2024
Event date: January 30, 2024
Have you ever thought about the contribution of mothers in shaping our nation in the face of patriarchy? Did your grade school history books give a nuanced understanding of the Civil Rights Movement? Together, we unpacked these questions with writer, organizer and educator Anna Malaika Tubbs.
Tubbs discussed her work with Interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jan Barker Alexander and Bee Joyner ’24, who asked Tubbs about how she told American history through Black women’s eyes.
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Event date: February 5, 2024
President Strom C. Thacker moderated a conversation between Salam Al-Marayati and Daniel Sokatch, who have collaborated at other events on dialogues about Palestine and Israel.
Salam Al-Marayati is president and co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council. He is an expert on Islam in the West, Muslim reform movements, human rights, democracy, national security, and Middle East politics. He has spoken at the White House and onCapitol Hill and has represented the U.S. at international human rights and religious freedom conferences. His writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.
Daniel Sokatch is CEO of the New Israel Fund (NIF) and author of Can We Talk About Israel? A Guide for the Curious, Confused, and Conflicted, a National Jewish Book Award finalist. The NIF is an organization with joint Jewish-Palestinian leadership whose work includes supporting Palestinians in Israel, human rights groups monitoring, and defending human rights in the occupied territories. Daniel previously served as CEO of the Jewish Community Federation, Bay Area and Sonoma County, and was founding Executive Director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance (now Bend the Arc). He has been named to The Forward newspaper’s annual list of fifty leading Jewish decision-makers and opinion-shapers and has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, Haaretz, and others.
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Event date: February 20, 2024
A special screening of the 2024 Academy Award-nominated short film, The Barber of Little Rock, was followed by a discussion with co-director John Hoffman and the barber himself, Arlo Washington.
A special screening of the 2024 Academy Award-nominated short film, The Barber of Little Rock, was followed by a discussion with co-director John Hoffman and the barber himself, Arlo Washington. This event was co-sponsored by the Melvin L. Oliver Racial Justice Initiative.
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The Barber of Little Rock explores America’s widening racial wealth gap through the story of Arlo Washington, a local barber whose visionary approach to a just economy can be found in the mission of People Trust, the nonprofit community bank he founded. Experiencing the effects of generational poverty and structural racism firsthand, Arlo understands his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas and the profound mistrust of financial institutions that have historically excluded his community from financial stability and economic mobility. Operating as the sole bank within a ten-mile radius, Arlo’s People Trust fosters economic progress for underserved and underbanked residents, providing an economic beacon of hope that could reshape the future of banking.
The film is part of the The New Yorker Documentary Series, a showcase for important short films from around the world, and is available on the magazine’s digital channels.
John Hoffman co-directed the film with Christine Turner. Hoffman is also a producer who is recognized for The Antidote (2020), Allegra’s Window (1994) and The Alzheimer’s Project (2009), among other films.
Event date: April 22, 2024
In this panel discussion featuring Pitzer faculty, staff, and students involved with the Inside-Out program, formerly incarcerated graduates of Pitzer’s Pathway-to-BA program, current “outside” students, and faculty talked about listening and learning from each other across differences, and how this may be applied to the classroom and campus community at Pitzer.
A reception hosted by the Constructive Dialogues Organizing Committee immediately followed the program, at which participants heard plans and shared ideas for future programs.
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Event date: November 19, 2024
As divisiveness continues to mark so many exchanges online and in person, this 90-minute workshop was designed to demonstrate how to develop a deeper understanding of constructive dialogue. Participants were introduced to practical tools and strategies for enhancing their communication skills and effectively engaging in dialogue on sensitive topics.
Led by Vince Greer and Marissiko Wheaton-Greer of Greer Consulting, the workshops will explore common challenges and barriers specific to our current political landscape.
The workshop also featured:
- Discussion of important terminology
- Methods of listening and reflection
- Discussion-based vignettes
- An open Q & A session
- Additional resources and support
2025
Event date: February 19, 2025
The post-9/11 era in the U.S. has exposed a signi cant degree of prejudice and bigotry towards Muslim people. More recently, broad vili cation of Muslims has served political agendas resulting in calls for bans, registries, and other civil liberty threats to Muslims in America. This program seeks to help participants interested in learning more about Islam and Islamophobia and receiving needed context to bridge divides.
