Ninth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Meet the Neighbors (MTN) is a hyperlocal interfaith project that maps out the religious landscape of the Inland Pacific Northwest of the United States. Using cutting edge social media strategies, MTN offers a replicable and scalable approach to religious literacy and community education that is both accurate and respectful to any market across the globe. The project has been used by local law enforcement and governmental agencies to decrease hate crimes in the region and has led to increases in interreligious encounters by 43% community-wide. Highlights of this session will include background and a case study of MTN interreligious engagement, using social media effectively to foster interreligious understanding and engagement on and offline as well as using social media to develop appropriate responses to hate and a more closely knit community.