Interfaith Voices Podcast

Maggie Siddiqi is Senior Advisor at Interfaith Alliance. She is an expert infaith-based advocacy for social change, coalition-building across lines of difference, and publicpolicy on religious freedom and standing up against hate. Siddiqi recently concluded herappointment to the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Education, where she served as Director ofthe Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Prior to joining the Biden-Harrisadministration she served as senior director of the Religion and Faith team at the Center forAmerican Progress, where she led the organization’s work on religious liberty and engaged acoalition of diverse faith leaders to advance progressive policies. Siddiqi spent nearly a decadebefore that in national organizations serving American Muslim communities. She has a master’sdegree in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford Seminary and a bachelor’s degreein religion from Wesleyan University. Siddiqi also earned graduate certificates in Islamicchaplaincy from Hartford Seminary and in nonprofit management from GeorgetownUniversity’s McCourt School of Public Policy.For more on Interfaith Alliance go to www.interfaithalliance.orgFor more on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a time that invites us to have deeper, more honest conversations about the connection between faith and mental health, which is why I’m especially excited about today’s episode.For the past nine months, we’ve been working on a project centered on this very topic, and I’m thrilled to share that we’ve just released a short documentary called Faith and Feelings. This project is the brainchild of Edman Ahmed, who joined us as an intern last summer.Through this film, Edman brought together four participants from four different faith traditions, each willing to speak candidly on camera about how their faith intersects with their mental health. All of the participants are current or former UW–Madison students, and what they offer is honest, personal reflection on their lived experiences.The film features Sophie Genshaft, Lilia Juarez, Khadijah Doondia, and Daisy Hong, and today we’re fortunate to be joined by Edman, along with Sophie and Lilia, to give you a glimpse into the conversations and stories you’ll find in the documentary.To watch the Faith and Feelings Documentary click HEREFor more information on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Today on the show we prepare for May Day with Voces de la Frontera's Pamela Westphal. Pamela is a Milwaukee-based community organizer who is currently serving as the Director of the Youth Empowered in the Struggle program, the youth branch of Voces de la Frontera. She previously held leadership roles in both the Milwaukee chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Discovery World Union. Pamela is also a filmmaker who works on documentary work about the history of Milwaukee. May Day InfoMadison, WI12 pm Rally at Library Mall 715 State Street 1 pm March to the State CapitolTop of State Street 2 pm Capitol ProgramOutdoors, Top of State StreetMilwaukee10 am Rally at Voces Offices733 W Historic Mitchell Street 11 am March to the Federal Building517 E Wisconsin Ave 12 pm Main Programat the Federal BuildingFor more information on Voces de la Frontera go to www.vdlf.orgFor More information on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Next week we celebrate earth day! At WI Faith Voices for Justice, we see caring for our earth as a spiritual act no matter your faith tradition.Laura Lane from Faith in Place joins the conversation today to discuss way we can get involved individually and corporately to take care of the earth.For more information on Faith in Place go to www.faithinplace.orgTo register for the earth day vigil click HERE.For more information on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Rev. Mark Richards joins the show today to talk about the Wisconsin Supreme Court.Mark calls himself a wondering wanderer.  After several careers in industries like fast food, manufacturing, and information technology, Mark retired into the role of hospice chaplain in Door County in 2016.   After a couple of years, he was invited to join the WUUSAN board of directors. Mark has had a passion for social justice since first becoming a UU in 1990 and slipped easily into the role of President/Executive Director/Administrator/Head Cheerleader.  When not serving the hospice community and Wisconsin UU's Mark spends time with Christina, his wife of 50 yrs. A reminder that the WI Supreme Court election is on Tuesday April 7th.For information on how or where to vote go to www.myvote.wi.goFor more information on WUUSAN go to www.wuusan.org

