Meet an innoFaither is our series to introduce the inspiring optimists in the innoFaith world and what they’re working on and thinking about. We hope it helps you find and engage with each other across the network to advance faith-rooted social innovation and interfaith collaboration for social impact. Or just meet some cool people.
Meet Sandy Hong (he/they), Assistant Director at Glean Network and Steering Committee Member of KQTx. Sandy is a wise and skilled innovator and community-builder who we’ve had the privilege to get to know through an innoFaith partnership with Glean Network.
What faith(s), if any, do you practice? Is your faith or practice bringing special inspiration or insight for you in this current moment?
I describe my relationship to faith and spirituality as being of multiple belongings and traditions. I can trace parts of my lineage back to North Korea, where my maternal grandparents practiced Christianity in the Presbyterian tradition. However, like many countries that have been impacted by colonialism and imperialism, the folk religions and animistic beliefs that have stood long before the arrival of Christianity are still recognizable in the way faith and spirituality is practiced. Therefore, it's impossible to talk about my belongings within the Christian Presbyterian tradition without talking about my belongings within Neo-Confucian Buddhism, and therein my belongings within Mugyeo, Korean Shamanism.
As a measure of grounding my faith and spirituality in the here and now, I often think of Minjung Theology as a channel for more powerfully integrating my spiritual values with the lived experiences of the poor and the oppressed. I believe our faith and spiritualities are not mere access points to allow us to feel "good" but rather animating, energizing forces that drive us to DO good and act in the name of love, respect, dignity, and liberation for all.
Where do you live?
I currently live on the ancestral lands of the Duwamish, Coast Salish people, colonially known as Seattle, Washington.
What's your favorite pastime?
I love to cook and feed my loved ones. There's nothing more rewarding than taking a little bit of a risk on something you've never tried before and having it all pay off over full bellies, laughter, and meaningful connection. While this particular pastime was impacted greatly by the pandemic, I am grateful that there have been other ways to "share meals" and ultimately share space and time with loved ones via Zoom—even if it doesn't always means you're sharing the same bite.
What are you working on currently?
Most recently, I've been working alongside the Glean Network team to launch our new Summer-Fall Workshop Series for Spiritual Entrepreneurs. These are short-form, interactive and relational workshops designed to build skills and develop leadership capacities for anyone who is working at the intersections of faith, spirituality, justice and innovation. You can learn more about these at gleannetwork.org/workshops.
Simultaneously, I'm a volunteer steering committee member of KQTx -- which is the Korean Queer Transgender National Network, a first of its kind National Network dedicated to uplifting the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ People of Korean Descent. I love devoting my time to this organization and seeing the radically imaginative, creative, and brilliant ideas emerge. You can learn more about KQTx at kqtcon.org.
What question are you thinking about these days?
A question I am thinking about a LOT these days is… how can we reclaim "friendship" and "fellowship" from social media companies who do not share our values and have ultimately broken trust by exploiting our personal data? Screen time for any use is extremely seducing and so, when a company decides to design its features to increase your usage at the expense of you making conscious choices about who can see your information, or whose information you are repeatedly exposed to, can we genuinely say this is where we are making real friends or congregating in like spirit?
How can people find you?
You can come to a Glean Network Virtual Event! Or email me at sandy@gleannetwork.org.