SUMMIT SCHEDULE
WITH LINKS TO VIDEOS OF THE PANELS
Speakers’ organizational affiliations listed for identification purposes only.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12
SUMMIT NOW BEGINS AT 12:30 PM CENTRAL TIME DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER
9:00 AM - REGISTRATION OPENS
Rainbow PUSH Headquarters
Onsite registration opens for attendees.
10:00 AM to 10:30 AM - POLL RELEASE
- - - EXCLUSIVE PRE-SUMMIT PROGRAMMING - - -
Rainbow PUSH Headquarters
POLL RELEASE PRESS CONFERENCE: American Attitudes in the Aftermath of the Latest Outbreak of Violence in Palestine/Israel
Summit attendees are welcome to join a virtual press conference for the release of a special Rainbow PUSH/Arab American Institute (AAI) poll of likely voters conducted January 4-5, 2024.
Rev. Dr. Fredrick Douglass Haynes III, President and CEO, Rainbow PUSH Coalition @fhunscripted
Dr. James Zogby, President, AAI @jjz1600
10:30 AM to 11:00 AM - SUMMIT CONVENES
Rainbow PUSH
We gather in a moment of urgency with a call to action—one that is at least 44 years in the making. Hear from Rainbow PUSH voices, including those who have led the conversation for decades demanding as Reverend Jesse Jackson has said, “Security for Israel and Justice for Palestinians.”
Rev. Dr. Fredrick Douglass Haynes III, President and CEO, Rainbow PUSH Coalition @fhunscripted
Dr. James Zogby, President, AAI @jjz1600
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM - ROUNDTABLE-A CRISIS THAT IMPACTS US ALL
Hear from leading voices to understand why so many diverse communities are deeply impacted by Gaza, and what this means for organizing, coalition building, and the collective pursuit of justice.
Eva Borgwardt, National Spokesperson, IfNotNow @EvaBorgwardt
Rev. Wesley Grandberg-Michaelson, Board Member, Sojourners
Rabbi Brant Rosen, Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council and Rabbi, Tzedek Chicago @RabbiBrant
Dr. Dilara Sayeed, President, Muslim Civic Coalition @dilara_sayeed
The Honorable Nina Turner, Former Ohio State Senator, Senior Fellow, Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School and founder of We Are Somebody @ninaturner
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM - PANEL - WHY A CEASEFIRE IS IMPORTANT: WHAT PALESTINIANS ARE ENDURING
Understanding why so many diverse communities are deeply impacted by Gaza, and what this means for organizing, coalition building, and collective pursuit of justice.
State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, Member of General Assembly, Illinois’ 21st District @rashidforil
Hani Almadhoun, Director of Philanthropy, UNRWA USA
Vivian Rasem Khalaf, Board Chair, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)
Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine Director, Human Rights Watch (HRW) @OmarSShakir
Moderated by Maya Berry, Executive Director, AAI @iMayaBerry
1:00 PM to 1:30 PM - JUMMA PRAYER
Attendees are welcome to observe and join Friday/ Jumaah prayer with Muslim congregants. Jumaah Prayer will be led by Ali Alsarraf, President of the Muslim Bar Association of Chicago
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM - LUNCH
Network with summit attendees over boxed lunches from Cedars Restaurant.
Meal prayer with Diana Oestreich, Development Coordinator, Red Letter Christians
2:00 PM to 2:15 PM - BREAK
2:15 PM to 3:15 PM - PANEL-SILENCING DEBATE
A critical conversation about efforts to silence and distort the debate we must have on Israel/Palestine.
Peter Beinart, Journalist, Commentator, and Professor @PeterBeinart
Maya Berry, Executive Director, AAI @iMayaBerry
Marc Lamont Hill, Public intellectual @marclamonthill
Dr. James Zogby, President, AAI @jjz1600
3:15 PM to 4:15 PM - PANEL - RESPONDING TO A MORAL CRISIS IN LEADERSHIP
Mehrsa Baradaran, Lawyer, professor, and author @MehrsaBaradaran
Dwight McKee, Social scientist
Dr. Cornel West, Public intellectual @CornelWest
Moderated by Santita Jackson, Political pundit and radio host @SantitaJ
4:15 PM to 4:30 PM - BREAK
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM - PANEL - CHICAGOLAND RESPONDS TO THE MOMENT: A MODEL FOR MOVING POLICYMAKERS AND COMMUNITIES TO ACTION IN SUPPORT OF AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE
Hear from Chicago organizers on work happening on the ground to move often reluctant policy makers, including members of Congress, and their communities to speak up. Learn how grassroots movements organize, using the roles of local activism and protest, local media, education, and the introduction/passage of resolutions in city councils and state legislatures.
