INTERFAITH AMERICA
In 2023, Fellowship in Prayer gave a Sacred Journey grant to Interfaith America (IA) to continue their two-year program with a second cohort of accomplished faith leaders from different religious traditions. The Sacred Journey Fellows (see below) will collaborate on bridge building projects, participate in an intensive retreat, and receive ongoing support and mentorship. The public will be able to learn from the Fellows as they reflect on their experience and learning in multimedia pieces for Interfaith America’s online platform, sharing the stories of their work and inspiring others in the network and beyond.
ABOUT IA
IA inspires, equips, and connects leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity.
For more information, http://www.interfaithamerica.org
PRESENTING OUR 2023-2025 SACRED JOURNEY FELLOWS
Anastasia Young, DNP, AGNP-C, is a medical oncology nurse practitioner and interfaith leader who has spent over a decade merging her twin vocations within healthcare and interfaith work. She is the co-founder of the Interfaith Healthcare Cohort and a strong advocate for the inclusion of interfaith cooperation in both the workplace and patient care. Her work has been extraordinarily valuable for healthcare workers across the country who seek to develop health-related interfaith skills, address moral injury, and positively influence change. Anastasia identifies as a Christian and is driven by her faith and values to be a bridge-builder and changemaker, working towards a healthier future for all.
Asma Uddin is the author of When Islam Is Not a Religion: Inside America's Fight for Religious Freedom and The Politics of Vulnerability: How to Heal Muslim-Christian Relations in a Post-Christian America. She is Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Catholic University of America. Uddin is also a Fellow with the Aspen Institute's Religion & Society Program in Washington, D.C., where she created a data-based approach to reducing Muslim-Christian polarization in the U.S. Her more recent academic work continues to rely on social science to develop innovative approaches to religious liberty de-polarization. Asma believes that cross-religious community and literacy are key to the future of religious liberty in the U.S.
The Reverend Cecil Andrew Duffie, Ph.D., serves as Dean of the Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel of Wiley College. As one of the youngest executive officers of collegiate religious and spiritual life, Dr. Duffie is known for his obsession with the marriage of education and faith, enthusiasm for Black religious history, and excitement for college and university chaplaincy. He earned a Ph.D., M.Div., and a Certificate of Executive Leadership from Howard University, and a B.S. in Telecommunication from the University of Florida. Dr. Duffie enjoys crafting interfaith experiences that highlight religious identity, diversity, and educational rigor to enrich collegiate life.
Danny Richmond is a Community Lead for the Forum of Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum. Previously, Danny has worked in various roles focused on civic engagement, youth leadership, and social inclusion including the Parliament of World Religions, Inspirit Foundation, Ve'ahavta and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. He got his start in interfaith engagement as a Faiths Act Fellow of the Interfaith Youth Core. Danny has a passion to demonstrate the power of communities working together to be a force of social change.
Irshad Osman is an Imam by training and a fundraiser by profession. He completed his BA in Islamic studies in Sri Lanka and MSc in Public Policy in UK. Passionate about Inclusive Philanthropy, he has worked at many local and international non-profits overseeing fundraising portfolios worth of millions of dollars. He was an Interfaith Innovation Fellow with Interfaith America in 2020. He is the founder of Muslim-Indigenous Connection program that aims to increase Muslim youth engagement with Indigenous communities through interfaith, intercultural dialogue and education. It trains a cohort of Canadian Muslim youth every year to learn about the Indigenous Peoples and their past and present struggles due to settler-colonialism.
Kenji Kuramitsu is a spiritual care and mental health professional rooted in Chicago, IL. Kenji holds graduate degrees from the University of Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary, where he has served as an Adjunct Professor in Ministry. Kenji works in LGBTQ health care and has led interfaith projects focused on historical memory, pilgrimage, race, and social determinants of health in nonprofit, faith-based, and social movement settings. His writing has been nominated for a 2019 Pushcart Prize. Licensed as a clinical social worker and board certified as a Group Psychotherapist, Kenji believes in the healing power of relationships and the witness of diverse communities working for justice and solidarity.
Mohammed Al-Samawi is an interfaith activist, a refugee from Yemen, and the author of the best-selling autobiography The Fox Hunt: A Refugee's Memoir of Coming to America. His non-profit interfaith organization, Abrahamic House, builds sustainable interfaith learning and action by fostering an environment of learning, respect, and social change. Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg, and Marc Platt are developing the movie The Fox Hunt, based on his autobiography. He has received accolades such as the Daniel Pearl Award from the ADL for fighting antisemitism and the Medal of Honor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Nikhil Mandalaparthy is an Executive Board Member of Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus and curator of Voices of Bhakti, a digital archive showcasing translations of South Asian poetry on religion, caste, and gender. Nikhil's writing and reporting on religion and politics has been published in outlets such as Foreign Policy magazine and Religion News Service, and he has been featured in BBC World Service, Al Jazeera, and the Huffington Post. Nikhil believes interfaith solidarity is a critical strategy to push back against far-right religious nationalist movements gaining power around the world.
Olivia Elder is an advocacy professional, organizer, and dancer based in Washington, DC. Olivia is currently a Senior Project Manager at the Center for Policing Equity (CPE) and a Religion and Public Leadership graduate student at Boston University. Prior to her work at CPE, she worked at Meta, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, and FWD.us supporting partnerships, engagement, electoral organizing, coalitions, and grantmaking. Olivia also served as a Commissioner on the DC Mayor's Commission on Reentry and Returning Citizen Affairs. Outside of work, Olivia is the founder of Project 117 – a micro-consultancy providing education around climate justice, criminal injustice, and faith-based action.
Shannon McCray is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor based in Chicago, Illinois and holds master’s degrees in African American Studies and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Shannon believes interfaith collaboration is key to successfully addressing racial trauma, community violence and childhood adverse experiences--all of which are her clinical interests.
Tahil Sharma is an interfaith activist based in Southern California born to a Hindu father and a Sikh mother. He is the Regional Coordinator for North America at the United Religions Initiative, serving dozens of grassroots interfaith communities in their pursuit of peace, justice, and healing through program support and capacity building. Tahil also serves as an Interfaith Minister in Residence for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, a Board Member for Sadhana: A Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and a member of the Racial Justice & Religion Collective at the Aspen Institute's Religion & Society Program.