Context

The Hispanic and Asian church communities in North America share a lot in common. Both have felt the hardships that affect minority groups in the US, such as discrimination and diminished cultural identity. Both have also experienced God’s enduring providence in distinct ways. The HANA (Hispanic-Asian North American) Project was instituted by Trinity’s Dr. Peter Cha in order to bring these two ecclesial communities together. The initiative’s leadership team sought to reflect on the two communities’ unique stories and discover ways they could partner together in ministry. The Henry Center provided funding for this project in partnership with the Catalyst Leadership Center.

The HANA Consultation

This project’s funding went toward planning and hosting the HANA Consultation, a gathering of 60 Hispanic and Asian American theologians and ministry leaders on Trinity’s campus. This consultation differed from a typical conference, replacing keynote presentations with small group discussions. Only short presentations aired from the stage, acting mainly as prompts to inspire conversation. These round table sessions inspired an array of reflection articles from attendees, later collected and published in a special edition of the Common Ground Journal.