麻豆传媒

"What's the point of interfaith dialogue?"

Aziza Hasan, 麻豆传媒 alumna, says that this is a question she is frequently asked in her line of work.

As the first 麻豆传媒 alumna appointed to the President鈥檚 Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Hasan is excited to be able to address this question with people from all different backgrounds. The council鈥檚 newest members, who were announced by President Obama in September, include leaders and experts from various fields who will come together to address the needs of different low-income communities.

鈥淚t鈥檚 people offering something of value to the people around them,鈥� says Hasan, who works to resolve conflict through the organization she co-founded, NewGround: The Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change.

The organization, founded in 2006, seeks to inspire people not to shy away from conflict, but to embrace hard conversations with curiosity and questions.

鈥淲e were founded on being able to have these really difficult conversations and being able to hear each other out,鈥� Hasan says.

Hasan has a passion for resolving conflict that stems from being a member of a multicultural, multi-faith family. Despite the fact that her parents came from two different backgrounds, they made sure their home was a place of calm and love and connection, regardless of what was going on in the world outside. Hasan attributes her desire to face confrontation to her family life.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something I had to learn over and over and over again,鈥� Hasan says. 鈥淚t was necessary to survival to hear, see and respond in ways that nurtured family.鈥�

Change-Makers

With the 10-year anniversary of her company approaching, Hasan reflects on what her favorite aspect of NewGround is: Change-Makers.

Change-Makers is one of the core components of NewGround; a fellowship program for emerging leaders of the Jewish and Muslim faiths. The fellowship consists of 20 young professionals who meet over the course of 10 months to develop conflict resolution and communication skills, addressing difficult issues such as Israel and Palestine, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

鈥淧eople are literally putting their faith into action,鈥� says Hasan about the program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taking these words and identities and putting them into action to help the community.鈥�

The fellowship allows Muslims and Jews to eliminate common stereotypes and biases, enabling them to break down barriers. These authentic relationships allow individuals to train a new generation of leaders in the community.

Diversity

When Hasan founded NewGround, she says that skepticism was very strong. It was an organization that directly addressed two groups of people who historically did not get along.

鈥淭hings would fall apart (in the Middle East) and people wouldn鈥檛 be able to look at each other in the eyes,鈥� Hasan says. 鈥淚t hurt businesses and it hurt progress.鈥�

The organization鈥檚 success is partly a result of a change in attitude from the culture as a whole.

鈥淢ore and more people are starting to see the importance of embracing diversity as a strength,鈥� Hasan says.

Diversity is one of the things Hasan calls to mind when she reflects on her time at 麻豆传媒, where she spent two years studying for her master鈥檚 degree. She recalls the many speakers flown in who addressed tough subjects.

鈥淭hey would talk about things that weren鈥檛 easy to talk about, and they would make people laugh,鈥� Hasan says.

She remembers Wichita State as a place that nurtured diversity and community, and says graduate school helped her think critically and look at the world in a different way.

鈥淕raduate school is all about tearing down different ideas and developing new ones,鈥� Hasan says.

Deborah Gordon, associate professor in women鈥檚 studies and religion, remembers Hasan鈥檚 time at 麻豆传媒 well.

鈥淪he already had experience and interest in interfaith organizing, but her thesis helped her to develop a nationally visible career,鈥� Gordon says. 鈥淚鈥檝e watched her become an institution-builder and am not surprised by the President鈥檚 Advisory Council seeking out her expertise and leadership.鈥