Kina Collins, Organizer and founder, Chicago Neighborhood Alliance
Skye Alex Jackson, Student and founder, Affinity Spaces for Change
Tarek Khalil, Lawyer and activist
Tanya Lozano, Founder, Healthy Hood Chicago
Itai Segre, Organizer, Shoresh
Moderated by Alex Globerson, Organizer, IfNotNow Chicago
6:00 PM - ADJOURN FOR THE DAY
SATURDAY, JANUARY 13
9:00 AM - REGISTRATION OPENS
Rainbow PUSH Headquarters
Onsite registration opens for attendees.
9:30 AM to 10:00 AM - SHACHARIT PRAYER
Attendees are welcome to join local IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace members for the first of three periods of daily prayer in Judaism with a quiet song-based ceremony.
Reverend Clay Evans Chapel
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM - RALLY FOR CEASEFIRE
We will join Rainbow PUSH for their weekly televised broadcast in support of a national call for a ceasefire with host Santita Jackson @SantitaJ and distinguished guests, including:
Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant, Georgia (Appearing virtually)
Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Member of Congress, New York’s 16th Congressional District @JamaalBowmanNY (Appearing virtually)
Congresswoman Cori Bush, Member of Congress, Missouri’s 1st Congressional District @CoriBush (Appearing virtually)
Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García, Member of Congress, Illinois’ 4th Congressional District @RepChuyGarcia
Congresswoman Summer Lee, Member of Congress, Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District @RepSummerLee (Appearing virtually)
Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson, Member of Congress, Illinois’ 1st Congressional District @rep_jackson
Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, Member of Congress, Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District @DeliaRamirezIL
And other leading voices.
11:30 AM to 11:45 AM - BREAK
11:45 AM - Boxed Lunches Available
Working lunch with more good food from Cedars Restaurant.
11:45 AM to 1:45 PM - PLENARY - WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SECURE A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE
A ceasefire is the immediate priority: to stop the killing, to allow unimpeded humanitarian aid to flow, and to ensure reconstruction in Gaza begins. A ceasefire is also essential to begin to lay the path to accountability that many have correctly demanded.
11:45 AM TO 12:30 PM - IN WASHINGTON
What is the status of the ceasefire debate among policymakers and political commentators? How can it be advanced?
Lara Friedman, President, Foundation for Middle East Peace @LaraFriedmanDC
Zaha Hassan, Human rights lawyer and fellow, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace @zahahassan
Moderated by John Nichols, Author and National Affairs Correspondent, The Nation @NicholsUprising
12:30 PM to 1:15 PM - ON THE LOCAL LEVEL
From the first resolutions passed in California and Michigan on October 24, 2023, communities across the country have passed city council and state legislative resolutions on the local level. Learn about what is happening on the local level to advance the ceasefire debate.
Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, Founder, AMIS Atlanta, Georgia and Secretary, Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
Prof. John Dabeet, President, U.S. Palestinian Council @JohnDabeet
Marty Levine, Coordinating Committee Member, Jewish Voice for Peace, Chicago
Alderwoman Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez, Alderwoman, 33rd Ward in Chicago @RossanaFor33
State Representative Sami Scheetz, Member of the General Assembly, Iowa’s 78th District, @SamiScheetz
Moderated by Ariel Gold, Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation @ArielElyseGold
1:15 PM to 1:45 PM - ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Opponents of a ceasefire are aiming to isolate members of Congress who have called for an end to the violence and have been critics of Israeli policies. How do we protect the policy call for a ceasefire from the election-year politics trying to derail it?
Rania Batrice, Political consultant and human rights advocate @RaniaBatrice
The Honorable Nina Turner, Former Ohio State Representative and congressional candidate, and founder, We Are Somebody @ninaturner
1:45 PM - NEXT STEPS
Rev. Dr. Fredrick Douglass Haynes III, President and CEO, Rainbow PUSH Coalition @fhunscripted
Dr. James Zogby, President, AAI @jjz1600