Tomorrow marks the start of two weeks of events centered around the “F” word. No, not that one. Forgiveness.
Realms of Forgiveness: An Opportunity for Dialogue is a series of talks, panels, films and art exhibits designed to get members of the community thinking about forgiveness and applying it to their own lives.
“Forgiveness raises all kinds of questions for people on whether to forgive or when to forgive or whether it makes sense to forgive, and what does forgiveness mean?” said Tim Hicks, director of the University’s Conflict and Dispute Resolution graduate program, which focuses on making decisions and agreements collaboratively, rather than adversarially.
Realms of Forgiveness starts with an opening reception at downtown’s Fenario Art Gallery, which will include a portrait exhibit with accompanying stories of forgiveness, and an opening reception at the gallery with Aqeela Sherrills, a former gang member who works for peace at the Community Self-Determination Institute, based in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.
When his 18-year-old son was murdered four years ago, Sherrills knew the killer’s identity. He chose to follow the concept of restorative justice, or not reacting in a retributive or punishing way.
“I tell people that Terrell’s killer is a victim, too – a victim of culture that lacks compassion,” Sherrills said in a press release. “You can only kill someone if you have a callous heart, so I want to know why this young man had such a callous heart. It’s not enough simply to catch him and throw him away.”
Credence Sol, director of communications for the Knight Law Center, said Sherrills has impressed her with “all he’s gone through and still (having) forgiveness in his heart.”
The law school is one of Realms of Forgiveness’ sponsors, along with the Conflict and Dispute Resolution graduate program and Community Mediation Services, a local conflict resolution group that utilizes neutral third-party co-mediators.
“We have a whole program on victim-offender work as an alternative resolution process that focuses on dialogue and mending,” explained Ted Lewis, CMS restorative justice program manager.
On Saturday, Sherrills will speak again at the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts, following Hicks’ talk, “Forgiveness and climate change.”
“Climate change is an unprecedented event, so huge and so threatening, so we’re grappling with how to respond to it,” Hicks said.
He believes that examining one’s role in a problem can help create understanding, which he said often breeds forgiveness.
The following Friday, Feb. 29, Azim Khamisa will come to the University from San Diego to give a talk titled, “Restorative Justice: A New Paradigm for Social Transformation.”
In 1995, Tony Hicks, no relation to Tim Hicks, became the first 14-year-old to stand trial as an adult in California after fatally shooting Khamisa’s son Tariq. Khamisa felt similarly to Sherrills, and forgave Tony Hicks, offering him a job at the Tariq Khamisa Foundation upon his release.
“The stories are very moving and I think we’re lucky to have the speakers come here to Eugene,” Sol said.
Throughout the rest of that weekend, there will be screenings of the films “Beyond Conviction,” “The Passion of Maria Elena,” “The Paradox of Forgiveness” and “Forgiving Dr. Mengele;” an interfaith reconciliation; the announcement of high school essay contest winners; and discussions on topics such as forgiveness through meditation, the steps toward forgiveness, and apologies.
“In our culture, we’re resistant to apology,” Lewis said. “I’m talking about how apology often really helps people move forward, let go of things that block … You have to swallow a little pride, but there’s more life from it otherwise.”
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