Contributed by Jessica Spencer Moss, Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Alliance
June 23-28, 2025, nine high school students from Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Zoroastrian, and Latter-day Saint traditions set out together for an immersive interfaith experience across New Mexico (The Land of Enchantment). What unfolded was more than just a trip—it was a journey of learning, connection, and transformation.
Our week began in Santa Fe, where we explored meaningful encounters with faith communities. At the Upaya Zen Monastery, a center for socially engaged Buddhism founded by Roshi Joan Halifax, the calm rhythms of Zen practice gave students space for reflection.
At Temple Beth Shalom, a welcoming Reform Jewish congregation that has served northern New Mexico for decades, we learned about Jewish traditions and history in the Southwest. One student shared that these were two of their favorite locations of the week: “because I felt the most accepted and welcomed in those locations based on my culture, traditions, and lifestyle.” We also toured the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, a historic Catholic landmark dating back to the 1800s. On Wednesday, we traveled north to Taos, where the experience blended service and storytelling. At St. Francis de Asís Church, an 18th-century adobe church and iconic symbol of Northern New Mexico’s Catholic heritage, students rolled up their sleeves to help with garden work and experienced firsthand the intersection of faith and community service: “I enjoyed doing work at the Church in Taos,” one reflected.
We then visited Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. One student shared, “The Taos Pueblo was really fun to go into the homes and learn about the shops.” Students were struck by the living history within the multi-story adobe homes, the beauty of the plaza, and the hospitality of the Pueblo residents:
One of the trip highlights was on Thursday, when we participated in a prayer bead workshop with artist Tara Evonne Trudell, who uses beads as a medium for prayer, healing, and storytelling. Students learned the art of mindful creation and brought home prayer beads of their own: “I loved how interactive it was, and how we got to bring stuff home for memories.” Another student shared that this workshop, along with the visit to the Santa Clara Pueblo, was among their favorite experiences: “They all felt very warming and felt like I was home. They were so nice and welcoming. I would love to go to them again.”
From Tara’s, we stopped at the Sikh Gurdwara in Española, where we experienced Sikh hospitality through prayer, conversation, and langar (a shared community meal). Students appreciated the way our hosts invited dialogue: “I liked the way our guide at the Sikh Gurdwara consistently asked us questions and emphasized the value of interfaith connections.“
At Santa Clara Pueblo, we were welcomed into the Women’s Prayer House, where the experience moved beyond sightseeing to sacred participation. We had the privilege of helping Marian, a Santa Clara elder, and local Native youth harvest and bundle osha, a sacred tea used for healing and ceremony. Students were touched by the warmth of the hosts and the stories shared by Marian, who spoke of resilience, tradition, and caring for the land: “I felt safe to be vulnerable at the Santa Clara Pueblo,” a student reflected. “The wisdom the grandmother shared really resonated with me.”
On our last day, we traveled to Acoma Pueblo, known as “Sky City.” Perched atop a 367-foot mesa, Acoma is one of the most dramatically situated and historically significant Pueblos in the Southwest. The breathtaking view from the top—and the steep climb down—left a deep impression: “Loved coming down the mountain at Acoma,” one student wrote. Others marveled at the unique architecture, including the famed hand-carved staircase that has stood for centuries. On our way back to the hotel, we had the privilege to meet with Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, who shared his vision for interfaith collaboration and peacemaking.
In addition to our full days of visits, each evening we gathered for students to present and share about their own faith traditions in a circle of mutual learning. “I liked how we got to learn about many different religions by students because it made it easier to understand,” one participant reflected. Another added: “I liked that the students shared their own beliefs and connected them to the things we learned at houses of worship this week.”
The lessons extended beyond facts and practices. As one student put it: “I have learned how it may seem as though religions are all separated, but many are connected through stories and people.” Another shared: “I learned how religion doesn’t define someone as much as I thought it did.” While another reflected: “They helped me strengthen my faith in my religion but also helped me become more educated about their religion.”
What these students have taught me—and what these comments highlight—is that there is depth and nuance in the ways we relate to religion. We are not all the same, but we all can appreciate the role that religion, faith, spirituality, and ethics play in our individual lives.
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the trip was the community that formed among these nine young people—sharing meals, late-night talks, and moments of quiet awe as they encountered traditions both familiar and new. They came away not just with a deeper understanding of other faiths, but with a renewed sense of their own.
The trip was more than a tour of sacred places; it was an opportunity to live interfaith dialogue—through shared meals, sacred practices, and personal stories. Our journey through New Mexico reminded us that interfaith work is not only about learning from the traditions of others—it’s about building relationships, sharing stories, and discovering our shared humanity.
We are grateful to Shinnyo-en Foundation for making this opportunity possible for our youth.
You are invited to explore more photos from the New Mexico Interfaith Immersion Trip here, and to watch a short video that offers a glimpse into their experience in New Mexico at this link. Both were graciously shared by Deacon Steve Herrera, one of the trip leaders from Notre Dame High School in San Jose.