Archive
NY Times: Najuma Smith-Pollard on Abortion Views in Black Communities
Among Black Americans, support for reproductive rights is connected with their concern for broader civil rights, the New York Times reports. The article frames CRCC’s Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard as helping shape …
Tom Catena: Choosing Joy Over Happiness
This article was originally published by Religion Unplugged, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. GIDEL, Sudan — The media is filled with articles on how to achieve happiness, including in …
CRCC on Religion and Reproductive Rights After the Overturning of Roe v Wade
Discussions about reproductive rights continue to circulate in the religious community after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. CRCC’s Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard and Richard Flory have been interviewed …
American Theocracy Is Bad for Everyone–Including White Christian Nationalists
As we marked the 246th anniversary of our country’s independence from a despotic regime that fused church and state power, the staff of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture gathered …
Roundtable of Faith Leaders and Vice President Kamala Harris on Reproductive Health
Vice President Kamala Harris recently hosted a roundtable with faith leaders on the state of reproductive health care in the United States. The event, held at the Los Angeles County Federation of …
LA Times: L.A. Residents Process Massacre in Buffalo, NY
Black leaders and residents of Los Angeles are dealing with stress and trauma after the racially motivated terrorist attack at a grocery story in Buffalo, New York. A self-described white supremacist killed …
Kumu Hina and Walter Ritte: ‘A very Hawaiian place’
This article was originally published by Indian Country Today, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. HONOLULU, Hawai’i — It’s a weekday evening rush-hour in Honolulu, and Hina Wong-Kalu is driving us …
Media on the 30 Years after LA’s 1992 Civil Unrest
As the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture reflected on the 1992 Civil Unrest, the words and efforts of the Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray following the unrest continued to be highlighted …
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 …
Student Reflection: Researching Healing Justice with Dignity and Power Now
By Addison Baker Addison Baker is an undergraduate student at The University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Addison spent time researching the Black Lives Matter movement, along with healing modalities and …
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 …
For Covering and Joy: A Prayer for Black History Month
Najuma Smith-Pollard helped University of Southern California kick off Black History Month with a prayer for the university-wide event, “Black Joy: Embracing Health and Vitality.” Watch the prayer or read the full …
Community Storytelling for Policy Change: 30th anniversary of LA Civil Unrest
In times of turmoil, storytelling can be a catalyst for policy change as well as a symbol for healing and resistance. As we recognize the 30th anniversary of the Los Angeles Uprising, …
Carmen Santiago Alonso: In Oaxaca, Indigenous Farmers Mourn Catholic Activist
This article was originally published by Religion News Service, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. OAXACA, Mexico (RNS) — At Carmen Santiago Alonso’s funeral on Feb. 7, the …
Wealth-Building Resources
What are your life goals? The USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement hosts workshops to help you build your wealth. Attend a workshop and find the motivation, confidence and tools you …
Dr. Christina Puchalski: COVID-19 Highlights Spiritual Needs In Health Care
This video was originally published by Religion Unplugged, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. As health care professionals assess the lessons of the COVID-19 global pandemic, one unexpected message …
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 …
Pandemic Year 3 Predictions: Adjusting to New “Normals” in 2022
Since 2016, CRCC has shared the trends in religion and society that we see shaping the coming year. What started as light-hearted predictions has grown more ominous over the years. Anybody surprised …
Neris Gonzalez: ‘My Dreams Will Never Be the Same’
This story was originally published by Harvard Divinity Bulletin, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. NERIS GONZALEZ WAS WATCHING the news when the grainy video of George Floyd appeared. She sat …
Buddhadharma: Reclaiming Our So-Called “Cultural Baggage”
This article was originally published by Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly. You can often hear Western meditation-based convert circles use the term “cultural baggage” to refer to the ritualized acts, cosmological ideas, and …