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Presentations, 2017 - Present

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Our Common Beliefs and Westchester Muslims for Palestine invite you to join us for a benefit Iftar for Gaza on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 at 6pm at UWMS: Upper Westchester Muslim Society, 600 Bear Ridge Rd. Pleasantville, NY. All proceeds benefit ANERA's direct humanitarian response in Gaza. Enjoy delicious Palestinian food, hear from speakers about what it feels like to be a Palestinian now, and come together in community for a noble, charitable cause. Early bird adult tickets are $50 until 3/30, regular adult $75, children 12 and under $25.

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Please consider donating to ANERA directly here: Donate Here
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service


Imam Khalid Latif is the University Chaplain for New York University and Executive Director of the Islamic Center at NYU. He is also the co-founder of Honest Chops, the first-ever all-natural/organic halal butcher in NYC and its spinoff restaurant Burgers by Honest Chops, the Muslim Wedding Service, an agency specializing in providing charismatic and inspirational marriage officiants for wedding ceremonies, and a partner in the MKO Group, an investment group that owns and operates multiple Edible Arrangements franchises in Manhattan. Each of these ventures was started to help generate revenue to assist people in need. He was appointed the first Muslim chaplain at NYU in 2005. He was also appointed the first Muslim chaplain at Princeton University in 2006. Spending a year commuting between these two excellent institutions, he finally decided to commit full-time to New York University's Islamic Center where his position was officially institutionalized in the spring of 2007. Under his leadership, the Islamic Center at NYU became the first ever established Muslim student center at an institution of higher education in the United States. Imam Latif's exceptional dedication and ability to cross interfaith and cultural lines on a daily basis brought him recognition throughout the city, so much so that in 2007 Mayor Michael Bloomberg nominated Imam Latif to become the youngest chaplain in history of the New York City Police Department at the age of 24. He served in that role for 11 years. Imam Latif was selected as one of 60 NYC leaders to serve on May Bill Deblasio's Transition Team, helping to recommend and select individuals for key roles in the current NYC administration and also appointed to a "Task Force to Combat Hate" by NYC Public Advocate Tisch James to deal with the rise in Islamophobic, anti-semitic and anti-sikh sentiment in NYC. Imam Latif has not only managed to solidify the basis of a strong Muslim community at NYU that seeks to emphasize inclusiveness and understanding of others without compromise, but has also worked tirelessly to foster dialogue with people of other faiths in order to clarify misconceptions and encourage mutual education. His work has brought him to share stages with the likes of Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, and many grassroot movements and diverse communities throughout the world. Through his work Imam Latif has demonstrated not only an exceptional dedication to gaining and disseminating religious knowledge and values, but has begun to carve out a much-needed space for young American Muslims to celebrate their unique identity and have

their voices heard in the larger public sphere. In 2012, Imam Latif co-founded with NYU's ViceChancellor Linda Mills, Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, and Chelsea Clinton the Of Many Institute, a

groundbreaking programmatic model for multifaith leadership at the university level. The OM Institute supports a new generation of religious and civic leaders who, deeply rooted in their own religious and spiritual traditions, reach across faith boundaries to solve social problems together. Imam Latif currently serves as a Senior Fellow with OM and, amongst other things, co-teaches the popular course "Multifaith Leadership in the 21st Century" with his good friend Rabbi Yehuda Sarna. Imam Latif and Rabbi Sarna's friendship and work was documented in a film entitled "Of Many", directed by Linda Mills and produced by Chelsea Clinton, that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and has since received great reviews. Imam Latif is a sought after speaker, having been invited to share his insights and experiences to diverse audience all over the world. He has been featured in numerous media outlets including the Huffington Post, BBC, NPR, CNN, the New York Times, New York Magazine, The Colbert Report, Katie Couric, Newsweek, Time, BET and GEO TV. He has been named a Global Interfaith

Visionary by the United Nations Temple of Understanding (2010), one of 100 NYC Luminaries by the

New York Public Library (2011), one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by Georgetown

University's Prince Alwaleed Bin Talaal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre (2009 & 2010), a Millennial Leader for Social Justice by Auburn Seminary (2011), listed to the Christian Science Monitor's "30 Under 30" list (2012), a Hollister Award recipient for his outstanding work in the Multi-faith World (2012), a Brass Crescent Award for Best Writer for his awardwinning "Ramadan Reflection" series for the Huffington Post (2012 & 2013), a distinguished alumni service award from New York university (2014), a "New NY Abolitionist" for his work around trafficking and forced marriage (2015), named to the inaugural "Mic 50" list by Mic.com, a celebration of the next generation of impactful leaders, cultural influencers, and breakthrough innovators from around the world (2015), received an Honorary Doctorate of Theology from Washington & Jefferson College (2016), the MLK Humanitarian Award from NYU (2017) and most recent a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Wardlaw + Hartridge School (2018.)

