NewGround Recognized at L.A. City Hall Event on Women Building Bridges

March 18, 2010


Commemorating the 100 year anniversary of International Women's Day, the NewGround Program was honored to be featured on centerstage as a successful initiative led by women. NewGround was launched in 2006 as a joint partnership of MPAC and the Progressive Jewish Alliance. Currently serving its third cohort of fellows, the program was recognized for its achievement.

After initially being dismissed as a naive effort, the persistence, commitment, and hard work of MPAC and PJA have distinguished the program from others. NewGround is proof that it is possible for individuals with different political and spiritual convictions to come together and have a rich, substantive dialogue without compromising or giving up important elements of one's self.

Opening entertainment included a Muslim-Jewish duo of poetry, music and song of two current NewGround Fellows, May Alhassen and Saria Young. Their work was a thoughtful expression of love for mothers, resistance to conformity with conflict, and an embrace of diversity.

The artistic performance was followed by speeches by the Senior Advisor to Mayor Villaraigosa, Reverend Leonard Jackson, and Councilwoman Jan Perry. They were then followed by a panel of speakers, which included Aziza Hasan, MPAC's Southern California Government Relations Director; Malka Fenyvesi, Director of Interfaith Programming (PJA); and Deanne Armbruster, Executive Director of American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam. The panel was moderated by Najeeba Syeed-Miller.

The event was organized by the Middle East Advisory Board (MEAB), a body convened by the Los Angeles City Human Services Department and Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Several organizations belonging to MEAB include, the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese, the Board of Rabbis of Southern California, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, the Western Justice Center, the American Jewish Committee, the USC Center for Religion & Civic Culture, Pepperdine University School of Law, the Progressive Faith Foundation, the Progressive Jewish Alliance, and the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California.

MEAB's mission is to provide a forum for pluralistic discussion on the Middle East conflict that contributes to the civil order of our shared community in Los Angeles. Specifically, we will, engage the Mayor and other public officials in frank conversations about the impact of Middle East events on Los Angeles civic life, develop plans for proactive leadership and outline effective responses in times of crisis that will promote open channels of communication, and serve as an important resource to educate the Los Angeles community on issues related to the Middle East.

For more information on NewGround, visit www.newgroundproject.org

- Aziza Hasan (aziza@mpac.org)
Southern California Government Relations Director




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