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September 16, 2022
Greetings of peace, We were honored to be among the invited guests at the “United We Stand” Summit at the White House on Thursday, September 15th. President Biden and Vice President Harris hosted the summit “to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety” and to promote “a shared, bipartisan vision for a more united America.”
Vice President Kamala Harris opened the Summit by announcing a federal government response to the national increase in hate crimes where they will reach out to affected communities. “I strongly believe no one should ever be made to fight alone — not on this,” Harris said. “We must stand together — students, parents, educators, faith leaders, business leaders, and law enforcement officials. And we must clearly say that a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us. We are at an inflection point in our history and, indeed, in our democracy.”
In his address at the summit, President Biden now believes that “domestic terrorism rooted in white supremacy is the greatest threat to our homeland today.” He continued, “I’ve been around a while. I never thought I would hear that, say that. We need to say clearly and forcefully that white supremacy, all forms of hate fueled by violence, have no place in America. Failure to call it out is complicity. As my dad would say, ‘Silence is complicity.’ For those who say if we bring this up, we divide the country. Bring it up? We silence it, instead of remaining silent. For in silence wounds deepen. We have to face the good, the bad, and the truth. That’s what great nations do, and we’re a great nation.”
In addition to business, government, civil rights, faith and non-profit leaders, the summit also brought together local heroes across the nation leading work in their communities to build bridges and address hate and division. They included a panel of survivors who turned hate into love, such as Rais Bhuiyan who was shot just days after 9/11 in an Islamophobic hate crime and forgave his attacker, Pardeep Kaleka who lost his father in the Sikh gurdwara shooting in Wisconsin in 2012, Dawn Collins whose son was murdered at the University of Maryland in an anti-Black hate crime in 2017, Vilma Kari who was a victim of an anti-Asian hate crime in New York in 2021, and Joseph Borgen who was attacked in an anti-Semitic hate crime in New York in 2021.
A group of community leaders were also recognized as “Uniters,” including Dr. Suzanne Barakat—founder of Our Three Winners, Valarie Kaur—founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, and Imam Mohamed Magid, Pastor Bob Roberts, and Rabbi David Saperstein—co-founders of Multi-Faith Neighbors Network.
It was affirming that the panel of survivors spoke on the need for exactly the kind of work that ING does, and the Uniters were celebrated for the same work as well. Our programs include representatives of diverse religious and ethnic communities coming together on live panels, including Americans of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, African American, Indigenous Peoples, Latino/Hispanic, and Asian backgrounds. Together they speak on countering bigotry in all its forms while teaching about what we want audiences to know about us and offering best practices for interactions and institutional changes to prevent hate crimes, discrimination, and bullying
We look forward to continuing our work with the White House, federal agencies, and our partners on prevention programs that counter hate in our communities.
-To request our DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) training seminars for professional groups, visit this page.
-To request our educational programs for classrooms, community centers, and civic organizations, visit this page
Upcoming ING Events
ING has a number of events scheduled in the weeks and months ahead, including an INGYouth workshop on Countering Bullying with Knowledge, Civility, and Respect, diversity training seminars with law enforcement personnel, judges and court administrators, and corporate staff, a presentation on Getting to Know Muslim Americans and their Faith, a presentation on Islamophobia and Its Impact, and an interethnic panel on Creating Inclusive and Equitable Communities. Visit ING’s events page to learn more about all of our upcoming presentations, panels, workshops, and seminars.
Will You Join Us in Building a More Peaceful America Today?
In a nation and world increasingly threatened by racism, extremism, and violence, ING’s work of promoting mutual understanding and respect across lines of difference is needed more than ever. You can partner with us in this work by your donations. Make the world better, kinder, and brighter. Every dollar you give will create real change.
