
Installation photo of Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream... at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2024. Photo by Peter Molick.
UN World Interfaith Harmony Week
About
Join us as we launch Houston’s the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week with a collaborative discussion with panelists Rayanne Darensbourg (Children’s Museum Houston), Sean Fitzpatrick (The Jung Center), Reverend Gregory Han (Rice University), and Rabbi Shaul Osadchey (American Leadership Forum), moderated by Oni Blair (ACLU of Texas). Inspired by the exhibition Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream… and the large-scale artwork Dream Baby Dream (2018) alongside the Children’s Museum Houston’s exhibition Faithful Friends, the panelists will discuss the importance of creating space to learn about and discuss our similarities and our differences.
Oni K. Blair is the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, a statewide organization that works with communities, at the State Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions. Previously, Blair led LINK Houston, which shaped a $7 billion transit plan and won $51.5 million for Black and Latinx communities impacted by a highway expansion. As a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, Blair directed the human rights bureau’s Near Eastern Affairs Office; served as special assistant to the U.S. Deputy Secretary; and worked at U.S. Embassies in Jordan, Pakistan, and Iraq. Blair served on the Biden-Harris Transition and as co-chair of the transition team for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, chief executive of the third largest county in the country. Blair is a Council on Foreign Relations Member, Truman National Security Project Fellow, and 2021-2022 Belfer Center (non-resident) Fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School. Blair lives with her spouse, three children, and dog in Houston.
Rayanne Darensbourg, CEO of Children’s Museum Houston and Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center since February 2023, is a visionary leader whose transformative impact has redefined what a children’s museum can achieve. With over 20 years of experience spanning the nonprofit, government, and education sectors, Rayanne has steered the Museum to unprecedented heights, ensuring its place as a global beacon of innovation in children’s education and community engagement. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Museum's mission to transform communities through innovative, child- centered learning that improves the trajectories of all children.
Sean Fitzpatrick PhD LPC, is the executive director of The Jung Center (junghouston.org) and a psychotherapist in private practice. He holds master's degrees in religious studies (Rice University) and clinical psychology (University of Houston Clear Lake) and received his doctorate in psychology through Saybrook University. His recent book The Ethical Imagination Exploring Fantasy and Desire in Analytical Psychology was published by Routledge. His research interests include psychological ethics, the intersections of psychology and spirituality, and secondary trauma, burnout, and the self-care needs of those working with human suffering. He is a facilitator for the American Leadership Forum and serves on the boards of the Houston Museum District Association and the Center for the Healing of Racism.
The Rev. Gregory Han is an educator and scholar with years of experience in educational institutions and non-profit organizations. He is in his third year in the Ph.D. program in Religion at Rice University, where he focuses on the intersection of theories of care, ethics, and healthcare practices. He has taught a variety of courses at the high school and college level; he is also well-versed in the study of comparative religions and interreligious dialogue through leading the interfaith efforts at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston for over seven years. He is celebrating 25 years of ordained ministry this year and has served two Presbyterian churches in the Houston area. He holds degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard Divinity School.
Rabbi Shaul Osadchey has led a distinguished career as a religious leader, educator, and advocate for social issues. In the pulpit, Rabbi Osadchey has brought spiritual depth to the Jewish life of his congregants while challenging them to find meaningful and innovative ways to connect their faith to the wider world in which they live. As an interfaith leader, Rabbi Osadchey has been a bold spokesman for the legitimate place of Jewish values in the marketplace of ideas and as a guide and inspiration in the creation of harmony and respect among faith communities.
During his 30 years in Houston, Rabbi Osadchey championed various Jewish and social justice issues including traveling to the former Soviet Union to support Soviet Jewish refuseniks, developing the first AIDS Care Team in the Jewish community, launching the Space Torah Project, co-chairing the United Way Campaign for the Homeless, being the first Jewish President of Interfaith Ministries, becoming a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, officiating at the first same-sex Jewish marriage ceremony in Houston, and supporting labor issues as an Advisory Board member of the AFL-CIO Union Community Fund.
During Rabbi Osadchey’s decade of service in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he founded the Calgary Interfaith Council and travelled to Jordan to accept the 2017 First Prize Gold Medal from King Abdullah II for the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week. He was the Co-Chair of the Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Build Project and raised $1 million to build 10 affordable homes for low-income families. In response to a growing rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, Rabbi Osadchey became the Chair of the Joint Interfaith Task Force Against Hatred and Violence in Calgary. He was a past-President of the Calgary Council of Christians and Jews and co-founded the Calgary Jewish-Muslim Council bringing rabbis and imams together to address common concerns and to promote mutual respect and understanding. He was a frequent speaker at Calgary area mosques and was awarded the 2019 Interfaith Leadership Award by the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada.
Rabbi Osadchey is currently serving as Advisor and Faith Leader-in-Residence for the American Leadership Forum in Houston as well as being a Board Member for the Center for the Healing of Racism.
Upcoming Programs
Opening Celebration of the Exhibit “Through Our Eyes: The Art of Family, Friendship, and Pastimes”
Around Houston | Public Opening
Please join our celebration of young artists from South Early College High School! View their artwork for the first time and enjoy various creative activities!
Private Tour of Bennett Road
Member Event
Members of CAMH and CAMH's Collectors Circle are invited to a tour and conversation with exhibiting artist Marty Bennett in conjunction with the Bennett Road exhibition presented at Houston Freedmen's Town Visitor Center in collaboration with Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy
Audio Guide: So Long, Mary Ann
Drop-In Experience
Learn more about Vincent Valdez's compelling use of light ways throughout his work by viewing paintings, such as So Long Mary Ann (2019), and listening to the audio guide in the exhibition Vincent Valdez: Just a Dream…