Welcome back. My name is Iqbal Akhter here in
Miami, and we're very honored to have Tara here
with us. who is heading efforts to develop the
Bell Chapel here at Florida International University.
And she will introduce herself in a little bit
about the work that she's currently doing on
creating this really remarkable multi -faith
space for Miami at a university, kind of a third
space, something that's not traditionally sort
of understood as a university, not traditionally
understood as a place. as a faith -based institution
but having sort of this open pluralistic space
where we can have different types of discussions
among different types of students, a place where
you can pray, you can explore spirituality, a
place where all types of sort of activities that
are related to spiritual life and growth occur
and that that spiritual life is part of the student
experience here at FIU. So we're very honored
to have Tara on very short notice coming to join
us for this podcast. And I'll turn it over to
Tara. Thank you. I appreciate you inviting me
on the short notice. Still, I'm happy to be here.
So my name is Tara Orozoli. I work at FIU Foundation
and I'm a director of development for strategic
initiatives. And my my biggest and most important
project is the Trish and Dan Bell Multifaith
Chapel. If if anybody has been on campus and
has driven down up into the entrance of 107.
and passed the Reagan House and just clicked
your head to the right, you can't miss it. It's
a huge building and it's gorgeous. It's very
eye -catching. And more than that is what the
building is going to represent. It is, in fact,
exactly what you said. It is a multi -faith chapel,
not an interfaith chapel. There is a distinction.
It is a multi -faith chapel, which means it is
open to everyone. It does not matter what your
belief system, what your faith is. If you have
no faith necessarily that you ascribe to, you
are still welcome. Everyone is welcome. What
we do plan to have there, though, are interfaith
opportunities, whether it's programming or education,
courses, seminars, or even just the spontaneous
interaction between visitors who come from different
faith backgrounds. That is what the chapel is
there for. foster and spark that dialogue that
is so necessary, I think, today. Absolutely.
Talk to us a little bit about the building's
design. What are some of the interesting features
or what makes it unique? So one of the things
that I have tried to research extensively, so
I say this with caution, I don't believe that
there is another public university in the state
of Florida. that has built something like this
from the ground up with this intention in mind.
I think FIU is the first, so way to go FIU. So
the building is designed by Miami -based architect
Gori Matute, and it's designed based off of the
sacred geometry of nature. So anything that you
would see mathematically repeating in nature,
those design elements were put into the chapel.
It was done intentionally so that there is not
a nod or a focus or a lean to any one religion
or any one faith. It's very neutral. It invites
everyone. And it really does embody nature so
much that if you look from the aerial view, you
can see it a bit when you look at it face on.
But from the aerial view, you can see it has
been designed in the shape of a fish, which is
one of the symbols that we have found represented
in many faiths. So it's... about it's large it's
about eight over eighteen thousand square feet
it has a three thousand plus square foot sanctuary
with no fixed furniture because it is extremely
important that all groups can come and pray or
worship in the manner that that they choose so
if the muslim community wants to come and lay
their rugs down they're able to do so you can't
do that with fixed pews or chairs So there's
a lot of storage space in that chapel because
of that. But there's the sanctuary. It has two
reflection or prayer rooms for individual prayer,
which are separate, attached but separate from
the chapel itself by a corridor so that when
the chapel is closed during regular hours, students
can still come, use their one card, swipe and
get in. up to a certain time if they feel the
need or they feel the desire to pray within those
individual prayer rooms as well as in the main
bathrooms of the chapel there are ablution stations
so that the muslim community can pray can prepare
before they they pray it also has an event space
uh phase two we will have with a prep kitchen
we will also have we have some spiritual counseling
rooms we have about three of those and we also
have a seminar room so where classes could be
held. So it's really a well thought out design
and it's meant to hold many different types of
events and really, you know, be there for many
different purposes. So phase two will be Sacred
Garden, so stay tuned. Oh wow, that's amazing.