Dr. Amer F. Ahmed is an organizational strategist who helps institutions and leaders address diversity and inclusion, equity, race, and intercultural development through consulting, coaching, group facilitation, and keynote speeches. Throughout his career, Dr. Ahmed has worked with large organizations, higher education institutions, nonpro t agencies, schools, and community groups to create understanding and change among key constituents and institutional leaders. He currently serves as Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Senior Diversity Of cer at University of Vermont.
Event date: February 11, 2025
Like Islamophobia, antisemitism has been prevalent for a long time, especially as recent societal turmoil and division continues in countries around the world. This program aims to help participants understand antisemitism and learn how to create inclusive communities.
Dr. Imani Romney-Rosa Chapman, the founder and director of imani strategies, llc, is a powerful, dynamic, faith- lled, compassionate, change leader for equity. As her name suggests, Imani/Emunah [faith], her faith drives her to co-create brave and inclusive environments for learning, growth and justice. Her work with stakeholders in religious communities, secular communities, schools and non-pro t organizations has helped root their efforts for sustained change.
Franny Silverman accompanies people on journeys of growth, healing, and transformation toward the vision of a world where all people have what they need to thrive as their whole selves in community. She has more than 25 years of experience supporting institutional stakeholders at every level through signi cant changes to move their organizations towards greater equity and mission alignment. An active antiracist practice and a dedication to the health and wellness of Jewish diasporic communities are two things that drive her work.
Event date: April 1, 2025
This event aimed to sharing the human side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the public in order to foster a peace and reconciliation process.
The Parents Circle — Families Forum is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization made up of more than 750 bereaved families. Through their educational activities, these bereaved members have joined together to take tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis on journeys of reconciliation.
To learn more about the organization, visit their website.
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Robi Damelin, spokesperson and director of International Relations for the Parents Circle — Families Forum, joined the organization after her son was killed by a Palestinian sniper. All her work on the ground in Palestine, Israel, and internationally is geared towards non-violence and reconciliation as a means to end the occupation. Robi was named as a 2015 Woman of Impact by Women in the World.
Layla Alsheikh lives in Bethlehem in the West Bank. In 2002, her 6-month-old son, Qussay, became ill and Israeli soldiers prevented Layla from taking him to the hospital for more than five hours. Qussay soon died from the lack of timely treatment. Layla joined the Parents Circle in 2016. Following her son’s death, she never thought of revenge, but rather has devoted her time and energy to ensuring a better, more peaceful future for her children.
Mor Ynon is based in Tel Aviv. On October 7, 2023, her parents, Belha and Yaakov, were killed in their home in Moshav Netiv Ha’Asara by Hamas. The pain of losing them was a wake-up call and a reminder to pursue peace with a commitment to equality, justice, and security for everyone. Today she serves as the Israeli co-chair of the Parents Circle Board.
Sima Mohammed Awad is from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron. She is 20 years old and is an English student. Sima lost her brother Mahmoud when she was 3 years old. Eventually she came to the realization that the only way to prevent further pain and the loss of more children is through dialogue and reconciliation. Sima was raised to always know of her brother’s dedication to her and it is with this love that she works for a different reality.
Event date: November 8, 2025
"I Have A Name" invites audiences to come face to face with the unhoused crisis through the eyes and lens of artist and activist Jon Linton. Filmmaker Adam Bronfman discussed his film during a Q-&-A session.
Watch the film trailer:
"I Have A Name" has a special Claremont Colleges connection: Filmmaker Adam Bronfman PO '85 (spouse of Cindy Bronfman PZ '86) created this powerful documentary, which follows artist-activist Jon Linton and the Let’s Be Better Humans project. That project asks one simple question—“What’s your name?”—to humanize the U.S. unhoused crisis. Through intimate portraits and street-level encounters, the film invites compassion that leads to action. After the screening, Bronfman participated in a community conversation about the film and how to get involved in helping the unhoused.
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