NOTE: Imam is no longer the Muslim Chaplain at NYPD.


Following is some information on internationally renowned speaker, Yasmin Mogahed:

Yasmin Mogahed has just launched YMTV, her new online TV channel :www.yasminmogahedtv.com and has authored two books: Love and Happiness and Reclaim Your Heart, which have received international acclaim. Yasmin is currently an instructor for AlMaghrib Institute, and Al-Buruj Press, is a writer for the Huffington Post, an international speaker, and an invited lecturer at Oxford, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and many other universities around the world. She received her B.S. Degree in Psychology and her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing her graduate work, she taught Islamic Studies and got heavily involved in community youth work. Yasmin has just finished her new book, Healing the Emptiness which has just been released. Follow Yasmin online for more of her writings and lectures.

Her books are available via Amazon:

Reclaim Your Heart

Love & Happiness

Healing the Emptiness


Our Common Beliefs Technical Assistant Fatuma Hydara is the owner of Tuma's Books. Please support her organization

by buying Ustadha Yasmin's books from her book store.

Purchase Yasmin Mogahed's books through Tuma's Books and support a small, Black and Muslim-owned business. 


We Refuse to Be Enemies. How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace, One Friendship at a Time.


We Refuse to Be Enemies is a manifesto by two American citizens, a Muslim woman and a Jewish man, concerned with the rise of intolerance and bigotry in our country. Together Rehman and Ruby have spent decades doing interfaith work and nurturing cooperation among communities. They have learned that, through face-to-face encounters, people of all backgrounds can come to know the Other as a fellow human being and turn her or him into a trusted friend. In this book, they share their experience and guidance.


Growing up in Pakistan before she immigrated to the United States, Sabeeha never met a Jew, and her view was colored by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his youth, Walter never met a Muslim, and his opinion was shaped by Leon Uris’s Exodus. Yet together they have formed a friendship and collaboration. Tapping their own life stories and entering into dialogue within the book, they explain how they have found commonalities between their respective faiths and discuss shared principles and lessons, how their perceptions of the Other have evolved, and the pushback they faced. They wrestle with the two elephants in the room: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and polarizing material in the histories and holy texts of Judaism and Islam. And they share their vision for reconciliation, offering concrete principles for building an alliance in support of religious freedom and human rights.

If You Missed The Program You Can Click This Youtube Video


I hope you'll join us for a special & fruitful conversation online with Dr. Craig Considine about his new book called People of the Book: Prophet Muhammad's Encounters with Christians on Sunday, June 12 at 2-3:30pm EST!

The Christians that lived around the Arabian Peninsula during Prophet Muhammad's (Pbuh) lifetime are shrouded in mystery. Some of the stories of the Prophet's interactions with them are based on legends and myths, while others are more authentic and plausible. But who exactly were these Christians? Why did Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) interact with them as he reportedly did? And what lessons can today's Muslims and Christians learn from these encounters? These are some of the questions explored in Dr. Craig's book. Dr. Craig speaks in admiration of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) by highlighting his vision of an inclusive Ummah or Muslim nation, rooted in citizenship rights, interfaith dialogue and freedom of conscience, religion and speech.

This conversation is hosted in partnership with my friend and colleague Becca Tyvoll of Peace Catalyst International, DC , and we can't wait to see you for this interactive end enriching discussion with Dr. Craig about his book, and any questions you may have about the interactions that took place between Christians and Muslims in the early 7th century!

 Please find the YouTube recording here by 
clicking the link below:
​
https://youtu.be/UoNkNs5nI74

If you missed the program, you can watch it below.

If you missed the program, you can watch it below. 

The 18th Annual Interreligious Prayer Service

Sunday, February 6, 2022, 3:00 PM

Virtual Program, Free for Everyone


You can watch my contribution to the program below:


If you missed the program, you can watch it below. 



You can watch my contribution to the program below:

The Rivertown's Clergy Association 

Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service 

Our Common Beliefs has been graciously invited by the Rivertown's Clergy Association to the Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service.


Date:

Tuesday November 23, 2021 at 7:30 pm

Our Common Beliefs graciously invites you to a conversation with Dr. Craig Considine, author of the groundbreaking book, 

 "The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View". 


