Light Through the Cracks: A Photovoice Journey of Faith and Humanity
Over the past academic year, I had the privilege of working as an intern for Interfaith Photovoice and participating in a training project with a multi-faith group of interfaith professionals. This thoughtful and inspiring initiative brought together people from a variety of religious traditions, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, to explore faith, identity, and community through photography. As a Muslim woman committed to dialogue and social justice, the training offered me a rare and powerful space to reflect, connect, and share across lines that too often divide us.
The program came at a difficult time. The global atmosphere felt heavy with tension, uncertainty, and the haunting images of conflict, bloodshed, and division. Part of me truly questioned whether I had the emotional strength to commit to something that demanded not just creativity, but real vulnerability and honest dialogue, especially in such a turbulent moment. Somewhere beneath the doubt was a quiet voice, a whisper that said, Go anyway. And I listened. Because even in uncertainty, there is power in presence. Sometimes, the most meaningful growth begins by simply choosing to stay in the room. To show up. To make space for hope, even if only a small one.
I’m so grateful I did.
What unfolded was more than a photography project: it was a journey of seeing the world, and one another, with fresh eyes. Through weekly prompts and small and large group reflections, Interfaith Photovoice became a gentle but powerful reminder that even in dark times, light still finds its way through the cracks, as Leonard Cohen would remind us. I was reminded in the dialogues with others that while the headlines may be filled with division, there are also quiet, determined efforts to build understanding and connection one story, one image, one conversation at a time.
Photovoice is a method rooted in storytelling where photographs are used not only to express personal perspectives but also to spark meaningful conversation and reflection. Each meeting, we responded to prompts such as, What do your beliefs, practices, and values look like in everyday life? What bridges to belief and belonging do you encounter in your daily life? What barriers do you experience in your community? We would go out into our neighborhoods, homes, or places of worship, take photos in response to these prompts and then come back together to share what we saw and what they meant to us.
What made this experience so meaningful wasn’t just the creative process, but the space it created for honest, heartfelt exchange among people of different faiths.
I remember one session in particular where a participant, of a different religious background than myself, shared a photo of a sacred moment from their tradition, an image filled with light, stillness, and deep reverence. I had brought a photo of a quiet corner in my own home where I often retreat for prayer and reflection. As we spoke, we found ourselves recognizing something deeply familiar in each other’s experiences: a shared yearning for connection with the Divine, and a common desire to find peace and grounding in turbulent times.
These moments of resonance happened again and again. Whether we were talking about grief, hope, resistance, or joy, our faiths gave us different languages to speak, but often similar truths to speak about. I appreciated the way my peers spoke about service and compassion in their traditions. And in turn, I felt heard and respected as I spoke about the role of prayer, community, and justice in Islam.
Learning about how to use photovoice for interfaith engagement helped me see my surroundings in a new light. I noticed how the beauty of my neighborhood park on a Friday morning could evoke the calm I feel when going to the Jumu’ah prayers. I began to view everyday moments, children playing, an elder walking to the Masjid, the colors of the sunset, as expressions of spiritual life and community resilience.
One of the most valuable outcomes of the program was the mutual trust we built. In a time when misunderstandings and stereotypes are widespread, especially around religion, this project created space for real curiosity, respect, and friendship. We weren’t trying to agree on everything; we were trying to understand each other better. And we did.
As a Muslim committed to dialogue and social justice, I left Interfaith Photovoice’s training with a renewed sense of purpose. I’m more committed than ever to fostering spaces of dialogue where people can share their stories, their faith, and their dreams for a better world. I believe these spaces are sacred. I also believe they are necessary.
Through the lens of a camera, I witnessed not just images but truths. And through the lens of shared humanity, I saw the beauty of difference and the strength of connection.
It won’t be my last time using photovoice either. I’m excited to use this new lens in my peacebuilding and conflict resolution work. By centering lived experience and visual storytelling, photovoice offers a way to humanize conflict, foster empathy, and create safe spaces for vulnerable dialogue across lines of faith, identity, and culture. Whether facilitating interfaith exchanges, conducting community-based conflict assessments, or supporting trauma-informed healing processes, I see photovoice as a transformative tool to amplify marginalized voices, nurture trust, and shift dominant narratives.
I am committed to using these tools not only to listen but to help others be seen, and in doing so, to build bridges of understanding and justice that can sustain lasting peace.