Amanda Quraishi
This interview is with Amanda Quraishi, a Muslim convert and activist in Austin, Texas. Quraishi discusses her journey of converting to Islam and her story of becoming an activist within the community and beyond. She shares her perspective on the strength and challenges facing the Muslim community, including the power of masses and the importance of accepting pluralism.
Aurelia Pratt
This interview is with Aurelia Pratt, a Chicana woman, and lead pastor to a progressive Baptist Church based in Austin, Texas. The vision of Pratt’s church focuses on decolonizing faith, justice, inclusion, and liberation. Aurelia speaks to the challenges of navigating life as a pastor during the global pandemic and how her personal experiences with racial tension and microaggressions as a brown woman of color have shaped who she is today.
Chas Moore
This interview is with Chas Moore, founder of the Austin Justice Coalition and anti-racist activist in Austin, TX. Chas shares his story of exposure to deaths and incarceration at a young age and how those traumas shaped his beliefs and drive as an organizer. He talks about being directly exposed to overt racism for the first time in Austin and getting heavily involved in the city’s anti-racism organizing movement. Chas shares how the work of influential Black thinkers and activists as well as his faith have guided his activism. He also discusses challenges like funding, his goals for long-term change, and his hopes for a happier and more peaceful human experience.
Content Warning: The following interview contains sensitive material. Please note that the interview includes discussion of anti-Black racial slurs. These subjects will be discussed at 6:15-7:20 (in the transcript p. 2).
Daryl Horton
This interview is with Daryl Horton, a minister at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Daryl discusses helping students sustain their faith and community through the pandemic and transitioning his congregation to church in this time. He talks about his experience working with Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) and his involvement in the interfaith space in Austin. Daryl also shares his story as a native Austinite and his perspective as a Black pastor on the growing inequality in the city.
Emily Nash
This interview is with Emily Nash, a case manager and aspiring social worker in Austin. Emily reflects on her upbringing, including growing up lower class and the influences that caused her to pursue social work as a career. She discusses her current job as a case manager for elderly and disabled clients in Austin. Emily talks about how the Texas Freeze impacted the health and safety of her clients, as well as its impact on her own mental health and the state at large.
María Del Carmen Unda
This interview is with María Del Carmen Unda, a doctoral student and community organizer in Austin, Texas. Maria was born and raised in California, later moving to Texas when she enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. Through relationships with her professors, Maria was exposed to activist movements in Austin, inspiring her to join as a program coordinator at Academia Cuauhtli, a weekend cultural revitalization school. Maria shares her experiences as an activist, teacher, and her perspective on decolonizing education for students. She also discusses the ways in which the pandemic has affected Academia Cuauhtli and the community.
Mary Wilson
This interview is with Mary Wilson, a retired pastor and teacher who discusses her experiences from both occupations. Mary grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and has a background in education, first teaching junior high and later serving as an instructor at Austin Community College, upon receiving her masters in education. Mary was the pastor of The Church of The Savior for 18 years and holds a ministry doctoral degree. She also ran for a seat in Congress in 2017. In this interview, she shares formative experiences of her life, lessons from her time as a pastor and congressional candidate, and the challenges in her life, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neil Thomas
This interview is with Reverend Dr. Neil Thomas. Reverend Dr. Neil Thomas is a well known reverend who has served as a pastor in the United Kingdom, Los Angeles, CA and Dallas, TX. Reverend Thomas is currently the pastor for the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, a member congregation of the United Church of Christ that strives to promote diversity and inclusivity. In this interview, Revered Thomas discusses his leadership and activism in the church and larger community. He shares navigating preaching during the pandemic, how the goals of faith have changed, and the new structure of church via Zoom. We learn through his insights, the connection and engagement found through faith and how the pandemic can reteach one’s relationship with God.
Rene Slataper
This interview is with Rene Slataper, who is currently seeking a ministry license and ordination at Chicago Theological Seminary. He shares his upbringing in San Antonio, coming from a military town and navigating his identity at a young age. Rene is now preaching at the student ministry at UT, guiding students in the process of bridging the experience of being queer and Christian. In this interview, we learn of his own journey in understanding himself and his faith, and the newfound challenges brought by the pandemic.
Sehar Ezez
This interview is with Sehar Ezez, a Pakistani-American with experience organizing with marginalized communities. Sehar talks about growing up Muslim in Alabama and the struggles her family and extended Muslim community faced in the aftermath of 9/11. She describes experiencing Islamophobic prejudice and violence when she wore hijab in college. She also discusses her involvement, tokenization, and various roles she has filled as an activist and ally.