Building Understanding (BUDS)

Past Events

33rd annual AMIS Reception - Sat, Oct 22, 3-5PM

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Building Understanding supports the annual AMIS (Atlanta Ministry with International Students) Welcome Reception in honor of the international students studying in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

The reception begins at Symphony Hall at Peachtree Street and 15th St with a performance by the internationally acclaimed, Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (Jere Flint, Director) and continues at First Presbyterian Church, next door, for refreshments.

Meet international students, enjoy a concert, and eat good food while being entertained.

Don't miss it -- BUDS executive director, Daniel Shorr, will be performing Argentine tango!

Also featuring talented community artist and Dreamer of Justice - Daniel Bourdua will be creating an AMIS inspired artwork on-site and offering other uplifting pieces for sale.  Come out and add your inspiration!

Project Visions – DREAMING JUSTICE 

 Volunteers welcome; contact us or see the Facebook event for details.

The Atlanta community and all International Students are invited to participate.

ReelAbilities Film Outing - Wed, Oct 5, 7-9PM

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Warrior Champions
Enjoy a ReelAbilities film selection with fellow Builders of Understanding.  Afterwards, those who want will migrate to Panera Bread to chat - 1625 Mount Vernon Road, Atlanta, GA 30338-4224  Film: WARRIOR CHAMPIONS Documentary - 80 minutes - USA - English - 2010  Four severely wounded American Soldiers fight to turn nightmares of war into Olympic dreams. Iraq War Veterans Kortney Clemons, Scott Winkler, Melissa Stockwell, and Carlos Leon, as little as a year after losing limbs and suffering paralysis fighting for their country in Iraq, have set out to do what many thought impossible; to compete in the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. www.warriorchampions.com
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Imam Yahya M. Hendi, CBB Founder, and Rabbi Gerald Serotta, Executive Director
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Reverend Dr. Michael Kuchinsky Vice-President, The Luther Institute, Washington, D.C.
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Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning

Endorsing Organizations
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            From Fear to Faith: A Call for
 Positive Religious Pluralism in American Life
                         Sept 15
                      King Center, Atlanta

Click for photos!  (Video to come).

Building Understanding presented a religious pluralism evening at the King Center in partnership with the Islamic Speakers Bureau (ISB) of Atlanta.  The event featured a panel discussion with Clergy Beyond Borders; co-moderators were Soumaya Khalifa, executive director ISB, and Daniel Shorr, executive director, BUDS.  Included as well were the Windows and Mirrors peace and hope exhibition, diverse liturgical performances, and local, related, endorsing organizations composing a social justice marketplace.

Thank you to our partners, sponsors, performers, and endorsing organizations for helping make such an engaging, meaningful event.

Our invaluable BUDS volunteers included:
  • Adam Kunz
  • Anila Naz
  • Biruh Zegeye
  • Choony Kim
  • David Zandman
  • Evit Smith
  • Lauren Lopez
  • Mackson Sylvestre
  • Sarah Muwahidah

Thank you so much!

Check out two of the evening's talented performers:


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"one ark, one humanity" -- Clergy Beyond Borders

Sponsors
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Zainabia Islamic Center
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Refugee Family Services Everytown Workshop

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Everyone performed excellently and the ~35 teens appreciated it a great deal: in their surveys, the majority rated both the facilitators and the workshop overall as excellent.  The remaining circled good.  Not a single teen rated either facilitators or the workshop as bad.

Teens wrote they enjoyed the opportunity to "share their feeling without feel[ing] shame and to share their traditions and culture." They also liked "when people share[d] their cultural differences and similarities." (taken from surveys)
Meeting made possible by the generous contributions of:
  • S. Hasan Kamal
  • Laura Sum
  • Gregory Cox
  • Choony Kim
Attendees: Thank you for your enthusiasm!
Donors: We couldn't do it without you!
All: We invite you to join us on this important journey of relaunching the powerful Everytown program and essential BUDS organization in GA.
Thank you as well to our alumni for sharing the life-changing impact of their Everytown experiences with attendees:
  • Masheed Shula Hundley
  • Gregory Cox
  • Adam Kunz
Meeting minutes available here!
© 2011 Building Understanding (BUDS), All Rights Reserved.