Interfaith Dialogue and Skill-Building Training
The 2025-2026 Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy will meet for a six-month series of weekly workshops from November through April, with two 2-week breaks. Unless otherwise noted on the weekly schedule, we will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Unless otherwise noted on the weekly schedule, workshops will be held in person at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, at 130 Liberty Street, near the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan.
Most workshops will include small-group conversations among fellows, and some will feature presentations from expert trainers. Light refreshments will be provided at in-person workshops, and we will celebrate together with an iftar dinner during the month of Ramadan.
Fellows will begin working on their community projects in May 2026, if not before, and in most cases will complete these projects by the end of June 2026. We will hold a graduation ceremony in July 2026.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, fellows are expected to participate in all workshops, and other ICLA events. Full participation is essential to the success of the Leadership Academy, and to the multifaith community we are working to build.
Workshop Schedule
11/11 — Welcome to the Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy — Introductions, ice breakers, small group conversations, and an overview of the program.
11/18 — Faith-Based Visions of Justice and Models of Leadership — Small group dialogues, sharing sacred texts and other sources that offer visions of justice and models of leadership.
11/25 — Civic Engagement and Religious Leadership — Panel discussion with local religious leaders and civic officials, exploring the unique roles of religious leaders in civic life.
12/2 — Interfaith 101: Resources and Roadblocks for Engagement — Small group and full group conversations, exploring strategies for interfaith dialogue and collaboration, as well as teachings from our faith traditions that both promote and inhibit such multifaith ties.
12/4 — Religious Resistance to Authoritarianism — Conference cosponsored by ICNY, Union Theological Seminary, Riverside Church, The Beacon, and the Interfaith Alliance. Click here for details. Totally optional but all are welcome!
12/9 — Understanding Your Leadership Style, Part 1 — Discussion of our fellows’ unique gifts as faith community leaders. Led by social impact consultant and facilitator Archana Menon.
12/16 — Understanding Your Leadership Style, Part 2 — Strengths and challenges of different leadership styles. Led by social impact consultant and facilitator Archana Menon.
12/23 & 12/30 — Break, No Workshops – Happy New Year!
1/6 — Understanding and Engaging with City Government — Navigating the maze in City Hall and your local community. Who are the players, and where are the power centers? Led by staff from the Advocacy Institute.
1/13 – Building Power through Community Organizing — Organizing 101, including distinctions between “organizing,” “advocacy,” and “service” models of social change. Led by staff from Metro IAF – New York.
tbd in January — Optional Visit to Jewish Worship Service on Rikers Island — Fellows will be invited to attend a Jewish worship service on Rikers Island, with transportation provided. Great opportunity to meet your neighbors held in detention, and learn about ongoing efforts to close Rikers. Totally optional but all are welcome!
1/20 — Putting Your Faith in Action: Strategies for Faith-Based Activism — Small group and full group conversations, exploring the roles of faith in social activism. How do our religious traditions provide moral and ritual vocabularies for civic engagement?
1/27 — What Works in Community Organizing and Advocacy — Panel discussion with congregational and nonprofit leaders, exploring successful models for organizing and advocacy from faith-based and secular organizations.
2/3 – Introducing the Community Project — Discussion of community projects, and mini-grant proposals. Project brainstorming in small groups.
2/10 — Everything You’ve Wanted to Know about Religious Diversity but Were Afraid to Ask — Facilitated conversation among fellows, exploring questions about each other’s faith traditions and communities.
2/17 & 2/24 — Break, No Workshops – But Think About Your Community Project
3/3 — Iftar Dinner and Holiday Celebrations — Celebrate the holy month of Ramadan and the holidays of Purim and Holi/Phagwah, with a festive meal, fellowship, and personal reflections. (5:30 – 7:30 pm)
3/10 — Mapping Sacred Gotham — Fellows will give brief presentations about their congregations, organizations, or other sacred sites, with photos, video, or other media linked to a shared Google Map. (Zoom meeting)
3/17 — Community Project Planning — Small group discussions of community projects and proposals. Opportunity to clarify your plans, get helpful advice, and explore possible collaborations with other fellows. (Zoom meeting)
3/24 — Healing through Restorative Justice — Introduction to a powerful tool for community building, healing, and non-punitive responses to harm. Led by staff from the Restorative Justice Initiative.
3/31 — Introduction to Circle Keeping — Ethical principles and practical strategies for facilitating restorative justice circles. Led by staff from the Restorative Justice Initiative. Community project proposals due.
4/7 — Gender and Religious Leadership, Part 1 — Panel discussion with local religious leaders, focusing on challenges faced by female leaders in male-dominated communities.
4/12 — Visits to ICLA Fellows’ Congregations — Sunday afternoon tour of diverse houses of worship, with transportation provided. Details to be determined, based on fellows’ interest in hosting. Totally optional but all are welcome!
4/14 — Gender and Religious Leadership, Part 2 — Small group and full group conversations, exploring gender socialization in faith spaces. How does your own gender identity shape your community leadership?
4/21 — Launching Your Community Project — Brainstorming with other fellows and ICNY staff, to develop concrete plans and a clear timetable to implement your project. Project grants made, if not earlier.
May & June — Community Projects — Individual or collaborative work on community projects, with support from ICNY staff and each other. We’ll be there for you every step of the way!
5/19 — Community Project Check in — Small group meetings for project updates and troubleshooting if needed. (Zoom meeting)
6/16 — Closing Reflections — Reflect together on our work in the ICLA, and any work still to be done on community projects. Individual and collective program evaluation.
7/14 — ICLA Graduation — Invite your friends, family, and community to celebrate your accomplishments in the ICLA. Share lessons learned with your fellow New Yorkers.
