Guibord Center - Religion Inside Out

THE MISSION IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, TO CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS, UNLEASH THE SACRED AND AFFIRM THE SPIRITUALITY THAT TRANSFORMS THE WORLD.

A SIGNATURE OF THE GUIBORD CENTER IS THAT ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE OF CHARGE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, THIS AVAILABILITY EXTENDS TO ALL RECORDING AND PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGHOUT THE WEBSITE. THE MISSION TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS, UNLEASH THE SACRED AND AFFIRM THE SPIRITUALITY THAT TRANSFORMS THE WORLD IS AMPLIFIED IN THE ORIGINAL INITIATIVES:"ANIMALS, FAITH & CREATION", "CHILDREN, YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS", "FAITH, WOMEN & VIOLENCE", AND "NONVIOLENCE AND ANTI-RACISM". THE 2021 PROGRAMS WERE CONDUCTED AS ONLINE EVENTS AND INCLUDED: "RESILIENCE AND FREEDOM: HOW ENDURING LESSONS FROM THE WWII JAPANESE AMERICA EXPERIENCE CAN HEAL US TODAY", "SWAMI SARVAPRIYANANDA ON SATYAGRAHA: THE HEART OF NONVIOLENCE", "REVOLUTIONARY LOVE WITH VALARIE KAUR", "AHIMSA AND NONVIOLENCE: AN INTERFAITH EXPLORATION OF RACISM", "HOPE IN THE HOLY: 20 YEARS OF THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY 9/11/2001- 9/11/2021", "THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY: WHY MAJOR RELIGIONS REVERE THE MOTHER OF JESUS". THE GUIBORD CENTER PARTNERED WITH ISLAMICITY FOR THE SECOND SEASON OF THE ONLINE INTERFAITH SERIES "INSPIRING STORIES" ON THE THEME OF "HEALING OUR WORLD". KEYNOTE STORYTELLERS WERE CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, JEWISH, ROMAN CATHOLIC, HINDU, AZTEC AND OMNIST. THESE INDIVIDUALS SHARED PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FROM DIVERSE FAITHS AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS ON THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: THE POWER OF NONVIOLENCE, CANCEL AND CALL-OUT CULTURE, GENDER DIVERSITY, FACING CLIMATE CHANGE, IMMIGRATION JUSTICE, AND ADDRESSING THE WOUNDS OF RACISM. THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 6 SESSIONS EACH WITH 30 TO 90 IN ATTENDANCE FROM ACROSS THE U.S. PARTS OF EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND THE COMMUNITY LIAISON CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SPEAKERS AND FACILITATE ONLINE CONVERSATIONS WITH INTERFAITH PANELS AND MULTIPLE SCHOOLS INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA ZOROASTRIAN CENTER'S SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THEY ALSO RESPONDED TO A UNIQUE INVITATION TO TEACH ONLINE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AS PART OF AN ADVISORY BLOCK, US HISTORY AND WORLD HISTORY CLASSES, AT NEW VILLAGE GIRLS ACADEMY (A CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES). IN ADDITION, MEMBERS OF THE GUIBORD CENTER COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTENSE, ONGOING BI-WEEKLY DISCERNMENT GROUP ON ANTI-RACISM. SECOND YEAR INITIATIVE OF NONVIOLENCE BEGAN. THE ORGANIZATION DEEPENED ITS EXPLORATION OF THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AT THE HEART OF NONVIOLENCE THAT OUR DIVERSE FAITH TRADITIONS ENCOURAGE US TO FOLLOW IN ORDER TO CREATE A MORE JUST AND EGALITARIAN SOCIETY. ONLINE PROGRAMMING CONTINUED BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BRINGING A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF PARTICIPATION FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE GLOBE INCLUDING NEW PARTICIPANTS FROM GREAT BRITAIN, EUROPE, AFRICA AND AUSTRALIA.