Houston is the largest city in Texas, a state shaped by the interplay of Mexican, Native-American, and Spanish cultures. A majority-minority city, it features a diversity of communities and is dotted with vibrant enclaves of immigrants from around the world including Africa, where many of our Houston participants were born. The city, located along the Bible Belt, is home to many Christian denominations, as well as other faith communities.
The American Pilgrimage Project traveled to Houston in November 2019. Two days of conversations drew together Catholics, other Christians, and people from other faith traditions, who shared stories about how religious faith has shaped their lives. Many thanks to our hosts, Episcopal High School and New Celestial Parish, and to all who took part in the conversations.
The interviews below were recorded by StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.
November 2, 2019
More stories about: Christianity Immigration
Titus Adenote and Isiaka Ambali are Nigerian immigrants to the United States, where they have found a sense of personal belonging and spiritual fulfilment in the Celestial Church. In this conversation, the friends reflect on how divine intervention has shaped their journeys in pursuit of the American dream.
This story was produced by David Dault at Sandburg Media, LLC.
November 2, 2019
More stories about: Christianity Immigration
Olakunle Babalola and Oluwadamilare Alade both emigrated from Nigeria to the United States and have found a spiritual home in the Celestial Church of Christ, a global evangelical denomination. In this conversation, the friends reflect on their journey to the Celestial Church and consider the power of praying to God in the Yoruba language.
This story was produced by David Dault at Sandburg Media, LLC.
November 1, 2019
More stories about: Catholicism Social Justice
Teresa Irwin and Meg Spesia are both members of the Catholic Worker Movement, a network of faith-inspired communities dedicated to social justice that was founded by Dorothy Day in the 1930s. In this conversation, the friends reflect on how personal experiences including religious pilgrimage and missionary work have shaped their faith in the unseen.
This story was produced by David Dault at Sandburg Media, LLC.
November 1, 2019
More stories about: Immigration
Julius Michael and Nguyet Pham—refugees from Sudan and Vietnam, respectively—have settled in the United States after being driven from their homelands by war. In this conversation, the co-workers discuss how they have kept their faith during their personal journeys and consider how religion shapes their outlooks on life.
This story was produced by David Dault at Sandburg Media, LLC.
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