Groundswell, A New Multifaith Voice for Justice, to Launch on Ten-Year Anniversary of 9/11

Transcending Partisan Politics, Groundswell Taps Millennial Generation's Desire for Direct Social Action

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Groundswell, a new multifaith voice for justice and social action, will launch on Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 7:00 p.m., with the panel, "Out of the Shadows of 9/11: Millennials, Moral Vision, and the Global Groundswell," at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY.

Panelists will reflect on the last decade and explore the possibilities for a multifaith movement for justice this fall, in the 2012 election cycle, and through the coming decade. Four visionary thought leaders will explore this topic: Valarie Kaur, Director of Groundswell and award-winning filmmaker (Divided We Fall, 2008); Ari Wallach, Co-founder, The Great Schlep, and social innovation expert; Beth Zemsky, organizational consultant and social change strategy expert; and Hussein Rashid, Professor of Religion at Hofstra University and Associate Editor at Religion Dispatches. The panel is hosted by The Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, President, Auburn Seminary.

"There is a groundswell of people across the U.S. hungry to overcome fear and division on this ten-year anniversary," said Valarie Kaur, Director of Groundswell.  "Through launching Groundswell, we are fueling a rising movement that's not about a single issue or political party but a shared moral vision for a better world. This teach-in provides a way to honor the past and envision a new era of social change."

Groundswell's first social action campaign, Groundswell of Community, supports campuses and congregations to commemorate 9/11 through remembrance and renewal, whether through vigils or film screenings or service projects. The campaign organizes people across the U.S. to stand together against anti-Muslim bigotry as we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Learn more at www.groundswell-movement.org.

WHAT: Out of the Shadows of 9/11: Millennials, Moral Vision, and the Global Groundswell
WHEN: Tuesday, September 6, 2011 from 7-9 PM
WHERE: The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC, 44 Charlton Street (at Varick Street), New York, NY 10014
WHO: The Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, President, Auburn Seminary
Valarie Kaur, Director of Groundswell and award-winning filmmaker (Divided We Fall, 2008)
Ari Wallach, Co-founder, The Great Schlep and social innovation expert
Beth Zemsky, Organizational consultant and social change strategy expert
Hussein Rashid, Professor of Religion at Hofstra University and Associate Editor at Religion Dispatches
WEBCAST: The event will be streamed live at www.auburnseminary.org/groundswell
RSVP at www.groundswell-movement.org/rudin/

Groundswell is led by Valarie Kaur, award-winning filmmaker, Harvard-educated theologian, and social justice advocate who directed Divided We Fall (2008), the first feature-length independent documentary film on hate crimes in the aftermath September 11, 2001.  The critically acclaimed film, which documents stories in the Sikh, Muslim, and Arab American communities, has inspired national grassroots dialogue about forces unleashed in national crises – racism and religion, fear and forgiveness.

Groundswell is housed at Auburn Seminary in New York City. Auburn equips religious and secular leaders to create change in a complex, multifaith world. Auburn's entrepreneurial approach to leadership training grows out of its 200-year history of educating leaders on the front lines of American religious and political life. Learn more about Groundswell at www.groundswell-movement.org.  

The September 6 panel will include an opportunity to speak one-on-one with panelists.  Contact Claudia Gunter, (212) 870-3174 or [email protected] for more information.

SOURCE Auburn Seminary