Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Conversations: Beliefs, Convictions, Values, and Blind Spots with Dr. Naser Alsharif

Please join us as Executive Director Wendy Goldberg invites Dr. Naser Alsharif, Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University, Director, Middle East Cultural and Educational Services-Omaha, to have a “straight talk” conversation about his perspective and lived experiences as an American Muslim of Palestinian ancestry. Naser has dedicated his life to advancing cultural sensitivity, to interfaith dialogue, and to helping others listen deeply, moving beyond just tolerance. With the weight of the world today, why does he bother to keep trying? Why didn’t he give up a long time ago? What has he learned? 

For Naser the circumstances in Palestine and Israel are not complicated; it is simply about human rights, justice, and a call for people of faith and activists to take a stand for a just solution. What do I have to learn about his desire to achieve reconciliation for the people of the Holy Land? Pain and suffering are not monopolized by any one person or group of people. So, how do we keep hope? Where do we find common ground?

This Open Conversation will model Tri-Faith’s “straight talk” method, as Wendy invites Naser into a discussion that allows him to express himself, and for Wendy to model sincere listening, including asking, “What am I not seeing here? What else might be true?”

At Tri-Faith, we believe that if we can’t talk about the most difficult topics, then we don’t really know each other. Please join us as we practice engaging in “straight talk” together.

About Dr. Naser Alsharif
Dr. Naser Alsharif is an American Muslim of Palestinian ancestry. He is currently a professor of pharmacy sciences at Creighton University. Dr. Alsharif has been active in the community for more than thirty years to educate the people of Nebraska about Arab and Muslim culture, Arabs, Muslims, Islam, American Arabs, American Muslims, the portrayal of those groups in the American media, and the Palestinian plight and the Israeli occupation. He has had several editorials on these topics published in the Omaha World-Herald and has been interviewed on TV and radio. Dr. Alsharif has also presented for many years on these topics to school districts, universities, businesses and local organizations. In addition, he presented locally, nationally and internationally about cultural competency and has published on this topic. Further, Dr. Alsharif has held several positions locally including serving as an executive board member and President of the Arab-American Heritage Society (2009 – 2012); Board member of the American Institute of Islamic Studies and Culture (currently American Muslim Institute) and the Board of the Trifaith Initiative (2008-2012);  President, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (Omaha Chapter); advisory board of Avenue Scholars (2011-2015) and Conference for Inclusive Communities (1999-2010); member, Hate Crime Coordinating Council (2001-2011), Member, Islamic Speaker Bureau (Nebraska) (2000-present), and Director, Middle East Cultural and Educational Services-Omaha (2013 – present).

Tri-Faith Initiative events are recorded and archived on our YouTube Channel.