Beginning in September, the PennWest University has been holding several open discussions on controversial topics such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade as part of a new series entitled “Uncomfortable Conversations.”

The series encourages audience participation, ending every presentation with a lengthy Q&A portion. Pennsylvania Western University is making it known that they are not afraid to have hard talks about difficult subjects.
The most recent topic of conversation featured a former congregational rabbi and current professor of Jewish studies, Rachel Mikva, discussing the concepts of gender and sexuality from a traditional Jewish point of view. The event, cosponsored by the Jewish Community Council of Erie and PennWest’s Office of the Provost; Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; LGBTQIA+ Commission and the LGBTQIA+ Fund, involved Mikva pulling passages from the Hebrew Bible and the Torah to explain the meaning behind them and common misconceptions associated with the religions.

Mikva decided to accept the invitation to speak at the PennWest Edinboro campus due to her passion and dedication to diversity and acceptance.

“I am passionate about equity and inclusion of all sorts, since we never ‘come to the table’ as only one thing,” Mikva said. “We pursue uncomfortable conversations for a purpose—not simply to cause discomfort. It is vital that we address questions about how to create space for each other and help each other thrive in our diverse world.”

Darrek Harshberger, president of the PennWest California campus’s Rainbow Alliance, expressed similar sentiments about the importance of having conversations that make people uncomfortable.

“I think it’s very important to have uncomfortable conversations,” Harshberger said. “It helps people learn from each other but also brings awareness to the topic at hand.”

Harshberger, having grown up LGBTQ in a Catholic household, became involved with Rainbow Alliance and eventually took over as president to aid in creating a “safe place” for students and staff to come and learn about themselves and each other while also having fun, regardless of anyone’s sexuality.

Mikva, a Harvard graduate, speaks at numerous colleges, universities, and religious communities on a wide range of topics. She is currently a professor at Chicago Theological Seminary and has spent the last year traveling and giving presentations on her book Dangerous Religious Ideas: The Deep Roots of Self-Critical Faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Mikva’s presentation can be viewed on YouTube under the title “Jewish Pride: Reexamining the Tradition on Gender and Sexuality” or by visiting PennWest University’s YouTube channel.

The California campus’s Rainbow Alliance held several Halloween themed events for the remainder of October along with weekly meetings.