Segments
This week’s episode of The State of Belief features interviews with guests along Interfaith Alliance’s “The Vote is Sacred Bus Tour.” Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush visits with Karim Khayati, Rabbi Deanna Sussman, Rev. Sarah Jones, Dan Osborn, Connie Ryan, State Sen. Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott, Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Rhonda Lindner, Rev. Breanna Illéné, and Khalilah Worley, leaders empowering voters to hit the polls to defend religious freedom and multi-faith democracy.
These conversations spotlight a shared commitment among diverse leaders—politicians, clergy, and activists—to advocate for social justice, community engagement, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. Underlining the bus tour’s goal of highlighting the role of diverse religious communities engaged in inspiring pro-democracy activism, these leaders’ efforts reflect a shared commitment to fostering a vibrant, multi-faith democracy, working alongside amazing partners to lift up the voices of all Americans in the face of extremism and Christian nationalism.
Karim Khayati, Rabbi Deanna Sussman, and Rev. Sarah Jones are leaders in the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faith communities, respectively, that make up the unique Tri-Faith Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska. A fitting place to begin The Vote Is Sacred bus tour, and their thoughts are a fitting way to start this week’s show.
Dan Osborn highlights the lack of working-class representation, stating, “Less than 2% of our elected officials in the House and Senate came from the working class… I’m going to have a worker agenda.” Connie Ryan echoes the need for change, emphasizing that “reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and public schools are on the ballot,” calling for people to harness “the magical power of voting” to stand up for justice.
State Sen. Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott reminds us that “every single elected office matters,” while the Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot emphasizes the Episcopal Church’s commitment to justice, stating, “One of the vows that we take… is to respect the dignity and worth of every human being.” Rev. Breanna Illéné also recognizes the intersection of faith and politics, asserting, “Your faith should impact your life. Politics impact your life… and they do mix and need to mix.” Rhonda Lindner expresses hope for democracy by asserting, “If every Wisconsin voter who wants to vote and who should vote, votes… democracy and the will of the people will stand.” And even as gerrymandering threatens the fairness of the vote in several states, Khalilah Worley Billy reminds us to “Find joy in this election.”
Karim Khayati is a co-founder of the American Muslim Institute and currently serves as vice president. He is also a board member of the Tri-Faith Initiative of Omaha. Both positions reflect his passion for continuing to make Omaha a thriving, diverse community.
Rabbi Deana Sussman Berezin serves as the Associate Rabbi of Temple Israel in Omaha, Nebraska. It is one of the three faith communities co-located on the Tri-Faith Initiative campus.
Rev. Sarah Rentzel Jones is Congregational Care Minister at the Countryside Community Church, the Christian partner of the Tri-Faith Initiative. Countryside is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and was established in 1949.
Dan Osborn is a U.S. Navy veteran, industrial mechanic, former labor union leader, and independent candidate in the 2024 Nebraska Senate election.
Connie Ryan is the executive director of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, where she is a well-known voice in the public square. She speaks out to protect religious freedom while ensuring it is not misused as a tool to harm or discriminate, advance civil rights and fairness for those who are marginalized, and unite diverse voices to challenge extremist ideologies.
Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott is an Iowa State Senator and an ordained ECLA minister focused on helping working families: good schools, clean water, quality accessible healthcare, economic opportunity, safe communities, and civil rights.
The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot is the 10th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa the first woman to serve as bishop since the diocese was formed in 1853. Previously, Monnot served as the priest-in-charge at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Rancho Cordova, California.
Rhonda Lindner is the Education Director at Tikkun Ha-Ir and concurrently works as the statewide Interfaith Organizer for the WI Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign (WIVEC).
Rev. Breanna Illéné is the Director of Ecumenical Innovation and Justice Initiatives at the Wisconsin Council of Churches. She leads the WCC’s advocacy program, working to engage churches in policy on local, state, and national levels.
Khalilah Worley Billy is Senior Organizer at Greater Cleveland Congregations, a nonpartisan, multi-race, multi-faith group working for social change. GCC’s get-out-the-vote efforts include the Voter Virginity Program, reaching out to first-time voters across Ohio.
