Here we are in the thick of the holiday season, but whose holiday are we celebrating? Most faith traditions have some kind of ceremony related to the changing of the seasons or other types of celestial transitions, but here in Richmond, where our community hosts an annual Christmas through the middle of town, we get a sense of how acceptance of a Christian religious tradition is taken for granted as fitting for everyone. Looking at our society with a post-9/11 lens, religious intolerance has unfortunately made its way into the cultural mainstream. Here in Richmond, we have an organization that is working to address all forms of prejudice, including bias based on religious beliefs. The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities has a long history in Richmond, and as it looks to celebrate its 30th Annual Humanitarian Awards, Jonathan Zur is joining Inspire Indeed to talk about what Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities is all about, and how we can each be more aware of religious diversity in the Richmond community and across the state. For more information, visit http://www.inclusiveva.org.
Elaine Summerfield, host Jay Westermann, sound engineer