On today’s episode, Linda Ketcham, Executive Director of Just Dane, joins the show to discuss the challenges men and women face as they are released from prison and work to become contributing members of society. For more than two decades, Just Dane has been helping individuals across Wisconsin successfully re-enter their communities. Be sure to listen to discover ways you can help.For more information on Just Dane go to www.justdane.orgFor more information on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Interfaith Alliance Campaigns Director Adam Friedman joins the show today to talk about the new Choose Love Not ICE campaign that will equip congregations and people of faith to use non-violent resistance as a response to the violent tactics of ICE in our communities. We also discuss the lead up to No Kings III on March 28th.Adam Friedman is the campaigns director Interfaith Alliance, where he leads the anti-authoritarianism and elections work, and manages its federal democracy and voting rights work. ‍Adam’s path into advocacy began in the Reform Jewish Youth Movement and grew through his co-founding of Team ENOUGH, the youth initiative of Brady United, where he also helped launch and lead the Lobbying Collective. Before joining Interfaith Alliance, he organized for political campaigns in Virginia, focusing on grassroots mobilization and civic engagement.‍He serves the Reform Movement as a member of the Commission on Social Action and holds degrees in political science and philosophy, with a focus on public policy, from The George Washington University. Outside of his work, he enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time in nature with friends.For information on Interfaith Alliance go to www.interfaithalliance.orgTo find a no Kings III event near you go to www.nokings.orgFor information on upcoming Choose Love not ICE Trainings and WI Faith Voices go to www.wifaithvoices.org and sign up for the newsletter.

In this episode Steve Stall joins the show to discuss how men can engage effectively in justice workAs Rockwell Automation’s first Business Leader of Inclusion, Steve is a business transformation change agent promoting workforce diversity and inclusive business environments. Steve has more than 30 years of corporate experience in executive operations, finance and large-scale project management. During this time, Steve underwent a transformative experience that inspired him, as a white male, to change his corporate role to champion diversity and inclusion. A recognized inclusion leader, Steve has twice participated in the Dynamic Women in Business Conference at Harvard Business School. He is also the first male board member of the YWCA of Southeast Wisconsin.Currently, Steve consults with businesses to create inclusive workplaces that affect positive change and enhance employee engagement. www.wifaithvoices.org

Dekila Chungyalpa is the founder and director of the Loka Initiative. She is an accomplished environmental program director, with 20+ years of experience in designing and implementing global conservation and climate strategies and projects. On this episode of the Interfaith Voices Podcast, we discuss the new documentary from the Loka Initiative, Sacred Wisdom Sacred Earth which is about the indigenous community of Wisconsin and their connection to the land.For more information on Sacred Wisdom, Sacred Earth go to www.sacredwisdomsacredearth.orgFor More information on the Loka Initiative go to www.lokainitiative.orgMore more information on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

What is Christian Nationalism, how does it affect us, and what can we do to fight against it?Rev. Dr. Kerri Parker (she/her) has served as the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches since 2017. During her tenure, the Council has become known nationwide for its leadership in faith-based COVID response, fresh ecumenical vision, and collaborations for racial equity. In 2023 she was honored with the United Church of Christ’s Avery D. Post Ecumenical Award. She has served as a local church pastor and YWCA executive. Her wider church work includes the Christian Unity & Interfaith Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Wisconsin Conference UCC Board, and UCC General Synod Delegate. Rev. Parker preaches and teaches widely around Wisconsin and has co-authored study-action guides on Faith & Gun Violence and Jesus & Justice in Public. She contributed to the book “There’s a Woman in the Pulpit”(Skylight Paths, 2015). Rev. Parker earned her D. Min. from Iliff School of Theology and an M.Div. from Chicago Theological Seminary. Beyond church and family, Rev. Parker’s passions are stories, show tunes, and justice.For more on WI Council of Churches go to www.wichurches.orgFor more on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Open Doors began in the spring of 2016 as an offshoot of an event to raise awareness about the Syrian refugee crisis. At the end of the event, half the people stayed to talk about what we could do. Through a series of meetings and events that followed, we eventually morphed into Open Doors for Refugees with our current mission and focus.Since then, almost two thousand people have reached out to Open Doors, and several hundred have signed up to be on one or more of our teams. We invite you to become involved!Jason Mack began as the Executive Director of Open Doors for Refugees in October of 2024.Before that, he was the pastor of Underwood Memorial Baptist Church in Wauwatosa, WI, and previously served as the associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Madison and as the founding pastor of New Leaf Church in College Park, MD. Jason received a Master’s Degree from Wesley Seminary and a Doctorate from Central Seminary, where he studied organizational leadership and innovation.Open Doors for Refugees can be found at https://opendoorsforrefugees.org/Church world services: https://cwsglobal.org/For more information on WI Faith Voices go to https://www.wifaithvoices.org/