Okay, great. Can you tell us a little bit about
the background with regards to the bells and
kind of what their initial vision was for this
chapel? So the Bells are wonderful human beings,
major philanthropists in South Florida, and they've
given to many different causes. When they came
to FIU and they were approached with different
ways that they could help this community, when
they heard that there was not a space for students
to come and reflect, to pray, to question, to
memorialize, they could not believe it. They
were shocked. And immediately, I think they said,
I think Trish kicked Dan under the table or they
kicked each other and said, this is it. This
is what we're doing. And I dare say, you know,
I think that if they've watched this or if anybody
talks to them, I think I'm safe to say this is
one of the most important projects that they
have ever been a part of. So it's kind of a legacy
for them. And I'm really, really eager and excited
to have it finished soon so that they can see
it, be a part of it. So where's the project at
right now? So like I said, when you come into
the campus off of 107th and 16th Street, just
behind the President's House, the Reagan House,
there's the chapel sitting next to it, lakeside.
So right across from the Graham Center, that's
where you'll see. The road kind of curves gently
around there, and that was done intentionally
as well. That whole road had to be... redesigned
and rerouted, which is why it took a little bit
of time to get started. But they specifically
curved it to make the drive, when you drive past
it, feel like you're entering a slower, more
spiritual space as well. Oh, wonderful. Great.
I mean, that's a very important part of it. I
think just the aesthetics, the architecture,
the way that you're able to connect to... The
environment, I think, is a very important part
of spirituality. We were talking a little bit
earlier about where Americans are at in terms
and, you know, particularly sort of our students
in terms of spirituality. What are people looking
for in terms of spirituality? What are some of
the things that you've seen in talking to people
about the chapel? So. Most of the response I
have gotten has been very positive. And I actually
was able to spend time in Chicago with an organization
called Interfaith America. I know you're aware.
And it was able to speak to a wide range of students
from across the country. And it's a similar,
I hear the same message echoed. People want a
place where, and I think people are ready to.
not just be tolerant of others' beliefs or religious
ideas. They really are looking for respect and
understanding. It's okay that we don't agree.
It's fine. But rather than tolerate yours, because
tolerance can be until, I tolerate you until
I no longer do. I want to respect that we have
a difference of opinions that maybe culturally
you were raised a different way and that's how
your ideas came. to be a part of your core. So
I think people today are really, really yearning
for a deeper sense of spirituality and a deeper
sense of community. Learning about how do you
celebrate the religious holidays in December?
How do you celebrate Passover, Easter, Lent,
whatever it may be, Ramadan. And I think that
people are really appreciating seeing those differences.
Right. Yeah. So I think that's something that...
One of the advantages, we're kind of like now
in the maybe third generation in the United States
of Americans who have grown up on a model of
America that is multicultural and that believes
that there's not just one way of what it means
to be an American, but it's very... multicultural.
And I think the other word that we use a lot
is pluralism. The idea that you can have many
different ways of being and that those are equally
valid. And you can learn from each other and
that you don't necessarily have to agree with
everything, but that you allow there to be a
space for the conversation and that people are
allowed to live the best version of their lives.
And I think that's really important. And faith
is an important part of that. One of the other
things that we really see is that, you know,
there's this, within religious studies, we see
what's called the de -churching of America. So
a lot of people have left traditional churches.
They've been disillusioned for whatever reason,
whether it's the Catholic tradition, whether
it's the evangelical tradition. And yet at the
same time, people want a sense of spirituality,
that there is something greater out there. And
they also want a sense of community as well.
So they want to be able to have fellowship with
other people who are like -minded, and especially
if they have families, they want to raise children
in some sort of moral and ethical framework that's
important for them, that's based in a community.
And so I think that's something that the chapel
might be able to help students with, is to be
able to explore other traditions from... whatever
the tradition they came from. Interfaith America
is a wonderful organization that allows students
to explore that, but a lot of times students
will come to the university not necessarily thinking
very deeply about religion or just kind of whatever
they grew up with and then they're now you know
they meet someone you know a Muslim woman with
a hijab for instance or they're meeting someone
who practices a different religious tradition
like Santeria and so that spurs them to think
a little bit more deeply about religion and spirituality
in their lives and kind of what that means. So
it's not simply about production and consumption,
kind of an economic perspective, but there's
something greater. And that doesn't necessarily
mean conversion either. It doesn't mean that
you have to convert to another faith, but simply
sometimes even learning about other religious
traditions and truth in other traditions strengthens
your own understanding of your spirituality.
