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Many local Bah‡'’s say the religion's principles of gender and racial equality attracted them to the faith. Oakland Bah‡'’s organize forums on gender and racial unity, and are helping plan a race unity event at Oakland's Preservation Park on June 14 in coordination with President Clinton's national race initiative. Members of the Oakland Bah‡'’s span the racial and class spectrum. Duper, who grew up Bah‡'’ and then left the religion as a young adult, said the group's diversity is one of the main reasons she came back 10 years ago. “I realized that all of my friends were like me - white, middle class, educated liberals,” said Duper. “This is the one group I found where there is constant diversity.” Hedayat is part of that diversity, and in group gatherings members often turn to him for a deeper understanding of scriptures that have been translated from Farsi and Arabic. He is a link to the culture the Bah‡'’ religion grew out of and a reminder of the persecution fellow Bah‡'’s still face. |
