Washington, D.C. Chapter

Upcoming Chapter Meetings

RSVP for our Sept. 21 chapter meeting: Media training

We’re now taking RSVPs for our next chapter meeting — we’ll be meeting in person onThursday, September 21, from 3:30 – 5 p.m.at 200 Maryland Ave N.E. asAnuttama Dasaleads us in a media training. He’ll share insight about mastering interviews with the media, including some in-person practice. This is both a great introduction and a great refresher if you are a spokesperson or if you help train others.

Dasa is the Global Director of Communications for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). In addition to being a member of our D.C. chapter, he also serves as a member of the RCC Board of Governors. Dasa will share his personal experiences, too, having been interviewed byPeoplemagazine,Dateline,Good Morning America, the BBC,Larry King Live,and multiple print and other media outlets.

Interested in coming to the meeting? Contact Cherilyn Crowe Guy  to register

Be part of the Unity Walk: September 10 in NW DC

The Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington’s annual Unity Walk is taking place on Sunday, September 10, from 12:30 – 5:30 p.m. This is an annual demonstration of love and support for all, which includes the chance to visit different houses of worship and spiritual centers as well as an intergenerational storytelling workshop and family programming.
Tickets are $5 for students, seniors, and those of limited income, and general admission tickets are $10. Our chapter has often had a table at their resource fair — if you’re interested in volunteering to be at the table and tell people about RCC, contact Cherilyn Crowe Guy.
Read more about the Unity Walk on IFCMW’s website, and don’t miss this unique interfaith opportunity in our city.

Highlights of Previous Chapter Meetings

July 2023 meeting – DC chapter explores the reach and possibilities of TikTok

 

TikTok is not just for teenage dances anymore, and the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Religion Communicators Council dedicated their July 2023 meeting to learning more about the platform.

 Georgia McKee, the manager of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism TikTok account (@endchristiannationalism) shared what she’s learned through creating the account earlier this year. In just six months, it garnered more than 28,000 followers and two million impressions.

“A short clip platform like TikTok can gain attention unlike any other platform that’s out there,” McKee said. But, she noted there is a crucial question to consider: Can it cultivate authentic conversations and healthy dialogue that fosters the type of community that religious people hope to create?

McKee pointed out that TikTok’s algorithm seems to push authenticity and relatability, often promoting videos without a lot of production value more than slickly-produced videos. The “For You” page that suggests videos to users often rewards accounts with repetition, simplicity, personality and consistency – an entirely different strategy and algorithm than any other social media platforms out there.

“It’s a total creation machine,” McKee said, noting that the TikTok app provides integrated editing tools so you can do everything you need to make a video within the app itself.

It’s also important to recognize the unique features of TikTok compared to other social media platforms, including the duet feature and the way its “live” feature focuses on having a live conversation with others instead of broadcasting a well-produced event.

“The audience wants to see authenticity and that you’re willing to make content around your niche subject matter,” McKee said. She added that a TikTok account that isn’t updated will hurt an organization more than help it.

Religion is booming on TikTok, with various accounts from religious leaders and others talking about positive and negative experiences with faith.

“I think this platform needs a lot more voices – like the ones in this room – to produce digestible content that will help contribute to religious healing, formation, and community building that is already happening in this space,” McKee concluded.

 

 

Feburary 2023 meeting – New Congress and Legislative Focus

On February 21, the D.C. Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council held a meeting to discuss the new Congress and legislative priorities for the faith community. Bridget Moix, the General Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, spoke about working with the 118th Congress and key priorities for the faith community, including the Washington Interfaith Staff Community.

 

 

Officers

President

Cherilyn Crowe, Content Strategy Director, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Washington, D.C.

Vice President for Membership

Jackie Fuller, host of Interfaith Connections

Treasurer

Bill Aiken, Director of Public Affairs, Soka Gakkai International – USA, Washington, DC

Contact

Cherilyn Crowe, Content Strategy Director
BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
See More Highlights