Absolutely. 100 % agree. And I really... I mean,
talking to you now, I've thought of this, but
it really does hit home right now, is that there
isn't, I don't think there is a better place
to have those discussions and to really dive
into that other than, you know, besides a higher
education institution. This is the time that
people, you know, young, well, we have students
of all ages, but where they are going to question,
they're out there learning different, all different
disciplines. you know, it makes you question
your choice of what you want to do in your life,
what might make you question. And I think that,
you know, when you take away the, I think the
fear is really from not knowing. Oh, absolutely.
And when you learn and you get the information
firsthand from the woman in the hijab, you realize
there are so many more things that we have in
common and so many threads, a thread that connects
all of these faiths and all these religious ideologies.
then there are things that separate us absolutely
absolutely and i think especially like south
florida is just so religiously pluralistic as
well. And so like every major faith community
in the world is represented in South Florida,
which is remarkable. Just the number of immigrants
that are here and just the way that they've invested
in building, you know, whether it's a Hindu temple
or the remarkable synagogues that are here and
kind of the history of Jewish Miami and our Jewish
museum that we have. I mean, there's just so
much religious heritage, I think, that's here.
And one of the things that I've, you know, our
students really, really enjoy is just being able
to visit these places and partake in services.
I think that's been something that's really amazing
for them. So like if the students will go to
a Hindu temple for a puja and then they're able
to partake in the prasad and sort of eat some
of the food of the community, that makes a massive
impact on people, you know, their perception.
I agree with you on a personal level. Well, what
you just said makes Miami one of the best places
in the world to live. It really is. So you're
all lucky. But just being introduced to some
of the different ceremonies with my own friends.
I have a very close friend who's Hindu. And I've
been invited to Diwali and I've been invited
to other ceremonies. And the feeling of welcome
and the embrace that I get from her family. making
me a part of the ceremony, having me do the,
it's literally, it, I feel such an honor. I mean,
how can you not, how can you not be uplifted?
And that's, I really think it's important for
as many people as possible to experience the,
have those experiences because it really does
make you feel like you are, you know, a collective,
you know, much more than we are. just you know
a divided community no absolutely i totally agree
with that um i mean do you have any um story
like what is your spiritual background or your
story would if you'd be comfortable in sharing
sure no i'm fine um i actually my mother was
uh went to catholic school she's italian you're
kept traditional catholic nuns and all of the
the works and my father grew up pretty much an
atheist okay he's now i believe now agnostic
he's gone to agnosticism but he was an atheist
so uh they had five children um and they they
came to an agreement that none of the children
would be baptized until they were older and they
could decide for themselves Needless to say,
every one of my sisters and brother did it at
the same time they became baptized and the religion
that they chose, which was Catholicism. And I
chose not to because I just wasn't, I couldn't
latch onto one. There were so many things and
so many of the different traditions that I couldn't
commit to one. I said, no. So I decided to be,
I was just going to be more spiritual than religious.
And truly, if I'm being completely honest, once
I had my first child, the love that I felt and
that kind of connection and magic pushed me to
give thanks to something and to commit to something.
So I did end up being baptized Catholic, really
more for that reason. And it didn't matter to
me. Honestly, it was like, to me, I'm talking
to everybody. But I don't really practice. I
really have gone back to more spiritual but not
religious. I find that my comfort and my faith
is heavily rooted in nature. And yeah, so I follow
more seasonal kinds of holidays and religious
ceremonies. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. No, I think
that it's a very important part. you know, to,
you know, to be connected to some sort of spirituality
and to give deeper meaning, I think, to our lives.
