Our 7 Neighbors: Religion and Resistance in America

Under the backdrop of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Our Seven Neighbors, season 5, explores the long, contested history of religious diversity in the United States—not as a feel-good celebration of pluralism, but as a hard-won achievement forged through conflict, exclusion, resistance, and moral struggle. Episode 4 features host Reza Aslan in conversation with Dr. John T. McGreevy.

Under the backdrop of our nation’s 250th anniversary, Our Seven Neighbors, season 5, explores the long, contested history of religious diversity in the United States—not as a feel-good celebration of pluralism, but as a hard-won achievement forged through conflict, exclusion, resistance, and moral struggle. Episode 2 features host Reza Aslan in conversation with Dr. Farina King. Farina King, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, is the Horizon Chair of Native American Ecology and Culture and Full Professor of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Her research centers on Native American oral histories, especially among her Diné relatives and connections in Oklahoma. She received her Ph.D. at Arizona State University in History. She is the author of various publications, including The Earth Memory Compass: Diné Landscapes and Education in the Twentieth Century; co-author with Michael P. Taylor and James R. Swensen of Returning Home: Diné Creative Works from the Intermountain Indian School; and author of Diné dóó Gáamalii: Navajo Latter-day Saint Experiences in the Twentieth Century. She is a co-editor of The Lyda Conley Series on Trailblazing Indigenous Futures with the University Press of Kansas; co-editor of the Palgrave Studies in Oral History; and Editor in Chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Indigenous Studies. She is the past President of the Southwest Oral History Association (2021-2022).

Take a quick listen to this teaser for our 6th and final episode dropping next week. Producer Kim Schultz and host Rev. Brian Smith discuss favorite parts of the season and the upcoming episode featuring Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes.

Hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode features a part of an interview with Rev. Dr. Janette Wilson, Advisor to Rev. Jesse Jackson and Director of PUSH Excel. Then our host gets into conversation with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, a retired bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 2000, McKenzie became the first woman to be elected as bishop in the denomination's history.

Season 3 of OUR 7 NEIGHBORS, hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, features stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson oral archive project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith and social justice movements. This episode showcases a portion from an interview with Rev. David Wallace, one of the primary organizers of the Chicago Breadbasket Movement. Then Brian gets into conversation with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ. It's a stellar conversation you don't want to miss!

Join us for Season 3 of Our 7 Neighbors! Brought to you by the InterReligious Institute at Chicago Theological Seminary and hosted by Rev. Brian E. Smith, this season centers stories gathered for our Rev. Jesse Jackson Oral Archive Project. Each episode includes segments from our Chicago Civil rights leaders interviews, paired with voices from modern community, faith, and social justice movements. Listen in on these historic interviews documenting the birth of a movement.

Featuring dynamic filmmaker Najaa Young in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad examining missing black characters and voices in literature and film. Find out why Geordi LaForge was never allowed to fall in love! (Hint: Racism)

Featuring Rabbi Tamar Manasseh in story and conversation with host, Dr. Kameelah Mu'Min Rashad. A powerhouse conversation on racism, Judaism and changing the world.