Wilmette Institute

Wilmette Institute

5.0 (10)
RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The Wilmette Institute was founded in 1995 to provide basic and advanced courses on the Bahá’í Faith. In 1998, the Wilmette Institute moved to a largely online study approach in order to provide educational classes to a broader student body. It now offers more than 50 unique courses on the web to an average of 30 students per course.

05/31/2025

199 Social Transformation: The Evolving Challenge of Racial Inequality

This webinar will offer insights into evolving efforts to address racial inequality in the US, comparing sixty years ago (during the Civil Rights era) to the present day. Dr. Thomas, who has written about her family’s lived experiences during the civil rights era, established an academic career based on training urban planners who were socially aware and capable of supporting community development, and she has written extensively about these topics and the need for racial and social justice in U.S. cities. In a question-and-answer discussion with an interviewer, Dr. Chitra Golestani, she will consider how the challenge of racial inequality has evolved over the last decades, and how Bahá’í teachings offer important insights into possible strategies for the present and the future.

1h 31m
04/20/2025

198 How Bahá’í Teachings on Racial Unity Influenced My Academic Focus

A conversation with Dr. Richard Thomas on his recently published book chapter “How the Bahá’í Teachings on Racial Unity Influenced My Academic Focus on Race Relations in the United States.” The Bahá’í Faith and African American Studies: Perspectives on Racial Justice, edited by Loni Bramson and Layli Maparyan – Contributions by Layli Maparyan; Richard Hollinger; June Thomas; Richard W. Thomas; Loni Bramson; Michael McMullen and Gwen Etter-Lewis

1h 10m
03/31/2025

197 Erased but Not Forgotten: Reclaiming North Nashville’s Legacy (Part 2)

From the 1800s through the 1950s, North Nashville’s 37208 zip code flourished as a vibrant Black community. Despite systemic segregation and redlining, residents established institutions, including schools, businesses, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and a lively entertainment scene that attracted renowned Black artists. In the 1960s, federal and local policies resulted in the construction of Interstate 40, which bisected this thriving neighborhood, leading to the demolition of homes and businesses. This disruption transformed a once-prosperous area into one plagued by poverty—a condition from which it has yet to recover. Today, North Nashville faces challenges such as high child poverty rates, food insecurity, and mass incarceration and confronts the additional threat of gentrification, further endangering its rich cultural heritage. In the face of crises, there must always be hope. This presentation highlights North Nashville’s legacy of resilience in the face of structural racism and explores how community building restores that legacy. This two-part webinar will engage participants in thinking about the power of race unity and justice, community building, and insights from the Bahá’í framework for action. Note: This is part two of a two-part series.

1h 9m
02/22/2025

196 Erased but Not Forgotten: Reclaiming North Nashville’s Legacy

From the 1800s through the 1950s, North Nashville’s 37208 zip code flourished as a vibrant Black community. Despite systemic segregation and redlining, residents established institutions, including schools, businesses, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and a lively entertainment scene that attracted renowned Black artists. In the 1960s, federal and local policies resulted in the construction of Interstate 40, which bisected this thriving neighborhood, leading to the demolition of homes and businesses. This disruption transformed a once-prosperous area into one plagued by poverty—a condition from which it has yet to recover. Today, North Nashville faces challenges such as high child poverty rates, food insecurity, and mass incarceration and confronts the additional threat of gentrification, further endangering its rich cultural heritage. In the face of crises, there must always be hope. This presentation highlights North Nashville’s legacy of resilience in the face of structural racism and explores how community building restores that legacy. This two-part webinar will engage participants in thinking about the power of race unity and justice, community building, and insights from the Bahá’í framework for action. Note: This is part one of a two-part series.

1h 31m
11/20/2024

195 Pathways to Peace: Fundamentals of Social Transformation

Dr. Derik Smith will present ideas that are fundamental to the conceptual framework for social transformation. The talk is organized around the themes of History, Human Nature, and Power. Smith demonstrates how Bahá’í approaches to these subjects open important territory in the studying and teaching of social transformation and peacebuilding.

1h 15m
10/28/2024

194 The Solutionary Way: Transform Your Life, Your Community, and the World for the Better

In a world with increasing conflict, apathy and hopelessness, how can we move beyond polarization to solve urgent challenges like human suffering, environmental degradation, and animal cruelty? This webinar explores a practical “solutionary” framework for bridging divides and creating positive social change. Based on Zoe Weil’s work as a humane educator, participants will explore the solutionary mindset, which emphasizes critical, systems, strategic, and creative thinking in education and other disciplines. Through real-world examples and evidence-based optimism, this webinar will equip changemakers, educators, community members and youth with tools to collaborate and address seemingly intractable issues. Discover the benefits of utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to social change, from finding deeper purpose to reducing apathy and isolation, and join the movement for a more humane, equitable, and healthy society.

1h 14m
09/30/2024

193: A Framework for Unity: The Shared Humanity between African Americans and Indigenous Peoples

The African American and Indigenous communities of the United States are forged by historical sufferings that go back to the founding of this country. However, these communities have also offered a framework for racial unity that for far too long has been ignored, forgotten, or erased to our own detriment. Greater examination of the historical collaboration and innate spiritual power that exists within the Indigenous and African American community is vital if America is to achieve its true destiny as promised by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. When we fully acknowledge the powerful spiritual forces that exist in both the African American and Indigenous communities, our nation will be better for it. Guest speaker: Michael A. Orona

1h 17m
07/29/2024

192 Sustainable Development: Student Perspectives

The three panelists recently completed the “Human Prosperity and Sustainable Development” course offered in the Wilmette Institute’s Social Transformation Certificate program. By interviewing each other and engaging in dialogue, the three will reflect on their learning from this course and how they connect their learning to the Bahá’í Framework for Action. WI Chief Academic Officer Justin Scoggin will host this panel discussion.

1h 27m

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The Wilmette Institute was founded in 1995 to provide basic and advanced courses on the Bahá’í Faith. In 1998, the Wilmette Institute moved to a largely online study approach in order to provide educational classes to a broader student body. It now offers more than 50 unique courses on the web to an average of 30 students per course.

Creator

Wilmette Institute
Years Active

2022 - 2025
Episodes

154
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© All rights reserved
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Wilmette Institute