Guest Speakers
Understanding Antisemitism with Project Shema
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
1:30-3pm via Zoom
Over the last year, there has been a dramatic and global increase in anti-Jewish harm incidents from hate speech and harassment to violence. Since 2023, the FBI has tracked a 63% rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes. This briefing was developed after October 2023 to help participants navigate the current moment as upstanders and allies for the Jewish community. It provides context on Jewish identity, what antisemitism is, and how anti-Jewish ideas are showing up in discourse around Israel and Palestine. Our proven strategy for identifying Jewish harm nurtures empathy for all people, creates space for nuance, and respects the politics and values of everyone in the room. Participants leave with a toolkit to understand and identify anti-Jewish harm. Half the session is dedicated to a brave space conversation and Q&A.
Daniel Bral is the Director of Content and Engagement for Project Shema. A first-generation Iranian American Jew, Daniel is also a civil rights attorney, California Democratic Party Delegate, and Israel/Palestine writer. He received his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and his J.D. from Loyola Law School, where he served as Executive Editor of Loyola’s International and Comparative Law Review. Daniel’s writing on Israel, the conflict, and coexistence can be found in the Los Angeles Times and Haaretz.
Understanding Islamophobia with Islamic Networks Group
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
1:30-3pm via Zoom
In 2023, Muslim civil rights organizations received reports of over 8000 anti-Muslim hate incidents. Despite the high ratio of unreported incidents, the number increased by 56% compared to the previous year. Half of these incidents occurred between October and December 2023. This year, the surge in anti-Muslim hate that erupted last October continues in the first half of the 2024. From January to June 2024, the same civil rights organizations documented nearly 5,000 incoming complaints, a sixty-nine percent increase over the same period in 2023. The experience of students and employees during this cycle of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate remain the standout trends compared to past cycles. Islamophobia, a centuries old framework, shapes how Islam and Muslims are perceived in the US and globally. This seminar explores the roots and dominant tropes of Islamophobia, examining its impact on Muslim and Arab American communities. It concludes by proposing strategies to combat Islamophobia at both interpersonal and institutional levels.
Maha Elgenaidi is the Founder and Executive Director of the Islamic Networks Group (ING). With a passion for fostering understanding and cultural competency, she has authored training handbooks on outreach for Muslim Americans and developed training programs for organizations and institutions on cultural literacy and bridging diverse religious and ethnic communities. Maha holds an M.A. in Religious Studies from Stanford University and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the American University in Cairo.
Understanding Antisemitism and Islamophobia Debrief session
Monday, December 16, 2024
1-2pm
This session will be an opportunity to come together with other members of the UO community to debrief the “Understanding Antisemitism” and “Understanding Islamophobia” workshops offered on 12/3 and 12/10. We will reflect on our own learning from these sessions and explore together how we can individually and collectively make campus more inclusive.
Winter Term Workshops