Beacon of Pluralism

By Gina Minielli and Nancy Bruno

Beacon of Pluralism joined together the diverse community of Flushing, NY and its congregations of many faiths to commemorate the religious liberty that Flushing prides itself on, as the birthplace of religious freedom in America. Creating a symbolic gesture of inclusion, the artists created ceramic candle holders, designed and given to each house of worship in a public ceremony. As photography stops time and dates a moment, photo documentation was crucial in capturing and sharing images of religious leaders throughout Flushing. Beacon of Pluralism was staged at The Flushing Quaker Meeting House and Queens Library, and will be presented at the Queens Museum Community Partnership Gallery.

Participating Queens Religious and Civic Leaders:

The Church on the Hill, The Free Synagogue of Flushing, Church of St. Mel, Pax Christi Metro New York, Dar-al-Taqwa Islamic Center, Baha’i Temple, The Hindu Temple Society of North America, Unitarian Universalist Church of Flushing, Flushing Quaker Meeting House, Promise Church, Macedonian AME Church, First Baptist Church, APS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in addition to Tom Grech, Executive Director of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

Press:

NY1: Flushing Religious Communities Come Together to Spread Hope

QNS.com: Flushing celebrates its diverse faiths with a special candle-lighting ceremony 

Reconnecting Roots: https://www.facebook.com/ReconnectingRootsTV/videos/1192197704452599/?vh=e