Breaking Bread, Building Bonds: Our Interfaith Iftar in D.C.
On Friday, February 20th, Hindus for Human Rights joined partners and friends at The Festival Center in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the arrival of Ramadan with an Interfaith Iftar rooted in connection, care, and shared commitment.
From the moment guests began arriving at 1640 Columbia Road NW, the space filled with warmth — the kind that comes not only from shared food, but from shared intention. Community members from across traditions gathered to break bread, learn from one another, and deepen relationships with the D.C. Muslim community. In a time when polarization often feels loudest, this evening offered something quieter and more enduring: presence.
Leila Akinwumiju, Development & Operations Associate HfHR
This gathering was headed up by Leila Akinwumiju, our Development & Operations Associate, whose steady leadership and generous spirit shaped the evening from start to finish. With help from other staff, as well as friends and family who stepped in to set up, welcome guests, and ensure everything ran smoothly, the iftar was truly a collective effort. The care behind the scenes was visible in every detail — from the thoughtful flow of the program to the beautifully prepared food that awaited the call to break fast.
Our partners — including BOL, the Museum of the Palestinian People, and HEART — helped make this gathering possible, reminding us that solidarity is strongest when it is shared. Interfaith work is not symbolic for us; it is foundational. It is how we resist narratives that seek to divide communities. It is how we build a future rooted in dignity and pluralism.
Ramadan invites all of us, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, to reflect on restraint, generosity, and responsibility to one another. Our Interfaith Iftar was one small expression of that invitation. We are grateful to everyone who joined us, to those who helped organize, and especially to Leila for guiding the evening with such care.
May the spirit of this gathering carry forward — in our work, in our partnerships, and in the relationships that continue long after the last dish is cleared.
