Rev. Cassandra Lawrence

Rev. Cassandra Lawrence has worked in interfaith spaces for over ten years as a researcher, community organizer, trainer, and writer. She is currently the Director of Strategic Communications with the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, a multifaith coalition addressing anti-Muslim discrimination through engaging faith communities. She is a commissioned Deacon in the United Methodist Church, serving as the Gender Equity Co-Chair for the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. Cassandra teaches negotiation and conflict resilience as a mediator, community trust builder, and interfaith and racial justice community organizer.

Previously, she worked with the diplomatic community to identify and address training gaps to improve engagement with religious and community peacebuilders. She has a BA in Religious Studies from the University of British Columbia and a master’s degree in comparative ethnic conflict from Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. She has a master of divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary with honors and received the Excellence in Public Theology Award.

Two of my daily prayers are the Serenity Prayer and the Prayer of St. Francis, which ground and guide me in this work toward justice and compassion. I found that as I prayed to live with the heart and eyes of God, my love grew for all of humanity and creation, and I grew to know myself more deeply. The interplay of knowing these three, God, Neighbor, and Self, sustains me in wonder, compassion, and curiosity as we work towards a world with deep peace. Seeking to live in the heart of God has taken me around the world and across the U.S. to learn from peacebuilders and religious leaders, bridging divides toward a shared future of justice and dignity for all people. Each of these leaders, whether in the local community or at the UN, has guided my understanding of the complexity of the human experience, the importance of racial, gender, and interfaith justice as guiding frameworks, and the power of simple acts of solidarity.

Keywords: Conflict Transformation; Interfaith Leadership; Inclusive Engagement; Messaging and Communications; Leadership Development; Strategic Partnerships; Curriculum Development; Negotiation Coaching

Language: English