PANELISTS:

Rev. Julia Joyce Domenick, Associate Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church

Pastor Julia Joyce Domenick is the Associate Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Boulder, Colorado. Julia graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, where she received the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership for her service to the seminary community where she was the COVID-19 Response Coordinator. Other recipients of the Dean’s Cross include Madeleine Albright, Barbara Bush, and Wendell Berry. Julia served as the deacon at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Georgetown, D.C. Before seminary, Julia served as an emergency room registered nurse for 20 years. Julia has a passion for social justice and living into our Baptismal Covenant. In that passion, Julia has worked as a protest chaplain and helped start a program that serves our unhomed siblings living in tent cities in the District of Columbia. Julia has spent many years working with National Episcopal Church Youth programs as a youth leader and medical lead for Episcopal Youth Events.

Rabbi Ruth Gelfarb: Congregation Har HaShem

Rabbi Gelfarb, a New York native, lives in Boulder with her husband Tom Hopson, an atmospheric scientist, and their rescue dog, Murphy.  Rabbi Gelfarb joined the Har HaShem community in 2011. Rabbi Ruth Gelfarb has a B.A. with honors from Harvard College and received a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters and Rabbinic Ordination from HUC – JIR . While at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Gelfarb was commissioned as an officer in the US Navy (Chaplain-Retired) and received the Stephen Pierce award for counselling excellency. Rabbi Gelfarb is certified through the Institute for Jewish Spirituality in Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation Practice. Rabbi Gelfarb is passionate about social justice, teaching, Jewish spirituality and making connections with world Jewry.  Prior to joining Har HaShem, Rabbi Gelfarb served as the Director of Service at American Jewish World Service, Program Director at the Chicago Foundation for Women, and as the Senior Jewish Educator at the University of Chicago’s Hillel.  While a rabbinic student, Rabbi Gelfarb interned at Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, the world’s largest synagogue for LGBTQ Jews and their families. She has also travelled to Jewish communities in Ethiopia, Turkey, Israel, France, Argentina, El Salvador as well as to India, Nepal, Thailand, Ecuador and Ghana. Presently, Rabbi Ruthie is spending time in shelters with Venezuelan migrants in Denver.

Tenzin Tsepak, Teaching Professor of Tibetan and Himalayan studies, Center for Asian Studies

Tenzin Tsepak, Instructor of Tibet and Himalayan Studies at the Center for Asian Studies, conducts research on Tibetan history, literature, and culture, with a special interest in Indic poetics in Tibet from the thirteenth till the late eighteenth centuries.

Amelia Hall: assistant professor of Buddhism and department chair in the wisdom traditions department at Naropa University

Dr. Amelia Hall gained her PhD. in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies from the University of Oxford in 2012. She has taught and developed courses on Buddhism at Central Michigan University and Antioch University Buddhist Studies Abroad Program. She has practiced Dharma for 20 years and is currently working on a book on the Four Noble Truths, forthcoming from Shambhala Publications.

MODERATOR:

Pedro Silva: YOUnify Director of Engagement

Pedro brings a wealth of cross-sector experience. A veteran of the United States Air Force, who served as both a Satellite Communications Technician and a Mandarin Chinese Language/Intelligence Analyst, he has cultivated the capacity to think missionally and practically--strategically and tactically--on a wide variety of concerns. In his post military career, Pedro worked as a corporate recruiter for 8 years serving dozens of for profit, not for profit, and B Corporations in the areas of technology, biotech, and more. In 2009, he entered Andover Newton Theological Seminary and for 10 years served as a pastor in the socially active, United Church of Christ.  In this role, Pedro built on his passion for civic engagement. For 3 years he served as the State Representative for the Boulder Caucus of Together Colorado, an organization of the Faith In Action Network, where he worked on a variety of issues at the local to state levels from affordable housing, gun violence, and voting to living wage legislation and the Family Leave Act. He also served on several committees with the local NAACP chapter and worked with the Boulder Community Foundation as an advisor in the wake of the tragic shooting in Boulder. In addition to these efforts, Pedro hosted numerous in person and online conversations on race in Boulder County, has been an advocate for the homeless community, and has made a mark on the bridging movement through his volunteer work with Living Room Conversations and now as a Director of Engagement with YOUnify.

MUSICIAN:

Selasee

Selasee, originally from Ghana, is a singer/songwriter who explores  reggae music influenced by pop and the west African highlife music genres.  He is the founder of the Blackeye Watching Records LLC and leader of the band Selasee & The Fafa Family now based in Colorado. Born in Accra, Ghana, Selasee grew up exposed to the colorful and energetic sounds of Highlife Music. With this exposure Selasee created his own style—a unique blend of Reggae, West African Highlife and American Pop music. Threading together English and West African lyrics for a bright and captivating sound. Growing up in Accra, he realized his passion for music and gained a good understanding on music’s effect on people. Performing at school, church and being around his elders, Selasee developed and cultivated his musical talents.

Boulder Public Library and the Boulder Library Foundation are proud to host One Book One Boulder: Read, Engage, Grow. This program aims to bring Boulder together through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. Participate in a variety of events, including book discussion groups, workshops, performances and storytimes. Generously sponsored by the Boulder Library Foundation.