All members of the AU community are invited to join a semester-long program that aims to squash stereotypes and foster compassionate conversations about religious identities. 

The Understanding Series, which kicked off last week with a session on Muslim identity, creates a safe, welcoming space for people who are not members of the featured group to ask questions, learn, and connect with Eagles from different backgrounds. “It’s about appreciating the nuances that we all have in our identities,” said University Chaplain Bryant Oskvig, who facilitates the conversations. “We just ask participants to come with a spirit of openness and general curiosity.”

The series is cosponsored by the Kay Spiritual Life Center, the Center for Student Involvement, and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. It will culminate at the end of the semester with a discussion about all identities. 

The program kicked off on March 7 with a session on Muslim identity, led by Nisa Muhammad, assistant dean for religious life at Howard University. The session explored how ethnicity, culture, and customs influence Islam—which is practiced by about 1.9 billion Muslims around the world—and addressed common misconceptions.

“It was a safe space, and everyone got to share their story and express themselves,” said global environmental policy student Ophelia Murray, SIS/MA ’25, who attended last week’s event. “I wanted to be present, learn, and help in any way that I could with the dialogue. The only way to create understanding is to show up, listen, engage, and be accepting of others—even if we don’t have the same beliefs.”

Mark your calendars for the following programs:

• Understanding Jewish Identity, March 7
• Understanding Hindu Identity, April 10
• Understanding Each Other, April 24

All sessions run from noon to 1 p.m. in the Kay Spiritual Life Center lounge. Lunch is provided, and registration is required.