Archive
LA Times: Nalika Gajaweera on How Buddhists Are Responding to Anti-Asian Violence
The March 16, 2021 killing of six women of Asian descent and two others brought Asian Buddhists together across lineages and communities to confront anti-Asian hate. A year later, the LA Times …
ABC7: Najuma Smith-Pollard on Black History Month
CRCC’s Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard was interviewed on ABC7 News about Black History Month. “It’s about having the mindset of we and us, not just me and myself alone,” Smith-Pollard said. “Black …
CBS2 and Spectrum News 1: Najuma Smith-Pollard on Martin Luther King Day Jr.
CRCC’s Najuma Smith-Pollard was featured on CBS2 and Spectrum News 1’s “In Focus SoCal” to talk about how Los Angeles communities are continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speaking …
JTA: Flory and Belzer on the Spiritual Lives of Young Jews
Young Jews, age 13-25, are among those who are least likely to be thriving spiritually and religiously, according to a survey conducted by Springtide Research Institute. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency turned to …
Honolulu Civil Beat: Flory on Evangelical Pastors’ Influence on Vaccine Uptake
Some pastors in Hawaii are discouraging their members from getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Honolulu Civil Beat reports. The article quotes CRCC’s Richard Flory about the perception of vaccines within evangelical Christianity. According …
LA Times: Why Are Christian Groups Allowed To Discriminate? Power and Privilege
The Los Angeles Times published the below letter to the editor from CRCC’s Richard Flory: To the editor: Op-ed article writers Rachel S. Mikva, Corey D.B. Walker and Reza Aslan are rightly …
The Special Report: Smith-Pollard looks back on Rodney King Beating
The Special Report with Areva Martin hosted Najuma Smith-Pollard for a conversation on the impact of the Rodney King beating on Los Angeles and the country 30 years later, along with Lora …
New York Times: Najuma Smith-Pollard on Police Funding
As part of its coverage of the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, the New York Times wrote about the debate over funding for the …
CBS2: Smith-Pollard on MLK’s impact in Los Angeles
The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. found both support and opposition in Los Angeles. Najuma Smith-Pollard of the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement spoke with CBS-LA about the legacy of …
The LAist: Smith-Pollard on Gascón’s Parole Reforms
L.A. District Attorney George Gascón prohibited his prosecutors from opposing parole or attending parole hearings in a reform meant to encourage the release of those with low risk of committing another crime. …
Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard on Chauvin Trial
Religious leaders anticipated and responded to the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, program manager for the USC Cecil Murray Center …
Deseret News: Flory on Reaching Gen Z During the Pandemic
Is the COVID-19 pandemic the perfect opportunity for faith leaders to reach Gen Z? Research suggests that this might be an ideal moment for faith leaders to reach out, but so far, …
Annenberg News: Soraya Ahyaudin on Second Pandemic Ramadan
Muslims are celebrating their second Ramadan during the global COVID-19 pandemic, restricting the ability to break the fast and pray together. Annenberg Media spoke with Soraya Ahyaudin, director of the American Muslim …
VOANews Features Disasters & Religion App
Religious groups play a critical role in responding to wildfires, hurricanes and other disasters, VOA News notes in a piece about the Disasters & Religions app. The app helps disaster professional and …
Sojourners Magazine: Can Churches Earn the Trust of Young Racial Justice Activists?
Religious adherence may be on the decline among young people, but activists in the racial justice movement remain animated by spiritual practices, Sojourners magazine reported. The article quotes CRCC’s Hebah Farrag and …
It’s Black History Month, But Do Black Families Feel Like Celebrating?
This interview was originally published in USC News. As a program manager for the USC’s Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, the Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard combines her experience as a pastor and …
PC Magazine: Quraishi on the Possibility of Productive Online Conversations
Are productive online conversations possible? According to Amanda Quraishi, founder and director of the Institute for Digital Civic Culture (IDCC), they’re not only possible, but crucial. PC Magazine interviewed Quraishi on designing …
The Brookings Institution: Loskota on Recommendations for the Next Administration
Brie Loskota was quoted in “A Time to Heal, A Time to Build,” a report from The Brookings Institution. The report offers recommendations how the executive branch should approach issues related to …
IBT: Loskota on Millennial Anxiety Amid the Pandemic
The ongoing pandemic has caused young people to lose hope. A survey of 2,000 youths, for example, found that 40 percent of 16- to 25-year-olds now feel that their goals for the …
Newsweek: Flory on Trump’s Waning White Evangelical Support
Donald Trump’s approval rate among white evangelicals has slipped since the onset of the pandemic in March. What does this signify for Trump’s re-election campaign? In an article about the 2020 Republican …