Can We Follow Jesus and Honor our Parents and Culture?: A Conversation

An Evening of Testimonies: Explore the Joys and Tensions Between our Faith, Familial and Cultural Connections

Join us as we celebrate “we” cultures.

• What can “we” cultures teach us about the beauty and challenges that come with living out our collective, yet diverse faith experiences? 
• Learning to live with dignity in the face of adversity permeates many lived experiences. How can we apply these practices of liberation and agency to our everyday lives? 
• How can our stories, cultural heritage, and historical legacies engage with biblical stories and vice versa? 
• How can the teachings and practices of Jesus illuminate our cultural approaches to our faith? 

As minorities struggling to integrate multiple sides of cultural identity, “reconciliation” is a daily practice. 

• How does the language of Jesus’s narrative regarding family, authority, love, and the cost of discipleship challenge us in our ability to reconcile our growing faith amidst our sense of duty to family and to cultural heritage?
• What legacy may God be inviting us to cultivate in this process?

The stories shared will emerge from members of the Asian American diaspora, and Latina/o American communities. Participants who identify with one or more of these communities are also encouraged to share their stories.

All are welcome.

Guest Speaker: Naisa Wong is a soul-care practitioner certified and specializing in spiritual direction, trauma care, and arenas of communal restoration and justice.  This work has allowed her to serve and partner with such institutions as Travis Air Force Base, the Leadership Summit of Faith and Justice Leaders in Washington D.C., and Head Start, a national organization on early childhood development in marginalized communities as well as local Bay Area groups.  In addition to this work, Naisa has been blessed by a 16-year career as a professional director, producer and composer of creative work in theatre, film and television.

Panelists:  Naisa Wong, Dr. Angela Sabates, Khanh Nguyen, Dr. Ruben Rivera

Moderator: Dr. Claudia May