The University of Alabama at Birmingham will host an open forum to discuss community engagement with local religious leaders. The discussion is part of the UAB Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s Critical Conversations series.

The forum, “Critical Conversations: Between Charity and Social Justice - Community Engagement Among Churches and Faith-based Communities – Part I,” will take place on Tuesday, November 13, from 6-7:30 p.m. in Heritage Hall, Room 102. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

The conversation will focus on the mission, challenges, and opportunities present among diverse, faith-based communities as it relates to serving the larger society. In addition, with Sunday being noted as “the most segregated day in America,” panelists will answer the overarching question, “How do we tackle such divisions to promote a greater sense of community healing, uplift, and unity?”

The panel includes Debra Blaylock, Faith Chapel; Dr. Horace Huntley, Sixth Avenue Baptist Church; Dr. Ty Moody, The Worship Center Christian Church; Charles Perry, pastor of Unity of Birmingham Church; Kameron Pugh, pastor of Iron City Church; Dr. David Barnhart, pastor of Saint Junia United Methodist Church; and Eva Melton, pastor of The Firm Foundation, who will serve as a forum facilitator.

This two-part series will continue in a future forum with a broader discussion that will include representatives from the local Jewish, Islamic, Hindi, Buddhist, and other faith communities.

Critical Conversationsis a campus-wide civic forum series that provides a platform for civil discourse. The goal is to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive community by using education and civil discourse as tools to encourage and empower UAB and its surrounding communities to engage, collaborate and create solutions to social issues affecting our communities.