L. Gregory Fireside Chat Series

Topic: “Black Vision: The Baha’i Faith and African American Community Building” with special guest, Derik Smith

Historically speaking, African American culture has been a great incubator of creativity, resilience, and community. Supported by this culture, Black people in America have worked at the grassroots, building vibrant communities while also enduring the hardships of racial prejudice and oppression. This presentation focuses on the relationship between the American Baha’i Community and the capacity for constructive resilience that has been cultivated in African American culture.

Derik Smith is a professor in the Department of Literature at Claremont McKenna College; he is currently chair of the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies at the Claremont Colleges. His work is anchored in the analysis of American culture and, particularly, African American literary culture. He is the author of many articles, and the book, Robert Hayden In Verse: New Histories of African American Poetry and the Black Arts Era.

Fireside Chats are hosted by Dr. Charles Bullock and Tangela Stanley. This dynamic and interactive space, where the teachings of the Baha’i Faith are shared, provides an effective tool toward connecting hearts and building vibrant communities.

Each episode features inspirational devotionals followed by intimate conversations focused on current social challenges such as racism, gender equity and a variety of other issues that must be addressed before humanity can reach its full potential.

We invite you to join us as we strive together to understand our individual and collective life’s purpose exploring the truth of the oneness of mankind.