Katherine Stewart has been covering the rise of the anti-democratic movement for over 16 years. Her latest book, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy (Bloomsbury 2025), is an instant New York Times bestseller. Her previous book, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism (Bloomsbury 2020), won First Place in the Nonfiction Books category from the Religion News Association, as well as a Morris B. Forkosch Best Book award. The Power Worshippers formed the basis of the documentary feature God & Country, produced by Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner; Stewart served as executive producer. Her 2012 book, The Good News Club: The Christian Right’s Stealth Assault on America’s Children, focused on the religious right’s efforts to undermine public education. Stewart’s writing appears in The New York Times op ed, New Republic, Religion News Service and others. Her substack is at katherinestewartbooks, and she is on Bluesky at katherinestewart.bsky.social.Find Katherine at her website www.katherinestewart.meFor more on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Author and journalist Susan Katz Miller is both an interfaith child and an interfaith parent. She is considered the top expert on interfaith families celebrating more than one religion, and has spoken across the country and abroad. In 2013, Beacon Press published her book Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family. Her 2019 workbook, The Interfaith Family Journal, is designed to help all families figure out their own best pathway.Miller graduated from Brown University, and worked as a reporter at Newsweek in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. She then moved to Dakar, Senegal for three years. While there, she wrote travel pieces for the New York Times,  and interviewed the President of Senegal for Newsweek International. She also wrote political pieces for the Christian Science Monitor from Benin, Togo, the Gambia, and Sierra Leone. She then became a US Correspondent for the British weekly magazine New Scientist. And later, she spent three years freelancing from northeastern Brazil. Back in Washington, DC, she served as Board Co-Chair of the Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington DC. Miller also founded a national support group for families celebrating more than one religion, the Network of Interfaith Family Groups, on Facebook.Miller founded the first blog devoted to interfaith family communities and interfaith identity, onbeingboth.com. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Time, Slate, Utne Reader, Discover, Science, National Wildlife, Moment, Jewcy.com, interfaithfamily.com, and many other publications. Miller studied photography at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and her photographs have appeared in the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, and International Wildlife. Her work on interfaith families has been featured on The Today Show (NBC), CBS, NPR (All Things Considered, Here & Now, and The Diane Rehm Show), on the PBS program Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, and in dozens of other media outlets. Miller also wrote regularly for The (Jewish Daily) Forward‘s interfaith relationship advice column, The Seesaw.Susan Katz Miller is available for consulting, teaching,  speaking, guest sermons, book group appearances, personal interfaith family and couples coaching, and facilitating workshops and seminars for interfaith couples, teens, grandparents, clergy, and educators. She has spoken at Harvard, Georgetown, University of Birmingham (UK), Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly (Sophia Fahs Keynote speaker), Parliament of Worlds Religions, The Guibord Center (LA), churches, synagogues, and many other venues. For more information on Susan please go to www.susankatzmiller.comFor more information on WI Faith Voices for Justice please go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Today on the Interfaith Voices podcast, Sally Evans from the Center for Interfaith Relations joins the show to talk about the upcoming Festival of Faiths in Louisville, KY.For more information of Festival of Faiths go to https://festivaloffaiths.org/

This week on The Faith Voices Podcast Active Hope with Chris Johnstone Part 2.Chris Johnstone, co-author of the book Active Hope, is a medical doctor, author, trainer and coach who worked for nearly twenty years as an addictions specialist in the UK National Health Service. A former Senior Teaching Fellow at Bristol University Medical School, he trains health professionals in behavioral medicine and gives courses exploring the psychological dimensions of planetary crisis. Chris is known for his work pioneering the role of resilience training in promoting positive mental health, developing self-help resources and setting up the Bristol Happiness Lectures. He is author of Seven Ways to Build Resilience (Robinson, UK, 2019), and runs online trainings for resilience, wellbeing and active hope at CollegeOfWellbeing.com----www.wifaithvoices.org

