Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of Pacific School of Religion, discusses the origin story of Kwaray, a new community-based learning platform dedicated to equipping rising faith leaders as they navigate an era of profound spiritual and cultural upheaval. Kwaray aims to address the pressing needs of accessible theological education and challenge the notion of excellence by exclusion in higher education. It seeks to create an inclusive space for learning and engaging questions of meaning, society, and spirituality and is built on a distributed network that allows for diverse voices and perspectives to contribute and learn together. This episode offers valuable insights on a direct and accessible pathway toward more transformational education, one place to find your community, to discover your purpose, and take action!

As the first female principals at Bora Architecture, Amy Donohoe and Jeannie Lai champion justice-oriented design, making educational spaces innovative, inclusive, and inspirational. They sat down with us to talk about their personal and professional journeys and the importance of design justice, equity, and community engagement in architecture. We hear about the challenges of a male-dominated industry, the historical lack of diversity in architecture, the importance of recognizing and addressing biases in design, and creating inclusive spaces that prioritize the needs of both staff and clients. They highlight the transformative power of critical race theory in shaping their design process and creating more inclusive spaces as well as the challenges of letting go of control as designers. We also hear examples of projects that have pushed the boundaries of traditional architecture and involved the community in decision-making. This episode offers inspiration on centering community members’ experiences to create spaces that promote collaboration, engagement, and interconnectedness.

To get more content like this and learn more about ignite and PSR go to psr.edu.

In this inspiring episode, we welcome Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, a pastor, dynamic speaker, award-winning author, professor, and thought leader. Dr. Salter McNeil is recognized internationally as one of the foremost leaders of reconciliation and was featured as one of the 50 most influential women to watch by Christianity Today in 2012. A trailblazer with a loving and prophetic approach, her mission is to inspire and empower emerging Christian leaders to practice reconciliation in their communities. She talks with us about the crucial need for bravery and action in the pursuit of justice, the pivotal role young people play in advocating for change, and the church’s responsibility to commit to reconciliation through concrete actions. We learn about her faith journey and gain valuable insights on decolonizing our minds. She underscores the need for building diverse coalitions, practicing self-care, and finding supportive communities to sustain this work. Additionally, she talks about her experiences at Quest Church, where every member is valued and contributes to the community’s journey towards affirming the image of God in all human beings. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of reconciliation, and discover how you can contribute to this vital work in your own sphere of influence.

Dr. Salter McNeil serves as an Associate Professor of Reconciliation Studies at the School of Theology, Seattle Pacific University, where she directs the Reconciliation Studies program. She is the author of the newly released book, Empowered to Repair: Becoming People Who Mend Broken Systems and Heal Our Communities, as well as Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now, Roadmap to Reconciliation, Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0, and A Credible Witness. She is also the coauthor of The Heart of Racial Justice.

To get more content like this and learn more about ignite and PSR go to psr.edu.

In this conversation, we sat down with Lauren Snelling and Dori King to discuss their experiences as parents and educators and the importance of storytelling in their respective fields. Lauren is child trauma psychotherapist/counselor, committed to disrupting systems in an effort to support Black children, and Dori is a children’s picture book writer, educator, and mindfulness practitioner. We learn about their experiences in creating spaces for Black children to explore their identities, the challenges they face in predominantly white institutions, and the need for agency and leadership among young people. They also touch on the joys and challenges of raising their own Black boys and how it informs their work. The importance of self-care and finding sustainable practices to thrive in the education system is also shared. This episode highlights the power of community, the importance of self-reflection, and the need for representation and affirmation for Black children.

To get more content like this and learn more about ignite and PSR go to psr.edu.

Join us in this enlightening episode as our host, Mo King, delves into the intricate landscape of Christian ethics with esteemed scholars Dr. Traci West  and Dr. Lisa Asedillo. Dr. West is an author and Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School. She offers profound insights into gender-based violence, intertwining race and religion, and the pivotal role of hope in facing global crises. Dr. Lisa Asedillo is an ethicist, liturgist, and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Worship and Ethics at Pacific School of Religion. She shares her passion for nurturing spiritually rooted leaders at PSR, emphasizing the importance of teaching methods and facilitating deep conversations in the classroom. Together, they explore critical topics such as religion, activism, ethics, and community leadership. We hear about the value of creativity and spirituality in navigating challenges, the need for solidarity and mutuality in liberation movements, and the importance of centering anti-racist perspectives in theology and ethics, Tune in as these scholars explore how faith transforms into tangible action and illuminates the path towards ethical living and social justice in today’s world. This episode offers faith leaders perspectives that inspire hope and ignite change.

To get more content like this and learn more about ignite and PSR go to psr.edu.

