On December 2nd, Daniel Epstein facilitated two Portraits in Faith workshops at The University of Michigan partnering with the Department of Religious, Secular, and Spiritual life. 

The first was a design thinking workshop with 15 university stakeholders as we explored stories of feeling heard and seen or not feeling heard and seen and heard for our religious, secular, or spiritual identities. The second workshop was one of our Portraits in Faith Sacred Listening workshops facilitated among 15 students from a variety of backgrounds and identities. 

The purpose of the day was to explore how Portraits in Faith might partner with the University of Michigan to create a more pluralistic community. We want to deeply thank two people in particular: First, Dr. Karla Goldman who is a social work and Judaic studies professor who made this connection for Portraits in Faith. And, second, to Kelly Dunlop who is the Director for Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Life for the University of Michigan. 

Kelly Dunlop shared this of her experience: "Portraits in Faith and the Sacred Listening workshop provided us with an avenue to have conversations we don't often have on campus. The video interviews provided a rich model for authentic sharing. Students shared that they never have conversations as rich and vulnerable as they did, especially with a stranger, and are hungry for more. I am excited to see how the University of Michigan will continue to partner with Daniel and Portraits in Faith.”

Spandan Ghosh, a computer science undergraduate student shared this: "I found the workshop good because it was non-judgmental space that connected people of different faiths to have an open conversation. That even though we all have different beliefs and faiths we can still connect and discuss our personal experiences with faith. It was cathartic and relieving because in a college setting you don’t have much opportunity to share spirituality. I also found it meaningful because it provided a space to express my views - to lift the veil and truly be vulnerable about my spiritual beliefs. It made me connected to a stranger through the shared experience of faith.”

The following was shared by a professor whose student participated in the Sacred Listening workshop: "I talked with one of my students who attended the workshop, and I wanted to let you know that he was incredibly enthusiastic about it and said that it changed the way he thought about his relationship to a Higher Power, because he heard someone else's story about her faith. He really hopes we bring the full exhibit to campus—and he might be willing to support it in a volunteer capacity.”

Next steps are for University of Michigan to pilot Sacred Listening workshops among various campus groups to see if it can have a meaningful impact on student life.