Developing an approach to discourse: The experience of the Office of Public Affairs
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Over the last five years, the Office of Public Affairs for the Bahá’ís of the United States (OPA) has been reorienting its focus. Moving beyond pure representation of the Bahá’í community in national spaces, OPA has been learning what it means to contribute to prominent national discourses, including race, media, sustainable development, economic inequality, and human rights. This shift in focus has also reorganized to some degree the OPA’s self-conception from an entity that articulates a “Bahá’í perspective” in national spaces, to one that builds collaborations among like-minded people and organizations, developing a common vision on how to advance society.
Tschika McBean
As the Human Rights Officer at the US Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs, Tschika works to defend the rights of persecuted Bahá’í communities around the world; to advance international religious freedom; to promote US ratification of international human rights treaties, and to engage with colleagues and partners in discourse around human rights issues, including human trafficking, racial justice and race unity. Before joining the Office, Tschika prosecuted Child Abuse and Maltreatment cases in New York City and provided legal defense to the re-entry population in New York State as an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow. Tschika has also worked on deportation defense proceedings and has conducted a wide range of legal research and writing on various international law issues. Tschika is a licensed attorney, holds a B.A in Sociology, a J.D., and an LL.M. in International Law.
May Lample
May Lample co-coordinates the U.S. Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs collaboration with individuals, organizations, and agencies in the U.S. engaged in public discourses and policy advocacy directed toward racial justice and racial unity. Prior to joining the Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs in 2017, May worked in health education and community mobilization for Southeastern Health, in maternal health research for Kimanya Ngeyo in Uganda, and in global discourse on the equality of women and men for the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity in Israel. May has a Master’s Degree in Public Health, specializing in Maternal and Child Health from University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Political Science from Haverford College.
James Samimi-Farr
For the last four years, James Samimi Farr has worked for the U.S. Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs, where he researches the role of media in American society. Infrequently, he has also written for a number of different outlets, including The Toronto Star, Maisonneuve magazine, The Bell, Southern Souls, and others.
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The views expressed in this recording are those of the presenters and do not necessarily represent the views of the Association for Bahá’í Studies, nor the authoritative explications of Bahá’í writings.