And it's just reflect on that because that's
something that, you know, just being in a state
of gratitude also, I think, is something that's
very helpful in terms of our spirituality and
then also focusing on ethics, right? And so especially
when we have children, how to raise them as good
people and some sort of moral and ethical framework.
And spirituality definitely helps with that,
I think, you know. So that's amazing. And you're
originally from Miami as well. I am. I'm a native.
I'm one of the rare natives left in Miami. And
I have four kids myself. And I will tell you
that even though they were all baptized Catholic,
because my former spouse was Catholic, but every
single one of them, they're very spiritual. And
the most important thing is to be kind. You know,
choose what you want to do. Just be kind, you
know, with harm to nobody. Just whatever you
want to do, make sure it harms no one. Exactly.
That's the rule. That's right. Absolutely. Yeah.
I mean, how, so growing up here, how has Miami
changed from the time that you grew up? It is,
it leads and bounds change. So much. When I grew
up. I'm an alum and I graduated a long time ago.
And I don't think we had paved garages back then
or parking lots. I think we parked out in gravel.
And there were just a few trees with the braces
that were just being planted. And we didn't have
as much diversity. I grew up in a Latin community.
My friends were Cuban immigrants. I am honorary
Cuban, I'm told by my friends. My friends were
Cuban immigrants, and that was basically the
main demographic here. You had the Jewish community,
you had the Cubans, and then you had the natives,
the Americans. And now it's just, I mean, we
have every nationality represented, which is
phenomenal because we have the best food, we
have the best music, we have the best entertainment
and art. I left about, I think I want to say
I left in 1997 and I traveled the world with
the military. And when I came back, I was stunned,
stunned. The growth has been exponential. I think
that we are, I mean, we are one of the most interesting
and exciting places to live because of the diversity,
because of how many different cultures are represented.
I mean, the beaches are great too. And the weather
is great too. But it has changed quite a bit.
Right, right. Okay. That's great. I mean, yeah,
I think that's one of the assets of FIU and even
the chapel is just that it's in a place where
there is a tremendous amount of influx of new
energy, different types of people. And I think
that just gives it a lot of vibrancy to any sort
of effort that we're trying to develop here.
So I think that's been pretty amazing. It is.
It has been amazing. And I think that FIU is
doing a phenomenal job. And kind of just responding
to that where I think that what they're doing
now is, you know, we are trying to look at students
in a more holistic manner. So, you know, not
just focusing on the academics and the sports,
but bringing in the spiritual aspect because
it's all encompassing. I mean, if you for our
international relations students, you want to
have good relations with people from across the
globe. you should know something about their
faith and their spiritual background that's going
to help you. So I think that that's, it's smart.
And it's also something that's going to be, I'm
hoping that, that we're role models and trailblazers
for other institutions because it's, it's time.
I think that we, we add this into the student,
whole student experience. Absolutely. Yeah, no,
definitely. I think it's, Something that, you
know, I'm really hoping that we're able to get
to phase two and, you know, finally have it sort
of the full vision kind of realized. Are there
any, so if anyone's interested in learning more
about the chapel, how would they go about learning
more about it? You just give me a call or you
can email me. It's T -O -R -E -Z -Z -O -L at
F -I -U dot E -D -U. Or you can call me at 305
-348 -7429. You can even call myself. I'm sure
it's there somewhere. We'll put it in the show
notes. Yes. Just let, just give me a call or,
you know, reach out to anybody at the foundation
or at religious studies, the SIPA, that department,
they'll, they'll be able to reach you to the
person. And I'd be happy to give. tours you know
okay wonderful do you guys have a website yet
or not we do okay we do have a website so i'll
put a link to that as well yes yes and then hopefully
you know there'll be some um events coming uh
forthcoming pretty soon yeah i'm hoping yes we're
hoping for fall of 2025 we'll be open so okay
all right wonderful well thank you so much tara
this is like yeah pleasure is there anything
else you want to say uh go panthers okay all
right perfect all right thank you so much thank
you thank you all right take care thanks