Sessions

Sessions & Presentations

Our goal is to form ourselves into moral leaders with a deep commitment to justice work. Cohort members engage in a process of developing a shared analysis of social and political issues that empowers prophetic action. Through the cohort, interfaith leaders are provided with both the analytical knowledge and practical tools to engage their faith communities in justice advocacy. 

We build a “shared analysis” by delving into various social injustices in our monthly sessions, with presentations by experts in the field and personal testimonies by people directly impacted.  The goal is to empower participants with academic knowledge and to bring us “closer to the pain” suffered by immigrants and other marginalized communities on the Peninsula.

Featured Session: Dr. Lerone Martin

Dr. Lerone A. Martin is the Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professor in Religious Studies and Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University. His most recent book, The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover: How the FBI Aided and Abetted the Rise of White Christian Nationalism was published in February 2023 and has garnered wide praise from publications including The Nation, Foreign Affairs, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, and History Today. His book, Preaching on Wax: The Phonograph and the Making of Modern African American Religion, received the 2015 first book award by the American Society of Church History.

See more presentations at our YouTube channel.

Year 8 (2024-2025)

  • Congregational Organizing, with Lee Winkman of Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
  • Transgender Justice Panel: Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge and Rev. Mr. Barb Greve, and Ishani Dugar of SMC Pride Center — see the video
  • Immigration Justice with Huy Tran, E.D., SIREN — see the video
  • The Gospel of J. Edgar Hoover and White Christian Nationalism, with Dr. Lerone Martin — see the video
  • Media Training around Immigration Justice, with Jon Rodney of the CA Immigrant Policy Center
  • Partnership Panel: Deepening Our Solidarity, with leaders of 6 Community Organizations

Year 7 (2023-2024)

  • Faith and Justice, with Rev. Michael McBride — see the video
  • Shifting the Narrative Around Housing, with Edie Irons of All Home — see the video
  • Supporting Our Farm Worker Neighbors, with Rita Mancera from Puente de la Costa Sur — see the video
  • Engaging Religion and Politics, with PSC Members
  • Faith Leaders and Reproductive Justice, with Elizabeth Molina of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
  • The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy, with Dr. Robert P. Jones — see the video
  • Equity and Belonging, with Shireen Malekafzali, SMC Chief Equity Officer
  • Antisemitism and Islamophobia, with Islamic Networks Group and Jewish Community Relations Council at the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum

Year 6 (2022-2023)

  • Sharing Our Own Stories Fishbowl: Housing in Redwood City with Nani Friedman and Adriana Guzman, Faith in Action Bay Area — see the video
  • Immigration History, Dreamers, and Prospect for Reform with Bill Hing, Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Karen Ferguson, CORA — see the video
  • Minefields of the Mind at the End of the World with BK Woodson and Rabbi Lisa Delson — see the video
  • Immigration, white fragility and infinite gratitude with Sharon Jacob and testimony by Jorge Bautista —see the videos: Dr. Jacobs and Rev. Bautista

Year 5 (2021-2022)

  • Congressional candidates: Emily Beach, Kevin Mullin and David Canepa
  • Good Religion with Bishop Yvette Flunder
  • Fixin’ San Mateo County on civilian oversight of the Sheriff in San Mateo County with Nancy Goodban and Jim Lawrence
  • Inter-religious diversity and LGBTQI language and terminology with Dawn Neal and Teri Echelbarger
  • Policing and bias with Rebecca Hetey

Through my participation in the Cohort, I discovered the current social justice issues in San Mateo county. It shined a light on the homelessness in the midst of our affluence, and pushed me out of my comfort zone to support and serve all of God’s people.

Year 4 (2020-2021)

  • PICO CA’s Strategic Plan and Bias in Language with Joseph McKeller, PICO and Rebecca Hetey
  • Budget Advocacy and Vaccine Equity in San Mateo County with Roberto Manchia, CFO of SMC and Shireen Malekafzali, Health Policy, Planning and Equity of SMC, with testimony by Sina
  • Faith, Funding and Effective Budget Advocacy with Scott Graves, CA Budget and Policy Center; Mauricio Palma, SVCF
  • Making SMC the Most Compassionate County: Juvenile Justice and County Covid Response with Danielle and Jessica Mullin, Monroe Labousse, Paul Bocanegra, David Canepa
  • Post-Election: Where are We? How are We? What is Needed Now? with Jennifer Martinez, Adriana Guzman and Valarie Kaur
  • White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity with Robert P. Jones
  • Racial Justice Voter Guide with Jennifer Martinez, PICO CA

I feel more connected both in depth and breadth to the issues facing our wider Bay Area, and I have been moved by the way different leaders in our cohort model a faith-rooted response to oppression and injustice. I particularly pay more attention to who is and isn’t being heard in a space, and to how to lift up voices who are closest the concern at hand.

Year 3 (2019-2020)

  • (En)Countering Bias and Bigotry with Rebecca Hetey on implicit bias and Vlad Khaykin, Anti-Defamation League, on anti-Semitism
  • Economic Justice/Schools and Communities First with Emily Beach, Mayor of Burlingame and Jennifer Martinez, PICO California
  • Census 2020 with Sonny Le, Census Bureau and Stephanie Kim, United Way
  • Safe Parking and History of Housing in SMC with Matt Alexander and Sara Miles, Faith in Action, testimony by Lesley and Matt
  • Welcome, Power, Safe Parking with Rabbi Corey Helfand and Pastor Paul Bains, Project WeHope

Through my participation in the cohort, I participated in sessions on Implicit Bias that helped me to understand my own biases, and the importance of doing my own internal anti-racism work.

Year 2 Sessions (2018-2019)

  • Mission and Vision for our Cohort and County facilitated by Cohort Planning Team
  • The Belong Movement with Ben McBride and Joseph Mckellar
  • Presentation of LGBTQ Survey Results with Rev. Terri Echelbarger
  • Engaging with Business Leaders with Maya Perkins and Vinita Goyal
  • Working with Civic Leaders: the Behind-the-Scenes-Story, Panel with Seven Civic Leaders
  • Engaging in Direct Action and its Theological Framework with Rev. Deth Im
  • Working with Earned Media – P2: Media Interviews and Press Releases with Jon Rodney
  • Working with Earned Media – P1: Sound Bites and Hard Questions with Jon Rodney
  • Engaging our Congregations for Justice Work with Dr. George Cummings

The Cohort has made me more aware, armed me with information and made me bolder personally and professionally.

Year 1 Sessions (2017-2018)

  • Overnight Retreat with Mauricio Palma and Jennifer Martinez
  • Theatre of the Oppressed with Jiwon Chung
  • Theological Analysis of Resistance with Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews
  • Hypercapitalism with Jennifer Martinez of PICO California
  • Origins of Residential Segregation with Dr. Richard Rothstein
  • State Violence / Theology of Ferguson with Rev. Ben McBride
  • Implicit Bias with Dr. Rebecca Hetey
  • Immigration Rights with Dr. Bill Hing