Dear Friends,
In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and this year’s theme from the King Center, “Building Community: Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way”, I ask, what does being in community – one free of bigotry, free of prejudice – truly feel like? What do you need to feel part of a community, and how can you create that for others?
When we think of Dr. King’s vision of a “beloved community”, it is not simply a gathering of people; it is a dynamic practice centered on mutual dignity and justice. The Foundation for Community Engagement describes community as, “A group of people that have made a commitment to learn how to communicate with each other at an even more deep and authentic level.” I see this as an invitation to consider not just who we are when we think of community, but how we are with each other.
I witness this union in many spaces. For instance, I see it when senior leaders exchange strategies to build more inclusive workplaces at our annual Religious Diversity Leadership Summit. I see it in collaborations like our Education program’s Faithful Friends Exhibit in partnership with the Children’s Museum Houston, creating immersive learning experiences that explore the religious and cultural diversity of the city. I also see it in our Health Care team’s mentoring program, Sacred and Seen, helping providers navigate the intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ health care, and in our growing Peacemakers in Action Network that recently welcomed two community activists, from Kashmir and the West Bank, to join their circle of change makers.
Honoring the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and looking ahead at a year full of possibilities, I ask you to imagine and act on new opportunities to build and strengthen community.
In unity,
Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum