Dear Friend, In this month of holiday giving, the Interfaith Center of New York is asking for your support. We want you to know what a difference your donations make in our ongoing work against hate. Our civics education for diverse faith leaders, interfaith advocacy for migrant New Yorkers, and religious diversity training for city officials year-round offer antidotes to Islamaphobia, antisemitism, and other forms of hatred. What we do at ICNY strengthens New York City's civil society. Please make a donation to our work as, together, we face an uncertain future that asks commitment to the daily practice of democracy for all of us. ***************************************************************************************************** With your support, ICNY seeks to strengthen existing local rapid response networks that support immigrants in and around New York City. To participate, we encourage you to fill out this form, which will connect you to existing networks and also help us to identify neighborhoods still in need of rapid response assistance. To learn more, including how to register for the Immigrant Justice Network's Dec. 4 webinar on building rapid response networks, contact ICNY’s Associate Director for Migrant Outreach, Brennan Brink at brennan@interfaithcenter.org. In ICNY's most recent Advocacy Blog, Mahnoor Fatima of Bricks and Mortals calls on advocates for new New Yorkers to urge their City Council Representatives to vote for Mayor Adams’s “City of Yes” initiative on Thursday, December 5. More affordable housing helps all New Yorkers including immigrants. And, if you missed it, ICNY’s new Board Co-Chair Ruth Messinger offers her thoughts in an op ed in The Forward, where she reminds us that “despair is not a strategy” and gives those mourning the election results 4 steps to take right now. Sincerely, | |  | | The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer ICNY Executive Director | | | | | | | | | |  | Conference for Religious and Civic Leaders Faith and Democracy: Educating Communities for a Better Future Wednesday, December 4, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm In person at 475 Riverside Drive – All Are Welcome Religious and civic leaders are invited to attend the Faith & Democracy: Educating Communities for a Better Future conference — a critical gathering addressing the intersections of faith, democracy, and civic participation in New York City and beyond. With the 2024 presidential election upon us, and the 2025 NYC mayoral campaign heating up, the stakes in the democratic process are higher than ever. The upcoming elections will have profound implications for social justice, immigration, healthcare, climate policy, affordable housing, and much more — issues that directly impact the communities we serve. Faith leaders are uniquely positioned to guide and inspire our communities through the challenging decisions that lie ahead. By empowering our communities for full participation in their democracy, we can help build a just and equitable future for all. This conference will give participants the tools they need to engage their communities in the democratic process, promote voter education and registration, and foster constructive dialogue on social justice, equity, and the role of faith in public life. The program will include: - Keynote Address by Dr. Sarah Sayeed, Chair and Executive Director of the NYC Civic Engagement Commission
- Multifaith Panel Discussion featuring thought leaders and activists from diverse religious traditions and civic organizations
- Hands-On Workshops on voter mobilization, democracy education, participatory budgeting, advocacy strategies, and more
- Networking and Community-Building with diverse faith leaders, civic officials, and grass-roots activists
Your leadership is crucial in this moment. Together, we can ensure that the values of compassion, justice, and dignity are reflected in our nation's and our city's future. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot at this transformative event! Finally, please share this invitation with your colleagues and community members — all are welcome! Click the following links for easy-to-share posts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. | | | | | | | | | |  | Community Conversation and Book Discussion People Power Change: A Conversation about Powerful Faith-based Organizing, with Scholar and Activist Marshall Ganz Saturday, December 14, 5:30 pm
49 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY Join the Interfaith Center of New York and our partners for an evening with Marshall Ganz, one of the world's leading authorities on democratic organizing, in conversation with Dr. Sarah Sayeed, Chair of the NYC Civic Engagement Commission. Professor Ganz's new book People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal is the culmination of his decades of teaching, research, and social activism. In People, Power, Change, Ganz distills for students and practitioners the principles he has gleaned over the last half-century about the practice and craft of creating collective action. At a moment when our democratic abilities seem to have eroded, and political, economic, and technological forces have weakened the capacity for collective action, People, Power, Change is a once-in-a-generation book for anyone who wants to create real and lasting change. Don't miss your chance to learn from Marshall Ganz and your diverse neighbors. Space is limited, and RSVP is required. | | | | | | OTHER PROGRAMS & EVENTS Listing does not imply endorsement by the Interfaith Center of New York | |  | Public Health Webinar Don't Get Gaslit: Gas Stoves and Your Health Online, Free, and Open to all Thursday, December 5, 12:00 - 1:00 pm The Center for Earth Ethics is partnering with Tim Guinee of the Climate Reality Project to host a free webinar on the issue of gas stove emissions. These emissions have serious health consequences that are little known to the general public. Join us to learn about the health risks, environmental justice impacts and upcoming legislation in New York State to address the problem. | | | | | |  | Fundraiser for Faith Community Responding to the Migrant Crisis Fundraiser for Jahmiyatu Ansaru-Deen Sunday, December 8, 4:00 - 10:00 pm St. Stephen Methodist Church (2145 Frederick Douglass Blvd. New York, NY 10026) Join one of ICNY's 2023 Faith Justice Heros, Imam Omar Niass, for a fundraiser to support the work of his mosque. They have been providing essential resources to the newest New Yorkers and have been at the forefront of helping West African asylum seekers adapt to life in New York City. | | | |  | Public Jail-Reform Rally Human Rights Day Rally to Close Rikers Tuesday, December 10, 10:30 - 11:30 am Steps of City Hall: Enter from Broadway or Park Row While City Officials are making dangerous plans to condemn more people to the life-threatening conditions on Rikers, we've been talking to New Yorkers all over the City who want to see Torture Island closed. Thousands of our neighbors in every borough have signed postcards to Mayor Adams, demanding that he follow the law, and take action now to decarcerate and Close Rikers. On International Human Rights Day, Freedom Agenda and others are taking this message to the steps of City Hall, where they will deliver over 2,027 postcards to the Mayor in person. | | | | | |  | Domestic Violence Response Training Responding to Domestic Violence in Faith Communities Tuesday, December 17 and Thursday, December 19: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm and 2:00 - 4:00 pm Held over Zoom Registration is open for "Responding to Domestic Violence in Faith Communities" on Tuesday Dec. 17 and Thursday, Dec. 19th, from 10am-noon and 2pm-4pm each day on Zoom. This is a two-day training for religious leaders, spiritual activists and people of faith to gain a basic understanding of the complex dynamics of intimate partner abuse, intervention strategies, and the role of the faith community in preventing domestic violence. Training will also explore theology, spiritual care and spiritual issues that come up when responding to domestic violence. This is free training. For more information or questions, email Danielle Williams at [email protected]. Feel free to share with those you feel may be interested including but not limited to your congregational leaders and clergy peers. | | | | | |  | Training for Faith Leaders House of Worship Ready Free and Open to All Various Dates and Locations New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) is offering a series of free trainings for faith leaders, through its Faith Sector Community Preparedness Program, a program created in partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Office of Emergency Preparedness & Response. The Faith Sector Community Preparedness Program hosts citywide trainings and risk communication exercises for House of Worship (HOWs) and faith-based organizations, to increase community resilience and build the Sector’s capacity to prepare for and respond to emergencies through planning and the provision of relief and recovery support. HOWready Partners are New York City congregations, faith-based organizations, and religious judicatories located in all five boroughs. Join NYDIS at this fall's free trainings to learn more. | | | | | |  | Training for Mental Health Professionals Breathwork Course for Clinicians Online Saturdays, Dec. 7th and 14th
10:00 am - 11:15 am ET Registration is now open for the Psychotherapy & Spirituality Institute's Autumn Breathwork Course for Clinicians. Join us on a transformative journey of self-discovery and healing through the power of breath. Whether you’re new to breathwork or looking to deepen your practice, this course will help you unlock balance, clarity, and inner peace. Key Benefits: Reduce stress, Enhance emotional regulation, Improve cognitive function 75-minute sessions cover: Breathwork mechanics & science, Effective stress-reducing techniques; The breathwork & Polyvagal Theory connection 7.5 CE's available to NYSED certified LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LMHCs, & LCATs
Register now to secure your spot.
Early bird price (deadline: 10/18/24): $199
Regular tuition price: $250 | | | | The Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) works to overcome prejudice, violence, and misunderstanding by activating the power of the city's grassroots religious and civic leaders and their communities. | | | | | |
