2024 RNA Conference
April 18-20, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Suites in Pittsburgh, PA
Thursday, April 18
Conference Registration + Breakfast
Covering the Impact of the Israel-Hamas War in Your Community
How have journalists told stories connecting the impact of the Israel-Hamas war to their local communities? What issues arise from local perceptions of the events in Gaza, Israel, and the region? And as the war drags on, how have newsrooms continued to make their coverage relevant and engaging to local audiences?
Moderator: Ann Rodgers, Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press
Toby Tabachnick, Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle
Betul Tuncer, The Pitt News
Scandalous Religion: How to Go from Rumors to Sources, Documents, and Video
There’s a new religion scandal breaking seemingly every week, but how do we investigate them all with so few resources? Our panelists describe what to do when handed a scandalous tip involving a supposedly unimpeachable national religious figure, how to sniff out plagiarism and questionable narratives, how to cultivate sources and get them to spill the beans without you getting sued, how to get access into obscure, closed sects and delve into public records on believers ranging from Buddhists to Baptists.
Moderator: Julia Duin, Author and Editor
Joshua Eaton, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Julia Roys, The Roys Report
Warren Throckmorton, Grove City College
Sam Kestenbaum, Independent Journalist
Lunch + Panel: Activating Youth for World Change, sponsored by World Vision
Studies show the next generation is disconnected from the church, but they are interested in faith and passionate about justice -- how do we help them grow into change makers?
Moderator: Priscilla Tuan, World Vision
Rusty Funk, World Vision
Jeanne Stevens, Soul City Church
Nia Robinson, Soul City Church
Covering Caste in America: Tools for Journalists
Your city, county, state or a local educational institution has just announced that it plans to include caste to its anti-discrimination laws. How does a reporter go about understanding the complex history of caste, who this issue affects, how prevalent caste discrimination is and the implications of these laws including how they are enforced?
Moderator: Sonia Paul, Independent Journalist
Rakhi Israni, Hindu American Community Organizer, Attorney, Educator
Shareen Joshi, Georgetown University
Guha Krishnamurthi, University of Maryland
DB Sagar, International Commission for Dalit Rights
Rwanda 30 Years Later: "Who Really is My Neighbor?" sponsored by Arnold-Liebster Foundation
In recognition of the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the panel will discuss (1) the ethics and complications of rescue during the 100 days of the Genocide against the Tutsi; and (2) findings from a newly released nationwide survey—the first of its kind in Rwanda—that explore "The Forgiveness Triangle" and its effect on those whose genocide experiences differed widely.
Moderator: Jarrod Lopes, World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jolene Chu, World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses
Valens Nkurikiyinka, Genocide Survivor and Principal Investigator, Qualitative Research Consultant
Understanding Muslim Frustrations Around Reporting Islamophobia
In a moment of heightened political and cultural tension, what are the best ways to report on Muslim communities, and specifically to address issues of Islamophobia? How do reporters build trust with communities that may distrust the media? What are the questions reporters should be asking, and what are we missing? This panel will address these issues, as well as present data around Islamophobic incidents, the way they're covered, and the rhetoric that has shaped our understanding of a complex and constantly changing situation.
Moderator: Dilshad D. Ali, Freelance Editor and Journalist
Rowaida Abdelaziz, HuffPost
Brian Levin, California Civil Rights Department’s Commission on the State of Hate
Christine Mohamed, Council on American Islamic Relations, Pittsburgh
Where in the World are the Nones? sponsored by Associated Press/Religion News Service/The Conversation
This hard-to-summarize group doesn’t fit neatly into a box nor can it be confined by geographic boundaries. Lilly Endowment grant partners The Associated Press, Religion News Service and The Conversation join forces to share their successes and challenges of documenting the religiously unaffiliated – in all of their variations – worldwide.
Moderator: Roxanne Stone, Religion News Service
David Crary, Associated Press
Kalpana Jain, The Conversation US
Bob Smietana, Religion News Service
Welcome Reception + Dinner + Movie Preview, sponsored by Paulist Productions
Hollywood Priest tells the extraordinary true story of Fr. Bud Kieser who, after becoming a successful cleric and TV producer in the 1960s, has to decide the direction of his life when he falls in love with a nun.
