YDS Transformational Leadership Initiative

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to a public conversation on the "Intersection of Sexual and Reproductive Justice and Faith" with Dr. Pauline Muchina, Director of Healthy Families, Healthy Planet, a United Methodist Church program that challenges injustices against women, girls, and marginalized communities. The event will take place on Friday, November 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Common Room.
Dr. Muchina will be at YDS to teach a weekend-intensive course “Leadership in Issues of Faith and Global Health: A Theological Conversation about Gender Dynamics and Sexual and Reproductive Health,” as a part of the Program for Transformational Leadership for Church and Society. The Healthy Families, Healthy Planet program advocates for greater access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education and services, with the aim of giving women, men, and communities the ability to plan their families, avoid unwanted pregnancies, and reduce abortion and maternal and child mortality.

Born in Kenya, Dr. Muchina is the founder of the Future African Leaders Project and a Fellow with the Center for Health and Social Policy. Previously, she served as the senior partnership adviser for UNAIDS. She has served on several important boards and advisory groups over her career, for organizations including the Foundation for Sustainable Development and the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians. Additionally, Pauline supports African Women & Youth, a creative design company that crafts authentic hand-made African products for the global market.

In 2011, Dr. Muchina received the United Methodist Church Global Leadership Award. And in 2014, the Huffington Post honored Pauline as one of 50 powerful women religious leaders.

Pauline holds and M.Div. from YDS, and a Ph.D. from the Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Leadership in the Pilgrimage of Faith and Health will be the focus of a Transformational Leadership Public Conversation on Friday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m., at Yale Divinity School Common Room.

Rev. Dr. Scott Morris, M.D., the founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee, will be our guest, addressing a holistic understanding of wellness, and the physical implications of faith, as he reflect on the Health Center that he created in Memphis that cares for 70,000 patients a year. This leadership model is important for any who seek to do faith-based work that engages issues of well-being and health.

The Public Conversation will be followed by a reception. Dr. Morris will also be available to sign his books, If Your Heart is Like My Heart: A Pilgrimage of Faith and Health, and Health Care You Can Life With: Discover Wholeness in Body and Spirit, which will be available for sale in the Common Room.

Questions about the event may be addressed to [email protected]

The Yale and New Haven communities are invited to a public conversation with Father Michael Pfleger, Senior Pastor of the Faith Community of St. Sabina in Chicago and a noted activist who has been a leading voice against gun violence, racism, and other social ills. The event will take place on Friday, September 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Common Room at Yale Divinity School and available on the YDS LiveStream channel. You don't want to miss this!

It was such a pleasure having Rev. Dr. William Barber II visit our campus for a prophetic class experience, and a transformational public conversation on the weekend of February 3, 2017! Dr. Barber introduced new ideals surrounding pivotal leadership, groundbreaking movement, and bringing ones WHOLE self to the plight for social justice. Thank you to Dr. Barber, and everyone who participated in this world changing event!

The Parker Palmer conversation is underway! There is still time to make it! Don't miss out on this amazing conversation!

DON'T FORGET! This weekend is our kickoff of the Transformational Leadership talks! Palmer Parker, social activist and author, and Marcy Jackson will be giving a talk this Friday, September 3, 2016 at 7:15 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there! Refreshments will be served after the event!

Thank each of you for visiting our page and boosting the community! We look forward to having an outstanding year of growth! Have a blessed weekend!