A local group that advocates for Turkish people celebrated community with an interfaith dinner over the weekend. KWGS’ Elizabeth Caldwell reports these days, togetherness seems especially important. Listen above for an audio story or read the transcript below.
ELIZABETH CALDWELL, byline: At Tulsa’s Raindrop Turkish House, Iin Kulac is giving a presentation on Ramadan. She draws laughter and joking when she says Muslims don’t have the energy to be angry during the holy period of religious fasting.
[SOUND OF LAUGHTER]
EC: This nonprofit is known for building bridges between religions. There are Muslims here tonight, of course, but also Mormons, evangelical Christians, and other faiths. Kulac says she’s been educating people on Ramadan at the Raindrop House for a few years.
IIN KULAC: Like, we invite people here, it’s not just for dinner, of course. It would be like sharing the culture.
EC: After Kulac’s presentation, the crowd waits for sunset so they can dine together on meatballs and vegetables. Rector Reverend Silvestre Romero leads an Episcopal congregation. He says on nights like these, it’s important to put aside politics.
SILVESTRE ROMERO: We can’t let ourselves be separated.
EC: Still, the current political temperature in the country is on some minds. Vicky Langston is United Methodist. She says she has serious concerns around President Donald Trump’s mission to root out diversity, equity, and inclusion.
VICKY LANGSTON: In religion, compassion is an important part, and I don’t see that in the things the administration is doing. So I pray each morning that they will discover compassion in their hearts.
EC: Raindrop House member Muhammad Sezer says in the meantime, food is a great way to smooth over differences.
MUHAMMAD SEZER: There’s a saying if you break bread with someone, you cannot be enemy.
EC: About 50 people attended the interfaith dinner. Elizabeth Caldwell, KWGS News.
