Meet an innoFaither: Mat Cotton
Meet Mat Cotton, Race Discourse Officer with the Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs, where he advances racial justice and unity and cultivates a shared vision for the future of the U.S. Deeply rooted in the Bahá’í concept of unity, Mat builds dialogue and collaboration across lines of difference in pursuit of social progress. Mat spends a lot of time in Washington, DC, where his office is based, but he was raised and resides in Chicago, which is also home to the beautiful Bahá’í House of Worship for North America.
What faith(s), if any, do you practice? How does your tradition and/or spiritual practice inspire or influence you as an innovator?
I am a practicing member of the Bahá’í Faith, and the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith have inspired and influenced me as an innovator in a number of ways. The pivot around which all the Bahá’í teachings revolve is the conviction that humanity is essentially one human family. That conviction informs the ends I seek in making my contribution to the betterment of my community, nation, and world, as well as the means I use to achieve such ends.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I am working with my office and many others in the country on a project known as the Narratives of America Project. The project explores how we can create a positive vision for our shared future as a country, and how the narratives we tell ourselves about who we are impact our ability to do so. We are grappling with questions such as: How can we articulate a narrative of this country, both of where we have been and where we are going, so that more people can see themselves in it? When more people can see themselves in it, we’re far better equipped to tackle the challenges ahead.
What can we find you doing when you’re not working?
When I'm not working, you can find me volunteering alongside my family in activities in my local community that especially involve spiritual education for young people to develop a sense of their innate nobility as children of God, as well as their intellectual and spiritual capacities to contribute constructively to the well-being of their communities.
What is piquing your curiosity these days?
One thing that has been piquing my curiosity these days is what individuals, communities, or organizations are learning about how to foster a sustained process of local community-building, such that over time it is positively influencing aspects of local culture. I know a lot of folks promote meaningful events and activities at the local level that bring people together to work on a common service project or initiative, but where are we seeing those kinds of things sustained, and what is distinct in those places where they are sustained compared to where they are not?
What is something you’d like help on?
There are a number of things I would like help on. One is connecting with a community of folks engaged in the national discourse around the role of religion and faith in society, especially around themes such as community, bridging, belonging, and democracy, to explore and test ideas together in conversation. Another is to engage with others on how they are learning to connect insights gleaned from grassroots social action to related conversations at the national level. What are examples of how local experiences are helping us to address the big nationwide challenges and questions we have, at least at the level of thought and idea?
What is something you can offer others in the innoFaith network?
I would love to offer anything I can to the innoFaith network! Some skills I think I could bring to this network include: consultation, facilitation, creating spaces and convening, thought partnership, connection to insights from local experiences of community-building efforts from across the country, creating content together, relationship-building, etc.