On our Season premiere, our host Mo King sits down with spiritual leaders Rev. Adriene Thorne, Senior Minister of the historic Riverside Church in NYC, and Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA, as they delve into their experiences leading dynamic communities, their challenges, and the resources they use to overcome them. From navigating vulnerability in religious spaces to forging interfaith collaborations, they explore the topics of identity, spirituality, and ministry, offering insights on leadership, prophetic voice, and inclusivity. While reflecting on their shared connection through PSR and how it informs their approaches to leadership, they highlight the importance of faith, trust, strategic planning, and community meaning-making. We also hear about the importance of resisting fear in various contexts and the role of artists and creatives in helping people see a future that isn’t here yet, but is coming. This episode provides valuable resources for leaders navigating the complexities of modern religious landscapes.

In a global culture that has perpetuated sexual violence, and a recent shift to more people talking about it than ever before, how can we as leaders truly be in community with survivors of this kind of abuse? In our Season Finale, we sat down with Lydia Matioli, Program & Partnerships Director of Freely in Hope in Kenya and Zambia, to talk about her own story and how this shift in mindset is helping her be more expansive in her vision, in terms of advocacy.  Born and raised in Kibera, East Africa’s largest slum, Lydia has experienced the effects of sexual violence, lack of education, and poverty firsthand. Now, at Freely in Hope, she coordinates, designs, and implements programs that exemplify best practices on ending the cycle of sexual violence. She shares with our community how listening to survivors’ stories and telling their stories in a dignified way, helps them to shift the blame from them to their perpetrators and begin the healing process. We learn specific pathways to take, so that we can all become active survivor advocates as well as how therapy, contemplative practices, and having an attitude of gratitude can keep leaders in this work grounded and nourished.   Lydia also talks about teaching children the importance of preventing sexual abuse through bodily autonomy, speaking up, consent, and safe touch.

Pick up Lydia’s book here: https://buy.pendospower.com/

*This episode contains mature content

Co-designing is an ancient practice, and the world is experiencing a paradigm shift from designing for people to designing with people. We sat down with Dave Dawkins, communication design lead at IDEO.org, to talk about this change and the importance of summoning radical imagination in this time. For so many on the margins, it’s an act of resistance to dream. Dave shares the importance of looking to ancestral knowledge for solutions to all the bad we see unfolding around us and supporting communities most impacted by the system by ensuring their valuable generative ideas are making it to the table. It’s about activating the spiritual discipline of building wonder! We also hear about Dave’s life, work, faith crisis and how failure can be a good thing that leads to the future seeds of something else growing! Wielding beauty for justice and belonging, Dave offers inspiration to our community with the application of human-centered design through an equity lens to address systemic challenges!

Checkout Dave’s open letter to fellow creatives: HERE

With everything happening in the world today in politics, cancel culture, and extreme barriers of division, Leland Melvin is helping to transform these ills by using his life story as an athlete, astronaut, scientist, engineer, photographer, and musician, to help inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue S.T.E.A.M. careers. Leland is the only person drafted into the NFL to have flown in space, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored his athletic and academic accomplishments by placing his Detroit Lions jersey under glass in Canton, Ohio. Through these professional experiences working on high stakes teams, he’s developed a deep and nuanced understanding of effective team dynamics. In this episode, we hear an astronaut’s story of the challenges he’s accepted, the opportunities he’s seized, and the changes he’s seeing. Leland talks with us about the power of the blue suit, activating community, breaking bread, and what is possible when you knock down the barriers of division. He also shares why as leaders and people, we all need that  one person who is there for you no matter what and who has your back.

“Being with a community that believes in things that are bigger than your individual self, when you work together as a team, is transformative!” – Leland Melvin

*This episode features mature content.

How do we support the writers, artists, and thinkers in our communities in times of profound change? Andrew Proctor, Executive Director of Literary Arts in Portland Oregon, sat down with us to answer this question and shared how he’s engaged the literary world for over twenty years in the governmental, for profit, and nonprofit sectors. Andrew also talks with us about the beauty of art as a medium to process what’s going on in the world, the importance of modeling rest for your community, and what career resilience and growth really looks like. He also shared an incredibly impactful musical composition from  Gabriel Kahane that’s inspired us immensely!

“Everything doesn’t have to run on fumes because running your career or self on fumes makes you extremely vulnerable. It can seem heroic, but it is what endangers you the most.”

Andrew earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Music at Concordia University in Montreal, and later worked in London for the Cultural Attaché to the Canadian High Commission. In the UK, he also earned an MA in English Literature at the University of East. He’s worked as an editor for HarperCollins in New York City and then as the Membership and Operations Director of the PEN American Center, a global literary and human rights organization focused on the welfare of writers and editors.