Imam Khalid Latif, executive director and chaplain for The Islamic Center at New York University, will deliver this year's Macvittie Lecture Nov. 14.
GENESEO, N.Y. – Imam Khalid Latif, executive director and chaplain for The Islamic Center at New York University, will deliver SUNY Geneseo’s 2017 MacVittie Lecture Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Doty Hall Recital Hall. His address, “Racialized Religion: Understanding Faith in the United States,” is free and open to the public.
Latif, who also serves as the Muslim chaplain for the New York City Police Department, has been an ardent spokesperson and advocate for interfaith understanding and cross-cultural dialogue. Under his leadership, the NYU Islamic Center became the first-ever established Muslim student center at an institution of higher education in the United States. Latif’s dedication and ability to cross interfaith and cultural lines on a daily basis brought him recognition throughout the city, including a nomination in 2007 from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg to become the youngest chaplain in the history of the NYC Police Department at the age of 24.
More recently, Latif was selected as one of 60 NYC leaders to serve on Mayor Bill Deblasio’s Transition Team, helping to recommend and select individuals for key roles in the current administration. He also was appointed to a “Task Force to Combat Hate” by NYC Public Advocate Tisch James to deal with the rise in Islamphobic, anti-Semitic and anti-Sikh sentiment in New York City.
The MacVittie Lecture Series – named in memory of SUNY Geneseo President Emeritus Robert W. MacVittie and his wife, the late Margaret (Peggy) MacVittie – brings prominent theologians to campus to examine issues as they relate to questions of ultimate existence. This year’s event is co-sponsored by the President’s Office, the Geneseo Interfaith Service Project (GISP), MacVittie Lecture Committee, and GOLD (Geneseo Opportunities for Leadership Development).