Join Me to Change the World!

It has arrived!  SevenDays:  Make a Ripple to Change the World.  As I recently shared in another post, SevenDays is a week-long series of events and activities for young and old to embrace diversity across races, religions and cultures.   It was created by families and caring community members in Kansas City to promote understanding and encourage kindness.  It runs this year from April 12^th – 18^th.  If you are interested in connecting with other to prove the power of love, faith, community and determination, then join me for SevenDays 2016!

I’ve had the privilege to serve as chair of the Speaker Series Committee (we have more than nine events to select from!).  It would mean so much to me to see you at any or all of the following events…

• Tuesday, April 12^th – “Actually, What Is Interfaith? A Community Event”  (Time:  7-9pm; Location:  Rockhurst High School Rose Theater) Join us as we kick off a week of SevenDays activities with founder of the Elijah Interfaith Institute in Israel, Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, who will address the question, “Actually, what is interfaith?” The evening will be emceed by Former US Ambassador to Portugal and founder of American Public Square, Allan Katz. The event is co-hosted by The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council.  A reception will follow the talk.

• Wednesday, April 13^th – “Keeping Our Loved Ones’ Spirits Alive. A Community Breakfast” (Time:  7:30-9am; Location:  Sunlight Day Spa) Join us for breakfast and an intimate conversation with local authors, Mary Lucas (Lunchmeat and Life Lessons) and Lisa Kolias Cooper (You Are My Voice, How Love’s Voice Never Dies), about coping with loss and meaningful ways to keep alive the spirits of our loved ones.  Please RSVP here (http://ow.ly/10kvG2) if you plan to attend.  [NOTE:  Parking at Sunlight Day Spa is available in the east and north parking lots. Overflow parking is available at Comfort Inn directly across from Sunlight Day Spa.]
• Thursday, April 14^th – “Bring Community Together. Overcome Hate.  A Community Event” (Time:  7-9pm; Location:  Church of the Resurrection Student Center, Building C) Hosted in conjunction with The Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council, join us as we hear from former North Carolina State Senator Malcolm Graham who lost his sister, Cynthia Graham Hurd, in the shootings at the AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.  Now, he serves as a vocal advocate for overcoming hate and ensuring the enduring spirits and voices of the victims.  We will hear his inspirational perspective on bringing together our nationwide community.  A reception will follow Senator Graham’s remarks.
• Friday, April 15^th – “Life: A Good Thing to Give.  Jewish Sabbath Services with featured speaker, Mindy Corporon” (Time:  6-8pm; Location:  Congregation Beth Torah) The community is invited to attend Shabbat (Jewish Sabbath) services at Congregation Beth Torah in celebration of SevenDays. During services, Mindy Corporon will deliver a talk on faith, navigating through grief and the importance of organ and tissue donation – a topic of great meaning to her and her late son, Reat Griffin Underwood. Light refreshments will be served from 6-6:30pm; services will begin at 6:30pm.
• Saturday, April 16^th – “Lunch ‘n’ Punch with the T.A.K.E. Defense Foundation” (Time:  11:30am-2pm; Location:  Lifetime Fitness)  Join SevenDays for the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation’s Critically Acclaimed Self Defense Program. Bring your mother, daughter, sister and friends! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn skills every woman should know!  Girls and women are welcome ages 12 years and older (our oldest participant has been 90!).  A light lunch will be served from 11:30am-noon; the self-defense course will run from noon-2pm.  Please RSVP here (http://ow.ly/10xZfP) if you plan to attend.
• Saturday, April 16^th – “Youth Interfaith Workshop” (Time:  5:30-9pm; Location:  Cleveland University Dining Assembly Hall) Students aged 14-20 are invited to attend the SevenDays Youth Interfaith Dinner and Workshop to interact and learn skills for finding common ground around shared values on which to build collaborative efforts of social action. Values such as compassion, hospitality, and caring for the Earth become cooperative service opportunities to engage across the boundaries of religious groups. The workshop will provide skills on how to encourage youth to work together through service projects, bringing people of different faiths together to take common action for the common good.
• Sunday, April 17^th – “Survival, Perseverance & Optimism. A Community Event” (Time:  2-4pm; Location:  Heritage United Methodist Church) Spend your Sunday afternoon with Holocaust Survivor, Sonia Warshawski, in an intimate conversation with her daughter, Regina Kort, as she shares her moving story of survival, perseverance and optimism.
• Sunday, April 17^th – “Understanding Our Muslim Neighbors. A Community Event” (Time:  7-8:30pm; Location:  Cleveland University Dining Assembly Hall)On Sunday evening, SevenDays will host a special discussion to foster understanding with our Muslim neighbors.  Join us for a panel moderated by Mahnaz Shabbir, featuring local members of the Muslim community, Imam Bilal Muhammed, high school junior Belal Jamil and college student, Asha Sheikh-Hussein.
• Monday, April 18^th – Peace Walk and Celebration (Recommended Arrival Time: 4:00pm – 5:45pm; Pre-Walk Celebration: 4:45pm – 6:15pm; Walk Time: 6:30pm; Parking available at Church of the Resurrection; Walk begins at Jewish Community Center)Let’s walk together as a society, embrace our diversity and unite as a community. Join us as we stand against hate. We must gather as ripples of Faith, Love & Kindness and move ONWARD as an unstoppable wave of change. Distance: Approximately 3.5 miles.  Pre-registration is required.