Our 7 Neighbors: Religion and Resistance in America

Under the backdrop of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Our Seven Neighbors, season 5, explores the long, contested history of religious diversity in the United States—not as a feel-good celebration of pluralism, but as a hard-won achievement forged through conflict, exclusion, resistance, and moral struggle.  Episode 2 features host Reza Aslan in conversation with Dr. Farina King. Farina King, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, is the Horizon Chair of Native American Ecology and Culture and Full Professor of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Her research centers on Native American oral histories, especially among her Diné relatives and connections in Oklahoma. She received her Ph.D. at Arizona State University in History. She is the author of various publications, including The Earth Memory Compass: Diné Landscapes and Education in the Twentieth Century; co-author with Michael P. Taylor and James R. Swensen of Returning Home: Diné Creative Works from the Intermountain Indian School; and author of Diné dóó Gáamalii: Navajo Latter-day Saint Experiences in the Twentieth Century. She is a co-editor of The Lyda Conley Series on Trailblazing Indigenous Futures with the University Press of Kansas; co-editor of the Palgrave Studies in Oral History; and Editor in Chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Indigenous Studies. She is the past President of the Southwest Oral History Association (2021-2022).

Under the backdrop of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Our Seven Neighbors, season 5, explores the long, contested history of religious diversity in the United States. Episode 1 features host Reza Aslan in conversation with Dr. Peter Manseau. Manseau is the Founding Director of the Center for Understanding Religion in American History at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. 

O7N Season 5 Religion and Resistance in America  Under the backdrop of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Our Seven Neighbors, season 5, explores the long, contested history of religious diversity in the United States—not as a feel-good celebration of pluralism, but as a hard-won achievement forged through conflict, exclusion, resistance, and moral struggle. Hosted by Reza Aslan.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres. Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Aurelis Troncoso, 2024-25 Miriam Jiménez Román Fellow at The Latinx Project NYU and a scholar-practitioner committed to centering Blackness, queerness and spirituality.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres. Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Daniel White Hodge. With 23 years of academic scholarship and teaching, he is a recognized Hip Hop Studies expert & rhetorical cultural literary scholar and professor of communications and department chair of the Communication Arts Department at North Park University in Chicago.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres. Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Amor Craun Reyes, an Indigenous, Latina, Mexican, and Muslim woman, who serves communities across the Americas.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres. Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Anandi Silva Knuppel who is a Salt Lake City-based independent scholar and the Strategic Initiatives and Projects Specialist for the American Institute of Indian Studies.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Laura Limonic, who discusses Jewishness, race, ethnicity, and immigration through the stories of Latinx Jews in the United States.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Nichole M. Flores. Dr. Flores researches the constructive contributions of Catholic and Latinx theologies to notions of justice and aesthetics to the life of democracy.

Our 7 Neighbors, Season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America, Hosted by Dr. José Francisco Morales Torres. Through an intersectional lens of Latinx voices, this season explores themes of immigration, mass migration and colonization and how diverse faith traditions can and do affect the story we tell. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre – international scholar, documentarian, novelist, academic author, and scholar activist.

Sneak peek into season 4: Diversifying the Narrative: Immigration and Religion in America

Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a part of an interview with Rev. Jesse Jackson, leader in the Civil Rights Movement, Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Chicago Breadbasket Movement. Then our host gets into conversation with the new leader of PUSH, Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes, pastor, passionate leader and social activist.

Take a quick listen to this teaser for our 6th and final episode dropping next week. Producer Kim Schultz and host Rev. Brian Smith discuss favorite parts of the season and the upcoming episode featuring Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes.

Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a part of an interview with Ms. Hermene Hartman, founder of Chicago's leading Black magapaper N'DIGO, host of N’DIGO studio. and one of the few African American women in publishing. Then our host gets into conversation with Brandis Friedman, co-anchor and correspondent for “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW.

Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a part of an interview with Rev. Dr. Janette Wilson, Advisor to Rev. Jesse Jackson and Director of PUSH Excel. Then our host gets into conversation with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, a retired bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 2000, McKenzie became the first woman to be elected as bishop in the denomination's history.

Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, Season 3 centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a part of an interview with Rev. Martin Deppe. Deppe was instrumental in implementing the Chicago Breadbasket Movement. Then our host gets into conversation with Mr. Jim Seidler, Grocery Sales Manager for Jewel Foods. Brought to you by Chicago Theological Seminary.

Season 3 of OUR 7 NEIGHBORS, hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, features stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode showcases a portion from an interview with Rev. David Wallace, one of the primary organizers of the Chicago Breadbasket Movement. Then Brian gets into conversation with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ. It's a stellar conversation you don't want to miss!

Join us for Season 3 of Our 7 Neighbors! Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a charming interview with Mrs. Betty Massoni, wife of late Chicago activist Gary Massoni. Then our host gets into a rich conversation with Mrs. Jackie Jackson, wife to Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Join us for Season 3 of Our 7 Neighbors! Brought to you by the InterReligious Institute at Chicago Theological Seminary and hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson Oral Archive Project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith, and social justice movements. Listen in on these historic interviews documenting the birth of a movement.

Featuring Sar Ahmadiel Ben Yehuda, Minister of Information & National Spokesman for the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. Sar Ahmadiel shares a deeply engaging and profound journey of coming home.

Featuring dynamic filmmaker Najaa Young in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad examining missing black characters and voices in literature and film. Find out why Geordi LaForge was never allowed to fall in love! (Hint: Racism)

Featuring Imam Abdul-Malik Merchant in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. Imam Merchant is a scholar in Practical Theology and Resident Imam at the MAS Community Center in Alexandria, VA. Listen to how a passport helped form his identity.

Featuring Rabbi Tamar Manasseh in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. A powerhouse conversation on racism, Judaism and changing the world.

Featuring Shonin Myokei Caine-Barrett in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. Shonin Myokei is the Resident Priest at Myoken-ji Temple in Houston, TX. She shares how a boxer and belly-dancer became a Bishop.

Featuring Kalia Abiade in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. Kalia Abiade is the Vice President of Programs at Pillars Fund, where she advocates for equity and racial justice in media, policy, and philanthropy. She is also a big fan of Jimi Hendrix.

Join us for another season of OUR 7 NEIGHBORS. This season, we feature stories from the Black spiritual diaspora, hosted by Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad and brought to you by The InterReligious Institute at Chicago Theological Seminary, Muslim Wellness Foundation and Bayan Islamic Graduate School.

Episode 7 features a story from Sarvin Haghighi, artist; an interview with Kristian Ramos, Autonomy Strategies; and a conversation with Zainab Chaudary, Big Canvas PR and Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. For full show notes and more information, visit www.our7neighbors.com.

Episode 6 features a story from Amirah Kahera, IMAN Central; an Interview with Sana Syed, Iman Chicago; and a conversation with Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur and Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find more including full show notes at www.our7neighbors.com

Episode 5 features a story from Abdul Jabar, Rohyngan refugee; an Interview with Madihha Ahussain, Muslim Advocates; and a conversation with Jihad Turk and Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find out more including full show notes at www.our7neighbors.com

Episode 4 features a story from Sameera Qureshi; an interview with Nadiah Mohajir of HEART Women and Girls; and a conversation with Saadia Yacoob, Professor of Religion, Williams College and Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find full show notes at www.our7neighbors.com

Episode 3 features a story from Somayye Maqsoudi; an interview with Hoda Katebi, Blue Tin Productions; and a conversation with Suzanne Sahloul, Syrian Community Network and Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find full show notes, links and resources at www.our7neighbors.com.

Episode 2 features a story from Okolo Rashid, founder and President of International Museum of Muslim Cultures; an interview with Ted Terry, former Mayor of Clarkston, GA; and a conversation with Susan Thistlethwaite, author and theologian and Rabbi Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find full show notes, links and resources at www.our7neighbors.com

Episode 1 features a story from Lela Ali, Muslim Women For; an interview with Catherine Orsborn, Shoulder to Shoulder; and a conversation with scholar and peacemaker Najeeba Syeed and Rabbi Dr. Rachel Mikva, Chicago Theological Seminary. Hosted by Kim Schultz. Find full show notes, links and resources at www.our7neighbors.com

Trailer for Our 7 Neighbors, a new podcast brought to you by the InterReligious Institute at Chicago Theological Seminary.