Interfaith Dialogue and Skill-Building Training
The 2026 – 2027 Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy will meet for a six-month series of weekly workshops from December through May, with holiday breaks. Unless otherwise noted on the weekly schedule, we will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Most 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 in lower Manhattan. A few workshops will be held on Zoom, as noted on the weekly schedule.
Most workshops will include small-group conversations among fellows and/or 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 2027, if not before, and in most cases will complete these projects by the end of June 2027. We will hold a graduation ceremony in July 2027.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, fellows are expected to participate in all ICLA workshops. Full participation is essential to the success of the Leadership Academy, and to the multifaith community we are working to build.
Weekly Schedule
12/1 — Welcome to the Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy — Introductions, ice breakers, small group conversations, and an overview of the program.
12/8 — Faith-Based Visions of Justice and Models of Leadership — Small group conversations, sharing sacred texts and other sources that offer visions of justice and models of leadership.
12/15 — Civic Engagement and Religious Leadership — Panel discussion with faith leaders and civic officials, exploring the essential roles of religious leadership in NYC civic life.
12/22 & 12/29 — No Workshops – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
1/5 — Interfaith 101: Resources and Roadblocks for Engagement — Small group and full group conversations, exploring strategies for interfaith dialogue and collaboration, as well as faith values that promote and inhibit interfaith ties.
1/12 — Sacred Curiosity: Exploring Religious Belief, Practice, and Identity — Facilitated conversation among ICLA fellows, exploring questions about each other’s religious traditions and communities.
1/19 — Mapping Sacred Gotham — Fellows will give brief presentations about their congregations, organizations, and/or personal sacred sites, with photos or other media linked to a shared Google Map. (Zoom Workshop)
1/26 — Understanding Your Leadership Style, Part 1 — Discussion of our ICLA fellows’ unique gifts as community leaders. Led by social impact consultant and facilitator Archana Menon.
2/2 — Understanding Your Leadership Style, Part 2 — Strengths and challenges of different leadership styles, as they respond to stress and interact with others. Led by social impact consultant and facilitator Archana Menon.
2/9 — No Workshop – Ramadan Mubarak!
2/16 — Iftar Dinner AND Introducing the Community Project — Celebrate the holy month of Ramadan with a festive meal, followed by discussion of community projects and project brainstorming in small groups. (meeting from 5:15 – 7:15 pm)
2/23 — 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. (Zoom Workshop)
3/2 — 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. (Zoom Workshop)
3/9 — No Workshop – Eid Mubarak!
3/16 — Interfaith 201: Multifaith Action in the Public Sphere — Fellows will work together in small groups, imagining public programs or events that draw on their diverse traditions to address shared social justice concerns.
3/23 — What Works in Community Organizing and Advocacy? — Panel discussion with activists, exploring successful models for organizing and advocacy from both faith-based and secular organizations.
3/30 — Community Project Planning — Small group discussions of community projects and proposals. Opportunity to clarify your plans, get helpful advice, and explore collaboration with other fellows.
4/6 — No Workshop – Community Project Proposals Due!
4/13 — Race and Religious Leadership — Panel discussion with religious leaders, exploring the racial diversity of NYC faith communities, and the ways racial identity shapes community leadership.
4/20 — Gender and Religious Leadership — Small group and full group conversations, exploring gender socialization in faith spaces – how does your gender identity shape your community leadership?
4/27 — Launching Your Community Project — Brainstorming with other fellows and ICNY staff, to develop concrete plans and a clear timeline to implement your project. Community project grants made, if not earlier.
5/4 — No Workshop – Community Projects Get Rolling!
5/11 — Interfaith 301: Navigating Conflict — Sustaining interfaith ties when religious values or communal needs conflict. Led by ICNY board member and renowned interfaith organizer Rabbi Bob Kaplan.
5/18 — Restorative Justice, Conflict, and Healing — Introduction to RJ circles – a powerful tool for conflict resolution, healing, and non-punitive responses to harm. Led by staff from the Restorative Justice Initiative.
5/25 — Community Project Check-In — Small group meetings for community project updates and troubleshooting if needed.
6/1 – 6/22 — No Workshops – Community Project Public Events!
6/29 — Closing Reflections — Reflect together on our work in the ICLA, and ways to support each other moving forward. Individual and collective program evaluation.
7/13 — ICLA Graduation – Woo Hoo! — Invite your friends, family, and community to celebrate your accomplishments in the ICLA. Share lessons learned with your fellow New Yorkers.