Late Night Provocations
Join us for the second year of Late Night Provocations! Provocations are 5-7 minute talks where provocateurs can say something challenging, candid, heartfelt, satirical, potent, or necessary to all of your colleagues on the religion beat. So grab a snack and a drink, get cozy, and listen to some of your colleagues share some of their deepest thoughts!
2024 Provocations:
Moderator: Jack Gordon, Interfaithish
Moderator: Sarah Ventre, Freelance Audio Journalist
Dawn Araujo-Hawkins, Religion News Association
Ken Chitwood, Religion News Association
John W. Hawthorne, Spring Arbor University
Kate Shellnut, Christianity Today
Bob Smietana, Religion News Service
Friday, April 19
Breakfast and Network Exhibitors
Field Trip: Tree of Life Campus + Discussion with Local Synagogues
The Tree of Life synagogue (which was home to three different congregations in the heart of Pittsburgh's Jewish community) was the site of a horrific mass shooting in 2018, in which 11 worshipers were killed in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. More than five years later, those congregations are tasked with not only continuing to move forward spiritually and emotionally, but also with deciding how to memorialize those who they lost. On this field trip, we'll be visiting Tree of Life, which is under reconstruction right now as a memorial, sanctuary and museum are being built on site. After a short walking tour, we will head to the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh for a panel discussion with representatives of all three congregations that met at Tree of Life.
Moderator: Peter Smith, Associated Press
Peg Durachko, whose husband Rich Gottfried was killed in the 10.27.18 attack
Maggie Feinstein, 10.27 Healing Partnership
Eric Lidji, Senator John Heinz History Center
Amy Mallinger, whose grandmother Rose Mallinger was killed in the 10.27.18 attack
Suzanne Shreiber, Tree of Life and 10.27 Healing Partnership
Lunch + Presentation: Faith Counts, sponsored by 1st Amendment Partnership
Faith Counts, a nonprofit multifaith organization with the sole mission to promote the value of faith, will announce the $20,000 winner of their Film Your Faith video contest. A brief presentation will include the winning, two-minute film, and highlights of Faith Counts work, including the data-based Faith Facts,which showcases the tangible contributions of faith.
Why is Eastern Orthodoxy Attracting So Many Men?
Eastern Orthodox churches in the U.S. has seen a surge of converts, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are young men with evangelical backgrounds. On this panel, an anthropologist and survey researcher join clergy to discuss the socio-political and religious environments that are drawing converts to Orthodoxy, as well as concerns about ideological conversions.
Moderator: Meagan Saliashvili, Freelance Journalist
The Rev. Paul Abernathy, Neighborhood Resilience Project
Alexei Krindatch, National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches
Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Northeastern University
The Rev. Thomas Soroka, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
Data Release, sponsored by Pew Research Center
Greg Smith, associate director of religion research at Pew research Center, will present new data and analysis on religion and the 2024 US presidential election.
Greg Smith, Pew Research Center
Religion & Food
This panel will explore the different ways in which food intersects with religion. How does food feed faith communities while serving as sacrament, sustenance and even as a means to support congregations and mission work? What is the role of food in creating and strengthening bonds across faiths?
Note: If you attend this panel, there might be some snacks...
Moderator: Holly Meyer, Associated Press
Judah Cowen, Elegant Edge Catering Company
Vish Iyer, Sri Venkateshwara Temple
Nimarta Narang, Independent Journalist
Abdullah Salem, Salem’s Market and Grill
Covering American Democracy: Mini-Masterclass for Religion Reporters
Pulling from best practices from WITF's partner organizations and the experience of reporter Jordan Wilkie, this workshop will focus on four core concepts for religion journalists covering democracy and elections in 2024:
Solutions Journalism (Solutions Journalism Network)
Trust and Transparency (Trusting News)
Community Engagement (Hearken)
Impact Reporting for Anti-democratic Actors
This will be a participatory session. Expect to move, talk, ask questions and maybe argue (productively), and walk away from this workshop with concrete tools to help you cover this year's election season.