Chris Johnstone, co-author of the book Active Hope, is a medical doctor, author, trainer and coach who worked for nearly twenty years as an addictions specialist in the UK National Health Service. A former Senior Teaching Fellow at Bristol University Medical School, he trains health professionals in behavioral medicine and gives courses exploring the psychological dimensions of planetary crisis. Chris is known for his work pioneering the role of resilience training in promoting positive mental health, developing self-help resources and setting up the Bristol Happiness Lectures. He is author of Seven Ways to Build Resilience (Robinson, UK, 2019), and runs online trainings for resilience, wellbeing and active hope at CollegeOfWellbeing.com----www.wifaithvoices.org

The Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Hope Lives Annual Celebration is this Thursday, September 18th from 5-7:30pm at the Goodman Center Brassworks Building in Madison, WI. Today's podcast gives a preview of some of the voices you will get to hear that evening.Tickets are still available at www.wifaithvoices.org

This week on the interfaith Voices Podcast is the Hope Lives Annual Celebration featured musician, Shelene Zarate-Lopez!Shelene is a singer, dancer and actress from Mexico City. She has a B.S. in Communications with specialization in Media Arts with a background in Musical Theater. Her singing experience has roots in traditional Mexican music and opera. Her passion for artistic expression started at the age of three when she first discovered dancing. She has studied different styles of dance including belly dance, hip hop, African, jazz, salsa, merengue and reggaeton. Her family and culture instilled a deep understanding of expressing oneself through music.Shelene has worked as on air talent, producer and actress in radio, television and other audiovisual platforms. Currently she works as a bilingual specialist consultant, interpreter/translator, voice actor, video talent, script supervisor and as a singer. She hosts a bilingual show “Conectados” on the VMO show on WVMO 98.7 FM every 3rd Friday of the month at 12:00 pm and her interviews are available in video on the Monona Community Media Youtube page and the Monona Go App. In her free time she loves advocating for her Mexican and Latino community, fitness dancing, yoga, sewing, cooking, worshipping, crafting and spending time with God, her Family and her friends!For more information on the Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Hope Lives Annual Celebration, please go to www.wifaithvoices.org/hope-lives

Cecelia Klingele was a panelist for our May Interfaith Intersections event on Justice. She is well qualified for the topic as a Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she teaches courses in criminal law, Constitutional criminal procedure, policing, and sentencing and corrections. She also teaches courses for law students and undergraduates on Catholic Legal Thought and the Social Encyclicals. Since 2024, she has served as Director of the Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy, and is a faculty associate of the La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Integrated Liberal Arts Studies program (ILS). For more information on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and Interfaith Intersections please go to  www.wifaithvoices.org

The Internal Revenue Service said July 7 it no longer will enforce the Johnson Amendment that prevents churches and other nonprofits from endorsing political candidates. While some are praising the move that effectively ignores a 1954 law passed by Congress, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and our National partners Interfaith Alliance see it as a dangerous precedent.Guthrie Graves-Fitzimmons serves as the vice president of programs and strategy at Interfaith Alliance, where he directs the organization's integrated advocacy campaigns and movement building. He is also an MSNBC columnist and the author of Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity (Broadleaf Books, 2020). For more on interfaith Alliance go to www.interfaithalliance.orgFor more on WI Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Author, Speaker and Activist Brian McLaren joins the show this week to discuss the importance of Interfaith connection in challenging times and also shares the  inspiration behind his new book The Last Voyage.For more on Brian or to order the book go to www.brainmclaren.netFor more information in Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Todays podcast features Dr Sergio Gonzalez. Sergio is an assistant professor of History at Marquette University. He is the author of the 2017 book Mexicans in Wisconsin and his latest release called Strangers No Longer Latino Belonging and Faith in 20th century WI came out in 2024.Click HERE to purchaser Strangers No LongerClick HERE to register for the July 17th Webinar Sanctuary and Sacred Resistance in Uncertain TimesFor more information on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

On this episode, you will have the opportunity to listen to a portion of the most recent Interfaith Intersections event which was held at the Madison Islamic Center.Our moderator as usual was WFVJ board member and former UW Madison professor Charles Cohen. The panelists you will be hearing from are Vaqar Adhami, who is Muslim, Alan Garfield who is Jewish, and Cecilia Klingele  who is Catholic.For more information in Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and to find out about upcoming events go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Michael Kinnamon is a novelist. His most recent book A rooftop in Jerusalem draws on his extensive experience in the Middle East. Prior to his career as a novelist, he was a widely respected professor of Theology, author of numerous books on ecumenical and interfaith relations and general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the US.For more on Michael go to www.michaelkinnamon.comTo order A Rooftop in Jerusalem click HEREFor More on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice go to www.wifaithvoices.org

