PELHAM, NY — As they have done each year since 9/11, more than 120 organizations in Westchester and Fairfield Counties will join together for the Annual Thanksgiving Diversity Breakfast on Thursday, November 15, 2018 from 7:30 – 10:00 am at Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY. They will celebrate our diverse roots and shared values with particular focus this year on “Opening Our Hearts and Our Minds” which resonates so deeply in our community given recent events.
This year, we are honoring individuals and organizations for their efforts to understand each other’s points of view:
- Rev. Dr. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor. Grace Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon
- Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom (Local Chapters)
- The “Faith and Egg’s Cable TV Program Duo of Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman (Larchmont Temple) and Rev. Dr. William Crawford (Larchmont Avenue Presbyterian Church)
Rev. Dr. Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, Former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom (under President Barack Obama) will deliver a keynote address on the topic of “Opening Our Hearts and Minds.”
On display will be an exhibit of rare original 1789-1790 printings of George Washington’s first Thanksgiving Proclamation and George Washington’s “to bigotry no sanction” letter.
The honoree presentation will be followed by facilitated table discussions on the theme for this year’s Breakfast: “Opening Our Hearts and Minds.” This is always a highlight for the participants.
Some 400 faith and ethnic leaders from both counties are expected to attend. The event is sponsored by AJC Westchester/Fairfield (event founder), First Baptist Church of White Plains, Mt. Hope AME Zion Church, The Clark Center for Religion and Social Justice at Manhattanville College and the Westchester Jewish Council, They will represent over 120 organizations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Westchester Stake), The Episcopal Diocese of New York, The Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, The New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, The New York Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York as well as Hillels of Westchester, Iona College, Office of the Westchester County Executive, and Westchester Community College.
This event is open to the entire community. For more info on this unique program, or to register, visit https://diversity2018.eventbrite.com or call the contact above. The $16 advance registration fee includes admission and kosher buffet breakfast. Tickets purchased after November 9th will be $25. Press passes available.