Jordan Wilkie, WITF
RNS/IA Religion Journalism Fellowship: Networking Event, sponsored by Interfaith America and Religion News Service
Celebrate and network with the 2024 RNS/IA Religion Journalism Fellows cohort! There will be a delicious variety of hot canapes, an open bar, and thoughtful conversations about the future of religion reporting.
Run by Interfaith America in partnership with Religion News Service, the Fellowship program is in its third year. It aims to equip upcoming religion reporters with the tools and resources to cover stories from diverse faith communities. The networking event allows you to share your expertise, wisdom, and insights with our Fellows and learn more about our program and how to get involved.
Saturday, April 20
Breakfast, sponsored by Catholics for Choice
On Minority Religions: Reporting Accurately and Objectively, sponsored by The Laura and Lorenz Reibling Family Foundation
This panel discussion will feature conversations and case studies around best practices for reporting with accuracy and objectivity on minority religions. Topics will include: 1. Reporting on religious-related hate crimes with empathy and compassion; 2. Best practices for leveraging testimonials of former members; 3. In the numbers and between the lines, how to identify flawed data.
Moderator: Deepa Bharath, Associated Press
Amara Aguilar, USC Annenberg
Holly Folk, Western Washington University
Stuart Wright, Lamar University
Overlooked Voices in Elections Coverage
The Overlooked Voices in Elections Coverage panel will focus on religious voices that are often underrepresented (and perhaps misrepresented) in elections coverage. Featuring organizers from a range of religious and political backgrounds, the panel will seek to highlight how and why some faith groups are often overlooked in elections coverage, how reporters can effectively build trust with under-reported communities and what questions reporters aren’t asking — but should be — when it comes to the 2024 election.
Moderator: Adelle Banks, Religion News Service
Walter Kim, National Association of Evangelicals
Jeanné Lewis, Faith in Public Life
Agustin Quiles, Mission Talk
Salima Suswell, Emgage
Boxed Lunch Pickup
Field Trip: Dissident Murals and the Holy Bones of Pittsburgh
Come see two of Pittsburgh's most famous houses of worship -- the stunning murals of Croatian dissident Maxo Vanka at St. Nicholas, and the largest collection of Catholic relics outside the Vatican at St. Anthony. (*Note that this trip has a cap and requires and additional fee.) You can register for this trip on our conference registration site. More information on both churches can be found below.
Maxo Vanka was a Croatian-American artist with a fiery social conscience, best known for his non-traditional paintings that cover all of the walls and ceilings of St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in the Pittsburgh suburb of Millvale. His murals blend Christian iconography with scenes of modern warfare and the mines and mills of Western Pennsylvania. They depict the horrors of combat, the sacrifices of industrialization, and the dignity of home and labor. Our visit to St. Nicholas will include a tour of the church featuring Vanka's unusual and haunting works. More info here.
St. Anthony Chapel in Pittsburgh boasts the largest collection of Catholic relics anywhere outside of the Vatican. According to Smithsonian Magazine, it is “purportedly home to 22 splinters of the True Cross (on which Jesus was crucified), a scrap from the Virgin Mary’s veil, and bones from all 12 of Jesus’s apostles." We will tour this chapel, which draws thousands of pilgrims each year, and learn more about its founder, 19th century priest, Suitbert Mollinger, who collected thousands of relics from across Europe and gained a reputation as a faith healer. More info here.
RNA Members Meeting
75th Anniversary Celebration and Banquet, sponsored by Religion News Foundation
Join us for our 75th anniversary celebration and awards banquet! The program includes honoring this year's RNA contest award winners, recognizing the recipient of our Lifetime Achievement Award, Adelle Banks, and special guest Donald Warhola (Andy Warhol's nephew), who will be speaking about the role of religion in Andy's art, and their family's relationship to the Byzantine Catholic Church. (RSVP required.)