This week we’re learning more about Islam from some of our fellow residents of Anchorage. We’ll hear from a panel of three people as they answer questions and discuss the interfaith relationships of modern religions. Lise Falskow, President & CEO of the Alaska World Affairs Council, moderates the discussion.
GUESTS:
- Bin Jones, also known as Shabaan Jones, is a 3rd generation African American Muslim originally from South Carolina. After attending college for one year in New York, he got married. In 2013, Jones moved to Alaska for more opportunities, such as jobs and school. He is currently working towards his Bachelors in Education. Jones follows the Sufi doctrine which is the spirit of Islam and believes that mankind is the family of God. He is a member of a group called UMCF (United Muslim Christian Forum) which is dedicated to promoting peace and love between the two faith and removing misunderstandings.
- Sajid Raza is a graduate student in Transportation Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Raza is from Pakistan and a representative of the International Students Club at UAA. He is also working as a Graduate Research Assistant on different research projects at UAA.
- Heather Barbour is an attorney in Anchorage, and is a member and representative of the Islamic Community Center of Anchorage, Alaska (ICCAA), the largest Muslim community in Alaska. Heather was raised as a Christian, but began a serious study of Islam following 9/11 with a scholar in California, while in law school. She converted to Islam in 2004. Heather came to Alaska in 2007, and became involved with the ICCAA, where she later met her husband. Heather is a Sunni Muslim, and is involved with interfaith dialogue, outreach, and education.
MODERATOR:
- Lise Falskow, President & CEO of Alaska World Affairs Council
HOST: Alaska World Affairs Council
LINKS:
RECORDED: Friday, January 20, 2017 at the Hilton Hotel.
ALASKA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL ARCHIVE
Eric Bork, or you can just call him “Bork” because everybody else does, is the FM Operations Manager for KSKA-FM. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the FM broadcast. He produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, the Alaska-focused outdoors program. He also maintains the web posts for that show. You may have heard him filling in for Morning Edition or hosting All Things Considered and can still find him operating the soundboard for any of the live broadcast programs.
After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate, and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming he’s probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book, or planning the next place he’ll travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!
