My name is jem Jebbia. I grew up in Los Angeles, California. My passion for studying religion and working in higher education has brought me to Stanford to study interfaith communities. As a practitioner of Zen Buddhism and big fan of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, I think about compassion and ending the suffering of others quite often. This blog seeks to tell positive narratives in a time when all we hear are negative stories, recognizing that violence, oppression and injustices are daily realities for folx with marginalized identities. I hope it motivates us to continue working for compassion, even when we feel angry and frustrated.

Professional Bio:
jem is a first-year PhD student in Religious Studies at Stanford University. Previously, she served as the Senior Assistant Director for the Center for Spirituality, Dialogue and Service at Northeastern University. In her role at Northeastern, jem provided spiritual care to students of any and no faith, and advised the Northeastern University Interfaith Council. jem has completed two fellowships for the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) and now serves as a member of the IFYC Alumni Speakers Bureau. Before moving back to California from Boston, jem worked as the Spiritual Life Council convener at the University of Chicago, where she received her Master of Divinity degree. jem is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California, where she studied religion, business administration, East Asian languages and cultures, and international relations.