Posts in equality
Faithful Dissent: Hadi Jawad on Dignity, Human Rights, and the Death Penalty
Faithful Dissent: Hadi Jawad on Dignity, Human Rights, and the Death Penalty

Hadi Jawad's path into activism began with a phone call. In the late 1990s, his sister in Pakistan told him that relatives from Iraq had shown up at her door, having walked the distance to escape the suffering caused by US and UN sanctions. That call set him on a path that led him to the old Dallas Peace Center and eventually to co-founding Human Rights Dallas, an organization built around a simple conviction: dignity is the foundation everything else rests on.

In this conversation, Hadi and George Mason talk about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the long push to get Dallas designated a Human Rights City, and why Hadi believes denying people basic rights is ultimately a judgment on their humanity. The conversation turns to the death penalty in Texas, where Hadi lays out the statistics on executions and racial disparities on death row, and closes with a reminder that one person, like Rosa Parks, can shift the world.

Hadi Jawad is a Dallas-based human rights activist and community leader with decades of experience advancing peace and justice. He co-founded the Crawford Peace House during the Iraq War and helped establish the North Texas Civil Rights Project, now part of the Texas Civil Rights Project. He is the co-founder and president of Human Rights Dallas.

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advocacy, equality, Faith, Immigration, Social justiceGood God ProjectDissent, Human Rights
Faithful Dissent: Kim Verriere on Prayer, Protest, and Showing Up
Faithful Dissent: Kim Verriere on Prayer, Protest, and Showing Up

Every Monday morning, Kim Verriere shows up outside the Dallas ICE field office to pray and organize a public vigil, a role she never expected to play. In this conversation, she and George Mason talk about how her conviction that love of neighbor must extend to the marginalized led her from first-time attendee to central organizer, and how prayer and action work together rather than as substitutes for each other. The conversation turns to Kim's work as a spiritual director, where she describes her role as following the movement of the spirit rather than offering advice, and closes with her encouragement to take one small step outside your comfort zone.

Kim Verriere holds an English degree with a minor in religion from Auburn University and a certificate in spiritual direction from SMU Perkins School of Theology. Based in Richardson, Texas, she serves on the board of Spiritual Ministries Institute and the advisory board of Retreat House Spirituality Center, and she founded and led Greater Love Collective, an organization for women, for nine years before stepping away to focus on spiritual direction and retreat leading.

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advocacy, equality, Faith, Immigration, Social justiceGood God ProjectDissent, Prayer
The First Amendment Test: Imam Azhar Subedar, 25 Years After 9/11
The First Amendment Test: Imam Azhar Subedar, 25 Years After 9/11

As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, George Mason sits down with Imam Azhar Subedar, author of "I Am the Other: Debating the Role of Islam in a Divided America," to talk about what that anniversary means for Muslim Americans today. They discuss the rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric in Texas politics, what Sharia actually means and how it functions for practicing Muslims, and why Azhar believes the Muslim community must stop explaining who they are not and start showing who they are.

Imam Subedar was born and raised in Canada and completed ten years of Islamic studies in the U.K., graduating in 2000. He holds a Master's in Islamic Sciences and Arabic Literature and has served as an imam and educator at mosques and Islamic centers across the United States since 2002. Known for his commitment to interfaith dialogue, he has worked with state legislatures, governors, and presidents as an ambassador of Islam to the non-Muslim world.

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America, equality, Faith, interfaith, islam, Peace & ResolutionGood God ProjectBelonging, Islam, Interfaith
From Private Equity to Public Good: Peter Brodsky on Housing and Hope
From Private Equity to Public Good: Peter Brodsky on Housing and Hope

Peter Brodsky wasn’t always a real estate developer—but when he saw an opportunity to use his business experience to help transform southern Dallas, he stepped in. In this season finale of Good God, George Mason speaks with Peter about his work at the Shops at Redbird, his leadership at Housing Forward, and why homelessness, food access, and affordable housing demand both moral clarity and practical solutions.

Together, they explore the structural causes of poverty, the challenge of changing public narratives, and how Peter’s Jewish faith and commitment to tikkun olam—repairing the world—have shaped his decision to invest his time, money, and energy in building a more equitable city.

Peter Brodsky is a Dallas-based philanthropist, real estate investor, and chair of the board of Housing Forward, the lead agency coordinating homelessness response in Dallas and Collin counties.

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advocacy, equality, homelessnessGood God ProjectDallas, Poverty, Housing, Justice
10 for 10: Voting Vision Not Division | Aligning Our Values with Economic Policies
10 for 10: Voting Vision Not Division | Aligning Our Values with Economic Policies

In this episode, the Faith Commons team discusses how faith shapes our understanding of economic systems. From fair treatment of workers to addressing inequality, the conversation highlights how public policy can uphold dignity and fairness, encouraging voters to reflect on the ethical impact of economic choices as they head to the polls. The team emphasizes the importance of creating an economy that serves everyone, not just the privileged few.

What is 10 for 10: Voting Vision not Division? Starting on September 2, 2024 and continuing every Monday for ten weeks through November 4, Faith Commons is offering ten 10-minute reflections on topics related to the upcoming election through the lens of religion. Our premise is that religion should be used to unite people and groups of people rather than to divide them, and that the founders of our country shared our view.

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politics, voting, Faith, Judaism, equalityGood God Projectelections, voting, Good Politics, Economy
Byron Sanders on the racial inequities in Dallas
Byron Sanders on the racial inequities in Dallas

President and CEO of Big Thought, Byron Sanders, speaks on the racial inequity in Dallas and the ways in which we can help create a better Dallas for the next generation.

Conversations like this are so important in fostering an awareness among white people of what life is like in Dallas for people of color. Byron shares a recent personal experience of having the police called on him for legally canvassing with his young daughter.

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Faith, Race, Social justice, equality, EducationGood God ProjectRace