Lourdes University, MultiFaith Council to co-host Be the Light conference
SYLVANIA – Residents looking for ways to counter political polarization and other divisions are invited to a free conference themed around The Power of Words this Sunday.
The second annual Be the Light conference will be held Sept. 15 from 2-5 p.m. at the Franciscan Center of Lourdes University in Sylvania. The event kicks off with a keynote speech on The Psychological Costs and Benefits to Social Media from Dr. Jason Rose, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toledo.
There will also be a 15-20 minute presentation by Sam Nelson on the tension between free speech and hate speech. Sam Nelson is an associate professor of Political Science & Public Administration at the UToledo.
The MultiFaith Council is co-sponsoring the conference with Lourdes University and the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania. The theme was chosen “in light of the current climate in our country where it seems like it’s impossible to disagree without descending into conversations that don’t generate anything productive,” said Sr. Barbara Vano, a Sylvania Franciscan and vice president for Mission and Ministry at Lourdes.
“People aren’t listening to each other; they’re shouting at each other. ‘If I don’t agree with you, you’re wrong, I’m right, end of conversation,’” she said.
Breakout sessions are to specifically explore the role language and communication play in perpetuating violence.
“How does hate speech create narratives that then influence people’s beliefs and behaviors?” asked Jennifer Vasquez, executive director of the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio.
“A really obvious example in the news is immigration,” she said. “The language that is used and the stories that are told about immigrants tell a particular story that leads people to act a certain way. So how do you tell a story that is welcoming and inclusive and curious about others?”
Guests attending the conference can choose two breakout sessions. Topics include:
- Telling Immigration Stories with Shared Values, presented by Christina Staats, National Immigration Forum
- Islamophobia and the Media, presented by Fadia M. Abaza, MD, a local leader in the Muslim community who serves as director of ING MidWest, a nonprofit pursuing peace and countering all forms of bigotry through education and interfaith engagement
- The Political Polarization Crisis — What Can We Do?, presented by Nancy Miranda, Braver Angels Ohio State coordinator, who is to share a technique used for talking to people across the political divide;
- The Story Told in White Christian Nationalism, presented by Deacon Nick Bates, JD, Hunger Network of Ohio
- Art: Communicating Sorrow without Words, presented by Detroit artist Evelyn Hoey, who will share about her journey creating art that explores the issue of gun violence in the U.S.;
- Practicing Nonviolence: Practical Strategies and Practices for De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations, presented by The Rev. Gayle Catinella, St. Michael’s in the Hills Episcopal Church.
Advance registration allows for guests to have first choice of breakout sessions, but walk-ins are permitted.
Vano said she hopes the event helps raise awareness of how communication can be used to limit violence and bring healing.
“Our current culture is just, unfortunately, rife with hate speech,” she added. “I think all of us benefit from just being made a little more conscious of how our speech, how the words we say and the way we say them can so much impact people.”