In this overview of Prophet Muhammad's (Pbuh) life and legacy, prominent scholar Dr. Craig Considine provides a sociological analysis of Prophet Muhammad's (Pbuh) teachings and example. Considine shows how the Prophet embraced religious pluralism, envisioned a civic nation, stood for anti-racism, advocated for seeking knowledge, initiated women's rights, and followed the Golden Rule. Considine sheds light on the side of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) that is often forgotten in mainstream depictions and media narratives. "The Humanity of Muhammad" is Considine's contribution to the growing body of literature on one of history's most important human beings.


Dr. Craig Considine is an author and professor of sociology at Rice University in Houston, TX.

Registration is compulsory.


Co-Sponsored by Peace Catalyst International, DC Area

The Rivertown's Clergy Association 
Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service 

Our Common Beliefs has been graciously invited by the Rivertown's Clergy Association to the Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service.


Date:

Tuesday November 24, 2020 at 7:30 pm

Coffee & Conversation

Our Common Beliefs has been kindly invited by 

"Peace Catalyst International"s www.peacecatalyst.org

Program Director of the Washington, DC area, Becca Pugh to talk about being a peacemaker in my community and to share my experience of doing interfaith work as an American Muslim through my organization 

"Our Common Beliefs."


The virtual program will be held on 

Monday, October 5th at 6:30pm.

I look forward to you joining the conversation.

This program is free but you have to register.

Live Stream and Zoom Q&A session

Click hereto RSVP

Our Common Beliefs is thrilled to invite you to a Free Live Streaming of the highly acclaimed movie, "PRINCE AMONG SLAVES," on July 13-16 only. The amazing true story of Abdul Rahman Ibrahim Sori, an African Muslim  Prince enslaved in the American South. The film has multiple awards and is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The film awards are: Best Documentary AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, WINNER GOLDIE, WINNER CINE GOLDEN EAGLE, WINNER WORLD MEDIA, WINNER TELLY, WINNER TIVA-DC PEER. In addition, there will be a special Zoom Q&A/ Discussion that will be held on July 16 at 7pm with special guest speaker, Daniel Tutt, Film Producer and Interfaith Activist.

Zoom space is limited, so please RSVP & register ASAP. After you RSVP, I will send you an email with the Live Stream and Zoom links.

Daniel Tutt

Special Guest Speaker

Film Producer and Interfaith Activist


Daniel Tutt is an interfaith activist and philosopher. He is a producer for Unity Productions Foundation, a media company dedicated to combating Islamophobia and promoting interfaith relations through film and media. Daniel developed a nationwide inter and intra-faith dialogue campaign around UPF’s Prince Among Slaves film supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. As a scholar activist, his work addresses Islamophobia and inter-religious dialogue. Daniel is co-editor of a new book entitled, Theologies and Ethics of Justice: New Directions in 21st Century Islamic Thought for IIIT press.


His writing and work has been published in Philosophy Now, The Islamic Monthly, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post and he has essays published in three different books of philosophy. Daniel is Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University and serves as the Director of Programs and a Producer at Unity Productions Foundation, the filmmaking and educational organization responsible for creating The Sultan and the Saint.


At UPF, he has developed and implemented a number of programs, including American Muslims: Facts vs. Fiction, a short film that reached over 10 million people during the 2016 election season, and 20,000 Dialogues a national interfaith campaign that achieved 20,000 interfaith encounters at the grassroots level.I'm a paragraph. Click once to begin entering your own content. You can change my font, size, line height, color and more by highlighting part of me and selecting the options from the toolbar.

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2020

The 16th Annual Inter-Religious Prayer Service for Peace and Justice

Celebrating World Interfaith Harmony

Purchase Friends Meeting House, Purchase, NY

Sunday, February 2nd, 3pm-5:30pm


Spiritual Remarks For Unity and Diversity

Inauguration of Colin D. Smith, Westchester County Legislator, 1st Legislative District

for Peekskill, Cortlandt & Yorktown

Peekskill, NY

Sunday, January 19, 2020, 1pm-3pm

MLK Jr. Renewal & Reconciliation Prayer

Star of Bethlehem Church, Ossining, NY

Sunday, January 19, 2020, 7:30 PM


Monsey, NY Interfaith Prayer Service

Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown, NY

Sunday, January 5, 2020, 2pm

Spiritual Remarks For Unity and Diversity

​2020 INAUGURATION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS

OSSINING COMMUNITY CENTER, Ossining, NY

January 1, 2020, 12:00 PM

2019

Rivertowns Community Service of THANKSGIVING

Rivertowns Clery Assocation

Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown, NY

Tuesday, November 26, 2109, 7:30pm


Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, Call to Stewardship

Sponsored by, ICLC, Interfaith Congregational Laymen's Committee of Harrison

( Our Common Beliefs is part of Committee)

