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Itohan Idumwonyi opened FāVS News' Uniting the Inland Northwest Event April 27. She spoke on Ubuntu, the African philosophy that means "I am because we are." It became popularized by Desmund Tutu during the reconciliation years post-apartheid to aid in the healing between communities at war with one another. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Community gathers to bridge divides at FāVS ‘Uniting the Inland Northwest’ event
FāVS News Brief
Itohan Idumwonyi talking about Africa’s Ubuntu philosophy – “I am because we are” – as the keynote speaker at the April 27 FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
About 100 community members from diverse backgrounds gathered April 27 at downtown Spokane’s Montvale Event Center to participate in FāVS News’ “Uniting the Inland Northwest” event aimed at bridging regional divides.
Ven. Thubten Chonyi from Sravasti Abbey and the Rev. Walter Kendricks greet one another before the FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event begins on April 27. Kendricks opened the event and introduced Itohan Idumwonyi as the keynote speaker. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
The free community gathering featured Gonzaga University assistant professor of Religious Studies Itohan Idumwonyi as keynote speaker, discussing Ubuntu philosophy and its application to community building.
“Directing one’s own humanity to others helps us navigate beyond superficial solutions to rethink, adapt and foster human interconnectedness,” Idumwonyi said.
The audience listens on as Itohan Idumwonyi talks about Africa’s Ubuntu philosophy – “I am because we are” at the April 27 FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
The event included six breakout sessions addressing regional issues ranging from homelessness to interfaith dialogue, youth voices and building bridges with refugee and immigrant neighbors.
“We’re excited to have created a space where people from different backgrounds can come together to listen and learn from one another,” said Tracy Simmons, executive director of FāVS News. “Our region faces many challenges that can only be solved when we work together across our differences.”
Favs news freelance journalist Lisa Ormond and Executive Director of Youth for Christ Spokane Kevin Illidge practice active listening, one of the assignments Itohan Idumwonyi gave the audience to do, preferably with someone they didn’t know. Photo taken at the FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event kicks off on April 27. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Naghmana Sherazi, moderator of “Finding Sacred Common Ground: Interfaith Dialogue in Polarized Times” panel, and Himani Agrawal, who spoke on the “Youth Voices: The Next Generation’s Vision for Unity. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Episcopal Diocese of Spokane Bishop Gretchen Rehberg and Northwest Intermountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Bishop Meggan Manlove share a conversation before the FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event kicks off on April 27. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Bishop Gretchen Rehberg of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane called the gathering “an important time of dreaming about who and what we could be in our community.”
Panelists for the “Walking in Their Shoes: Understanding Homelessness in Our Community” panel: (L to R): Moderator Rebecca Cooney, FāVS board member; Jeremy Press Taylor, from Jewish Family Services; Angela Chapman, graduate from the Transitions program; and Zili Chang and Andy Chatburn, from the Spokane Housing Authority. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
“Walking in Their Shoes: Understanding Homelessness in Our Community” panel and audience. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
For FāVS board member Rebecca Cooney, who moderated the “Walking in Their Shoes” panel on homelessness, the experience was powerful.
“There’s so much value in coming together, listening and seeking understanding in our community,” Cooney said. “I truly felt the spirit of connection.”
Panelists for the “The Next Generation’s Vision for Unity” breakout session: (L to R) Himani Agrawal, member of the Spokane Hindu Temple & Cultural Center; Kellee Kikumoto, victim advocate at Lutheran Community Services NW; Ian Sullivan, executive director of Odyssey Youth Movement; Kate Burke, executive director of River City Youth Ops; Kevin Illidge, executive director for Youth for Christ Spokane; and panel moderator Cassy Benefield, FāVS News associate editor. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Kellee Kikumoto shares with the youth panel audience a common phrase she suggests all use moving forward working across our divides. She said instead of saying, “I love you despite our differences,” say, “I love you because of our differences.” / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Moderator Cassy Benefield, FāVS News associate editor, asks the youth panel questions to respond to for the audiences enrichment. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Parents like Cassy Benefield, FāVS News associate editor, was amazed with the knowledge she received from the panel she moderated: “The Next Generation’s Vision for Unity.”
“It was awesome as a parent to listen to the voices who work with the current youth population and their advice to parents to begin setting their kids up for success as adults and as unifiers in our region.”
Mark CuillaDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist and member of Salem Lutheran Church and Bishop Meggan Manlove, of the Northwest Intermountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America share a conversation at FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event on April 27. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Luis Castillo, assistant director of Refugee and Immigrant Connections Spokane, praised the event as “a wonderful opportunity to connect with local neighbors about the importance of working together to become better humans and shape a more welcoming community.”
Mari Haworth, longtime FāVS volunteer and former board member, enjoying a snack from the Montvale. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Participants engaged with representatives from local organizations in discussions moderated by community leaders. The gathering built upon FāVS News’ previous Good Neighbor Conference held in 2016 at Gonzaga University.
Guests on the “Breaking Bread Together: How Food and Faith Unite Communities” panel: (L to R) Ross Carper, co-executive director of Feast World Kitchen; Kathy Davis, from West Central Abbey’s Dinner Table; Michelle Triant from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church; and Maisa Abudayha, co-executive director of Feast World Kitchen. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Michelle Triant from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church summarized the event as “a celebration of perspectives where we learned that the key to all of our efforts in uniting the Inland Northwest is communication.”
Episcopal Diocese of Spokane Bishop Gretchen Rehberg and St. John’s Cathedral Dean the Very Rev. Heather VanDeventer practice active listening, one of the assignments Itohan Idumwonyi gave the audience to do, at the FāVS News Uniting the Inland Northwest Event kicks off on April 27. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
Rev. Heather VanDeventer, dean of St. John’s Cathedral, accorded with Triant. She appreciated how the event brought diverse groups and people together and gave them the opportunity to share and receive wisdom from their perspectives and background.
“This began with the reminder of Ubuntu — I am because we are — and moved to that Ubuntu being lived out by organizations who care for youth and young adults in the Spokane region.” She added she also loved learning about places of worship that welcome LGBTQ+ “folk.”
Maisa Abudayha, co-executive director of Feast World Kitchen, and speaker on the “Breaking Bread Together: How Food and Faith Unite Communities” panel. / Photo by Gen Heywood (FāVS News)
I love to see a good pluralism project — well done, FaVS.news!
Thanks Janet!