Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy
2022- 2023 Fellow’s Community-Based Projects
In the final phase of the Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy, our fellows create their own community-based projects, applying the skills and insights they have developed in the program to address social justice issues that impact their faith communities or other New Yorkers. Upon approval of a brief written proposal, each fellow receives a $500 grant to support their project.
Dr. Ameena Ali
#LetsPinkApril2023
A public event intended to screen, educate, and discuss breast exams, mammograms, and all the testing that comes into play for proper breast health. Both men and women are encouraged to attend.
Jonathan Ammons and Weini Zhao
Cultural Exchange Community Event
A collaborative effort by two fellows with their respective houses of worship to foster cultural and religious literacy and to create opportunities to strengthen the social and emotional ties of the Chinese student population in the city.
Rev. Dr. Holly Bonner
Inclusive Faith: Bridging the Gap for Accessibility in NYC Houses of Worship
This training will highlight some of the most common physical, attitudinal, and technological barriers facing disabled New Yorkers in their quest for faith. The goal is to educate New York City faith and community leaders on how they can make their houses of worship more accessible.
Dr. Sheriden Booker
Focus Group for African Diasporic Traditional Religion
The objective of this focus group is to have solid baseline data for understanding the current state of the African diasporic traditional religious communities in New York City and a list of action items for developing a public agenda to raise awareness about instances of discrimination and their rights.
Gareth Bryant
Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention Project
In collaboration with the Muslim Sisters of Staten Island, a discussion on sexual abuse awareness and prevention within our communities. The goal is to educate our communities on the realities and damage of sexual abuse as well as its harm on our society at large.
Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan and Rev. Lauren Ahava Jacobs
Welcome Home: Creating Sanctuary for Asylum Seekers in New York City
A collaborative effort by two fellows, assembling 35 “Welcome Home” baskets with necessary, useful items for the home along with an interfaith, intercultural welcome message for asylum-seeking families currently relocating to apartments in New York City.
Rev. Joyce Dugger
Restoring the Village
Creating a safe space for all people in the Rockaways community to gather and learn some self-care healing practices to use daily and have a place where they can meet once a month to release stress and process their post-pandemic trauma.
Richard Feldman
Communal Restoration of Native Landscape Surrounding Sanctuary
Riverdale residents working together to develop a shared outdoor landscape that honors the land and biodiversity. Three local congregations will restore the property of their shared sanctuary toward a healthy native ecology.
Dimitrios Katsiklis
Interfaith Sacramental Music
Creating a space for sacred music performers of different faiths to come together, share the beauty of music, and foster interfaith understanding. The project will take place at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine.
Eugene Nam
Faith Leader Training for Asylum Immigration Applications
A training program for faith leaders that address each of the misunderstandings of asylum immigration applications and help them channel their and their communities’ desire to advocate for immigrants into a more productive form.
Imam Mohammed Ozalp
Providing Psycho-Spiritual Care for Kurdish Asylum Seekers in NYC
A chaplain providing free spiritual care for Kurdish asylum seekers throughout New York City in their native language. The opportunity to offer a safe space for receiving the care needed.
Rev. E. Tyrone Pittman
Supporting Homeless LGBTQAI+ Teens in Brooklyn
This event is focused on providing the Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn congregation with information on how to support homeless LGBTQIA+ teens.
Reda Taleb
Impact of Incarceration on Arab and Muslim Communities in NYC
There is a lack of data on Arab and Muslims impacted by incarceration in this country. This survey will gather quantitative and qualitative data to shape the narrative of lived experiences of both communities.