Rights and Religions Forum (RARF)
Rights and Religions Forum (RARF) is a nonprofit that addresses the marginalization of individuals in insular religious groups (IRGs), or IRG disaffiliates. RARF seeks to create spaces and curate conversations around the often ignored and complex questions surrounding the rights of IRG disaffiliates and give a voice to those who experience religious oppression.
BACKGROUND
Shortly after its founding, RARF had its first convening in October 2019, bringing together over 100 people from a broad range of insular religious groups (IRG), including Amish, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish, Muslim, Quiverfull, and many others. At this historic event, it was clear that there were activists on the ground doing critical, life-saving work in their respective communities, but there were shared challenges and needs among their constituents that, for too long, have been unaddressed by the state and charitable organizations. At this first conference, RARF’s founders discovered the impact of convening and serving a broader community of leaders who support individuals leaving IRG.
The purpose of this three-part pilot program is to create opportunities to foster community and mutual support amongst a diverse spectrum of IRG disaffiliates (individuals who have disaffiliated from an insular religious group). We also hope to create opportunities for greater collaboration to drive positive change for IRG disaffiliates.
Each session includes a group of participating IRG disaffiliates and is dedicated to a specific topic of discussion, as follows:
- Session 1: Exchanging Disaffiliation Stories (Monday, August 10 @ 6:30-8:30 pm EST)
- Session 2: How has my disaffiliation story shaped who I am today? (Monday, September 7 @ 6:30-8:30 pm EST)
- Session 3: Looking Toward the Future: My Future and the Future of IRG Disaffiliates (Monday, October 5 @ 6:30-8:30 pm EST)
The sessions will be led by 1-2 professional facilitators who are also IRG disaffiliates. We will convene all participants together for the first 10 minutes, during which the facilitators will introduce the topic and explain the structure for the breakout discussions. Participants will then choose one of 2-3 breakout rooms for further discussion. Then, the group will once again convene for a closing discussion.
Individuals interested in participating are strongly encouraged to attend all three sessions. Due to limited capacity and our emphasis on developing deep connections among IRG disaffiliates, priority will be given to those who can attend all sessions (see the dates and times above next to the topics). Diversity in IRG disaffiliate backgrounds will also be given strong consideration.
More Information: Disaffiliates Connect: Interest Form
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