for the wellbeing of all Baha’is are supposed to be champions of justice – to stand up for humanitarian issues.
Bahai Community A devotional culture African-Americans know how to come together to pray – they can offer this to Baha’i communities.
Racism in America The spiritual roots of racism Hopelessness comes from not knowing how to change root problems – the Baha’i writings have the power to transform our hearts.
Bahai Community Discovering diversity and spiritual solutions My downstairs neighbors were Baha’is. We talked for three days and then I was one too.
Racial Unity Finding and eliminating prejudices I had no idea of the reality of what it meant to be black in the United States of America.
Bahai Community Reforming education in 1960s Harlem Hussein Ahdieh: Harlem Prep was the most rewarding and colorful period in our lives.
Bahai Religion Purifying character to uproot racism Tavoria Kellam: I’m done with reading about the Central Park Five, or Tamir Rice, because I know already.
Bahai Community Racism and constructive resilience African-Americans have always understood that it’s very hard to simply become racist in response to acts of hatred.
Bahai Community A hotbed of political activity My sense of how to be a person and a Baha’i moved me to leave a legacy behind.
Bahai Community The behaviors needed for change The Baha’i writings defined “implicit bias” 70 years before Harvard came up with the idea.
Racial Discrimination Turning anger into search My interest in social issues and injustice was my soul searching for answers and the truth.
Racial Unity Learning then sharing the good news Black people were the most downtrodden in the world – I was all for anything that encouraged us.
Racial Identity Where are African-Americans going? The Baha’i writings compare us to the “pupil of the eye” – I find it amazing to share that with young people who are in despair.
Racial Identity There is something exceptional about black people Maya Mansour: The Baha'i writings compare black people to the “pupil of the eye”.
Bahai Community Growing up as a white Baha'i in a segregated world Ken Bowers: Growing up, everybody in our Baha’i community, black and white, was my family.
Bahai Community Building Building community to achieve race unity Ken Bowers: We're challenged to think consciously about the implications of justice and of building a united community.
Bahai Religion Meeting white Americans and Baha'is – for the first time Van Gilmer: I was scared to death because my first Baha'i meeting was in a white community.
Bahai Religion From South Carolina to Michigan My church was filled with Civil Rights protestors – one of them said I should explore the Baha’i faith.
Bahai Religion Like a thief in the night I was a fundamentalist black Baptist who believed in the return of Christ – but the Baha’i teachings blew my mind.
Bahai Community Growing up as a Civil Rights warrior The Baha’i community taught racial unity and they also lived it – which was the goal of the Civil Rights movement.
Bahai Religion Applying Baha’i ideas to scholarship & academia White students felt guilty and didn’t know what to do, and students of color would feel extremely angry.