The Greek Orthodox Church of Our Saviour, Rye, NY

Thursday, November 21, 2019


Prophet Jesus and the Virgin Mary (Pbut) in Islam

THE CENTER AT MARIANDALE, Ossining, New York

A living legacy of the Dominican Sisters of Hope

Presentation, followed by Q&A and discussion

Refreshments will be served

Sunday, November 10, 2019, 2PM-5PM

Free, Registration required via email:

ourcommonbeliefs@gmail.com


Documentary: Prince Among Slaves - The Cultural Legacy of Enslaved Africans

MARYKNOLL SISTERS, Ossining, New York

Made by Unity  Productions Foundation (UPF). www.upf.tv

In 1788, a young African Prince named Abdul Rahman is torn from a life of power and privilege and thrust into enslavement in a strange land.

There, he endured unimaginable hardship, yet carves out a meaningful life.

Through improbable circumstances, he gains his freedom and begins an extraordinary journey.

Saturday, March 24, 2019, Noon


New Zealand Massacre Press Conference

Sponsor: Westchester Coalition Against Islamophobia (WCAI), White Plains, New York

Conducted on the Steps of the Westchester County Government Building

In light of the massacre that occurred in Christcurch, New  Zealand, killing 50 men, women, and children, the Westcheser Coalition Against Islamophobia seeks to offer consolation and sympathy to the Muslim community of Westchester by inviting various public, religious and social justice leaders to offer words of support and reassurance for their safety and security.

Thursday, March 22, 2019, Noon

The 15th Annual Inter-Religious Prayer Service for Peace and Justice

Celebrating World Interfaith Harmony

India Center of Westchester, Elmsford, NY

Saturday, February 2nd, 2019, 3:00 PM


MLK Jr. Unity and Harmony Prayer

CSI: CONGREGATIONAL SONS OF ISRAEL, Briarcliff, NY

January 20, 2019, 7:30 PM

Special Guest Speaker: AbdulMalik Negedu, Muslim Chaplain & Ustadh (Educator)

Chaplain with Malik Human Services in New Haven, CT

and teacher of Religious Studies at Madina Academy in Windsor, CT and

Coordinator for Community Dialogue with Common Grounds Institute & Services in CT.

2018

Presentation on "God's Light" (Noor Allah)

BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Briarcliff, NY

December 8, 2018, 7:00 PM


Islam 101

MERCY COLLEGE, Bronx Campus

December 3RD, 2018, 10 AM


Thanksgiving and Unity Prayer

VALHALLA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Valhalla, NY

November 20, 2018, 7:30 PM


Thanksgiving and Unity Prayer

THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR, Rye, NY

November 15, 2018, 7 PM

Tree of Life Interfaith Service

Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown, NY

October 18, 2018, 7PM

Women in Islam

KATONAH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Katonah, NY

October 18, 2018, 11 AM

Women in Islam

ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Croton, NY

September 15, 2018, 9 AM


Prophet Jesus and the Virgin Mary (Pbut) In Islam

ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Croton, NY

April 29, 2018, 10 AM

Women in Islam​

​OSSINING PUBLIC LIBRARY, Ossining, N.Y.

March 14, 2018, 7 PM


The 14th Annual Interreligious Prayer Service

For Peace And Justice

Celebrating World Interfaith Harmony

BET AM SHALOM SYNAGOGUE,  White Plains, NY

February 4, 2018, 3:00 PM


MLK JR. UNITY AND HARMONY PRAYER

STAR OF BETHLEHEM CHURCH,  Ossining, NY

January 14, 2018, 7:30PM


SPIRITUAL REMARKS FOR UNITY AND DIVERSITY

2018 INAUGURATION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS

OSSINING COMMUNITY CENTER, Ossining, NY

January 1, 2018, 12:00 PM

2017

THANKSGIVING AND UNITY PRAYER

HOLY NAME OF JESUS CATHOLIC CHURCH,  Valhalla, NY

November 21, 2017, 7:30 PM


THANKSGIVING AND UNITY PRAYER

CHURCH OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, West Harrison, NY

November 16, 2017, 7:30 PM

ISLAM 101

ST. ANN'S CHURCH,  Ossining, NY

October 5, 2017, 7 PM

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