How do our faith traditions address the Youth Mental Health Crisis?This episode features the three panelists from our April Interfaith Intersections event in Eau Claire WI.Tim Nyseth represents the Baha'i faith.Lynn Buske is an ELCA Lutheran.Lama Yeshe is a Buddhist monkKeep in mind that our panelists do not speak on behalf of their faith tradition but simply from their own lived experience.for more information in WI Faith Voices for Justice and Interfaith Intersections go to www.wifaithvoices.org

President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance Paul Brandeis Raushenbush joins the podcast today to discuss his journey to interfaith work culminating in his current role with Interfaith Alliance. We also discuss the Save Act and why it is a threat to our democracy. For more on interfaith Alliance go to www.interfaithalliance.orgTo sign up for the upcoming Interfaith Intersections Event on May 15th go to https://www.wifaithvoices.org/interfaith

Rev Luis Velasquez is a statewide organizer with Voces de la Frontera working diligently to protect the rights of our immigrant brothers and sisters.For more information on Voces de la Frontera including information on the May 1st and 2nd marches in Milwaukee and Madison go to www.vdlf.orgFor more information on WI Faith Voices for Justice and Interfaith Intersections go to www.wifaithvoices.org

Reverend Selena Fox is the senior minister and high priestess of Circle Sanctuary, a Nature Spirituality church, Pagan resource Center and nature preserve with a worldwide eco spirituality ministry. She has been an activist for over 3 decades and is one of the people responsible for Earth Day which is celebrated on April 22nd each year.For more more information on Selena and Circle Sanctuary visit www.circlesanctuary.orgFor more information on Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and to sign up for the next Interfaith Intersections event go to www.wifaithvoices.org.

Ronda Lindner is the Interfaith Organizer for the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign otherwise known as WIVEC. In this episode Rhonda shares all about her Jewish faith will also discusses how voting is a spiritual practice. Make a Plan to vote on April 1st.For more on WIVEC go to https://www.wifaithvoices.org/civic-engagementTo sign up for Interfaith Intersections go to https://www.wifaithvoices.org/interfaithDonate today at https://donorbox.org/wfvj

Bryan William is the founder and director of JesusFit.  JesusFit is a judgment-free, question-friendly. practice-centered (501c3 nonprofit) ministry with zero denominational affiliation or agenda. Their mission is to empower spiritual wellness and human connection by creating inclusive + innovative forms of church. They embrace curiosity, practice hospitality and strive to be a safe space for those on the fringes of faith. JesusFit is reimagining church - gathering in breweries, libraries, parks, coffeeshops and local event centers. Instead of focusing on orthodoxy (right belief), they build community around orthopraxy (right practice). Currently, there are 5 JesusFit churches that encourage people to practice something Jesus actually did.Beer Church - Ask questions, hear stories, meet your neighbors Yoga Church - Rest, breathe, body care, be still Trail Church - Go into nature, walk together, practice curiosityBook Church - Read, learn, break bread togetherPizza Church - Share food, welcome kids, create art, wonder Bryon is also part of the team organizing the April 24th, 2025 Interfaith Intersections event in Eau Claire, WI at LE Phillips Library.For more information go to: https://www.getjesusfit.com

This week hear from Abbas Shaker who adheres to the Bahai faith tradition. He has a unique perspective of how all of our faith traditions are intertwined. Abbas was an Interfaith Intersections panelist in 2024 where he spoke about the cycles and seasons of his traditionwww.wifaithvoices.orh

The Interfaith Voices Podcast is brought to you by Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and expands upon the live Interfaith Intersections events held throughout the year across various locations. Tune in to hear individuals from diverse faith traditions share how their beliefs shape their daily lives. Through conversations with these remarkable guests, the goal is to uncover shared values and challenge preconceived notions. By learning from one another's wisdom and experiences, we grow stronger together.