Category Archives: Programs & Events

Ramadan at Smith

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Kim Alston
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Ramadan Mubarak! Muslims worldwide look forward to the start of the Ramadan season, a beautiful time of year for reflection, spiritual renewal, and devotion to Allah. Some of our students and community members at Smith will engage in Ramadan. You … Continue reading →

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Six Ways Faculty and Staff Can Support Students During Ramadan: A Letter from Students

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Anna Ostow
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Dear Smith College Faculty and Staff, Greetings from Al Iman, Smith College’s Muslim Student Association. We are excited to announce that the Holy Month of Ramadan is approaching us in the Spring 2024 semester. The official start date depends on … Continue reading →

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CRSL Shepherds a Re-energized Ramadan at Smith

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Kim Alston
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Whenever we guide others on a path or journey, whether spiritual or physical, it is a great responsibility for the appointed leader. The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life holds this sacred role dear to its heart. Students know when … Continue reading →

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Invocation for Generating Justice and Joy Nov. 30, 2021

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Kim Alston
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We are grateful that our earth has the capacity to take care of all living creatures. We affirm the importance of the humanity of all people. We are gathered to reconfirm our commitment to the seeking of this great concept … Continue reading →

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Reparations in Higher Education

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Kim Alston
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This post is the first of a few to explore the theme of reparations. The term has come to refer to a broad movement advocating for payments and structural repair to those harmed by slavery in the U.S. and to … Continue reading →

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The War in Afghanistan, 9-11, and our Interconnectedness

Posted on October 16, 2021 by Kim Alston
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I thought it was a good idea to bring attention to the handling of the events in Afghanistan by the U.S. military last month through Generating Justice and Joy because it demonstrates the confusion, complexity, complicity, and connection that so … Continue reading →

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The Planting of Critical Hope: The Practice of Grief and the Blooming of Justice

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Matilda Cantwell
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Dear Friends, Critical hope is defined by Scholar Paulo Freire as a way of addressing injustice through meaningful dialogue—we are not hopeful because we wait for the future, because we create it. Critical thinking is the process by which we interrogate and dismantle. Critical hope is the … Continue reading →

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Racial Justice in Islam Series Connects Leaders to Students

Posted on April 15, 2021 by Kim Alston
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The Racial Justice in Islam: Opening Our Hearts series was created as a space for students to learn about Islam’s approach towards justice, its historical foundation, and modern-day implications. Through asynchronous dialogue with noted Islamic leaders students were encouraged to … Continue reading →

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Reflection on Cromwell Day

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Kim Alston
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I’m reading a book that I find interesting on the subject of race. It’s called Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life, written by scholar educators Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields. As the title suggests race or … Continue reading →

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Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a Tzadik

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, 11-year-old Micah Blay made a pilgrimage to the U.S. Supreme Court and blew the shofar for the hundreds of people gathered there. In keeping with Jewish custom, they laid small stones on the steps … Continue reading →

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