Food & Justice: Exploring Identity and Spirituality at the Table
From the Eucharist to family tables, from delicious feasts to reheated lunches, the ways we eat are rich with meaning. Food is never just sustenance—it is central to our identity, a thread that weaves together faith, tradition, and belonging. When approached with mindfulness and intention, this daily act can nourish a connection with God, ourselves, others, and all of creation.
Across the summer, we will reflect on how our ways of eating reflect (de)coloniality, liminality, and mutuality. Through theological reflection, storytelling, and engagement with diverse food practices, we will consider how our meals shape who we are and how we understand the world—and might move each of us toward an embodiment of justice and deeper communion.
Featured Speaker: Reem Assil
Reem Assil is a multiple award-winning Palestinian-Syrian speaker & chef based in Oakland, CA working at the intersection of food, community, and social justice. With food as a tool, Reem uses Arab hospitality to build strong, resilient community.
Combining a lifelong fight for justice with nearly 20 years of nonprofit & food industry experience, Reem builds her vision for a more socially and economically just world.
Reem has garnered an array of top accolades, including the following:
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- James Beard finalist in Outstanding Chef in 2022, semifinalist in the Best Chef: West in 2018 & 2019
- Thrillist’s “2018 Chef of the Year”
- San Francisco Magazine’s “2018 Chef of the Year”
- San Francisco Chronicle’s “2017 Rising Star Chef”
- Star Chefs “2019 Rising Star Restauranteur”
Flow & Format
Join the Faith and Justice Network during the summer for online lessons and conversations about coloniality (June), liminality (July), and mutuality (August). A special in-person gathering on June 21 will provide grounding content for our work together.
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- In-Person: June 21, 10am-8pm PT @ Noe Valley Church SF [REGISTER]
- Online: June – August 2025 on the Faith and Justice Network
Gathering Schedule
10:00 AM Gathering & Welcome
10:30 AM Session 1: “Coloniality, Liminality, and Mutuality” (Sophie Callahan & Peter Choi)
12:00 PM Lunch Together
1:30 PM Session 2: Small Groups
2:30 PM Coffee & Break
4:30 PM Session 3: “Food as Resistance” (Reem Assil)
5:30 PM Session 4: Making Bread and Za’atar (Reem Assil)
6:30 PM Dinner Together