ISW 2021 Master Schedule

“Bearing Witness from Fresno’s Mason-Dixon Line”

DATE: Every Monday, February 15-March 22, 2021
TIME: 4 pm PST
LOCATION: Zoom

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PART I: OPENING PANEL

“Bearing Witness with Our Guest Scholars”

WEEK 1: February 15, 4:00 – 5:30 pm

Moderated by Andrew Fiala, PhD, Director of The Ethics Center, Fresno State University

Guest Scholars

• Malik Simba, PhD, Professor Emeritus of History and Africana Studies, Fresno State University
• Nathan K. Hensley, PhD, Associate Professor of English, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
• Uziel Jimenez, Antiracist Educator, Co-founder Fresno Ethnic Studies Coalition

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PART II: BOOK STUDY

“Bearing Witness with James Baldwin”

WEEK 2: February 22, 4:00 – 5:00 pm

Moderated by Ashlie M. Kosinski, Co-founder The Wildflower Collective, Information Coordinator, ISW

Christian Faith Tradition

• Speaker: Rev. Dr. Paul Binion, Pastor of Westside Church of God, Fresno
• Respondents: Rev. Anna Lopez, New Thought Community, Fresno, indigenous cosmology and modern spirituality perspective and Daniel O’Connell, PhD, Executive Director, Central Valley Partnership, Quaker-Buddhist perspective

WEEK 3: March 1, 4:00 – 5:00 pm,

Moderated by Gaonoucci Belle Vang, Social Media Coordinator, The Ethics Center, Fresno State University, Southeast Asian Parks Youth Advocate, Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries 

Reform Jewish Faith Tradition

• Speaker: Rabbi Dr. Laura Novak Winer, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
• Respondents: Sukaina Hussain, Deputy Executive Director for CAIR Sacramento/Central Valley, Islamic perspective and Lady Jessica Criner, St. Rest Baptist Church, Fresno, Christian perspective

WEEK 4: March 8, 4:00 – 5:00 pm

Moderated by Mariah Cushing, M.A., Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary

Muslim Faith Tradition

• Speaker: Hajj Reza Nekumanesh, Executive Director, Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno
• Respondents: Rabbi Rick Winer, Temple Beth Israel, Fresno, Reform Jewish perspective and Sister Kathleen Drilling, SSND, St. Paul Catholic Newman Center, Director of Religious Education, Roman Catholic perspective

WEEK 5: March 15, 4:00 – 5:00 pm

Moderated by Zena Chafi, Community Organizer for CAIR Fresno/Merced

Hindu Faith Tradition

• Speaker: Veena Howard, PhD, Professor Asian Religions and Coordinator, Peace and Conflict Studies, Fresno State University
• Respondents: Darren Duerksen, PhD, Associate Professor of Intercultural and Religious Studies, Fresno Pacific University, Evangelical-Anabaptist Christian perspective and Rev. Akiko Miyake-Stoner, Senior Pastor United Japanese Christian Church, Clovis, United Methodist Christian perspective

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PART III: CLOSING ROUNDTABLE

“Bearing Witness Around the Table”

WEEK 6: March 22, 4:00 – 5:30 pm

Moderated by Jim Grant, Chair, Interfaith Scholar Weekend

Our three guest scholars return for a powerful discussion with four interfaith speakers on lessons learned and the urgent questions we must ask in order to call forth a new America in our communities.