Last night, I got to see my students sit shoulder to shoulder with community leaders, including Little Rock’s Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., on a panel about improving religious tolerance in our city. They organized, participated in, moderated, and advertised the panel after returning from a study abroad course I taught this summer in Spain.
The course, Islam and Migration in Modern and Historical Spain, included topics like identity, religious head coverings, demographic change, and immigration. We met with NGOs helping Muslim refugees, visited historical sites of interreligious cooperation and conflict, and learned about government programs to help heal past wounds and build bridges today.
The students wanted to connect what they learned studying in Spain to the challenges our own city faces with religious tolerance, and they wanted to learn about what was happening in Little Rock to address those challenges. It was inspiring to see them share what they learned and to also hear community leaders talk about great programs in our community, like those hosted by The Arkansas Interfaith Center. From interfaith dialogue events to a summer “Friendship Camp” for elementary school kids, the Interfaith Center is helping to build bridges in our own community.
Dr. Sara Tariq, one of the panel members and a Board Member and co-founder of the Madina Institute, also remarked on how even small acts can be meaningful in making religious minorities feel like are no longer on the margins. She noted that Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. turning part of his inauguration into an interfaith event was one such act. The Honorable Annabelle Imber Tuck, a Board Member at Congregation B’nai Israel, was also on the panel. She spoke about how getting to know one another, through sharing meals together, holding conversations, and building friendships, can help make interfaith bridge building happen naturally. Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. closed the event by emphasizing that Little Rock is a welcoming and inclusive city and that the event represents the best of what the city and what the university has to offer.
For the students, organizing this high-profile event really pushed them out of their comfort zones! They wrote the questions for the panelists, corresponded with the Mayor’s “people”, and showed up early to help troubleshoot all the inevitable problems (like the mics not working and the catering not showing up on time). They learned some real world skills in this adventure! And they got to share some experiences that meant a lot to them and engage in dialogue on a really meaningful topic. This is the kind of learning experience that will last far beyond the last day of class. Oh, did I mention that I turned in their grades two months ago? When students are doing the work for its own sake and not for a grade, you know that real learning is happening. I am SO proud of them!
