Authentic and fearless, four trustbuilders call upon spiritual reserves to address needs in society. Their actions are a testament to strong foundations, which they revealed Tuesday night as part of The Trust Factor week of events.

Panelists (left to right) Azhar Hussain, Scott Perkins, Tee Turner, Sarah Beller. (Photo: Adriana Borra)It got personal. Actually, it got spiritual.

Four recognized trustbuilders spoke about Spiritual Resources for Building Trust on Tuesday night. Representing four faith traditions and a variety of efforts around the world – from Richmond to Pakistan and the Middle East back to DC – they shared the personal foundations of their work.

Authenticity and fearlessness rang as common expressions of each panelist. All four referenced these themes at various points in the evening.

On authenticity, Tee Turner, Director of Programs for Reconciliation with Hope in the Cities described the self-awareness and personal exploration required for his work. “You can’t let people define who you are. If you are going to do this work, you have to know who you are and what you stand for. You have to be who you say you are.”

Roundtable's audience during a dialogue exercise (Photo: Adriana Borra)Scott Perkins, former Director of the DC Shambhala Center, started to bridge the two by sharing a personal experience of learning how to trust again. “In each moment, we can be present – genuine and open. When we do that, the world will give us feedback and we can adjust accordingly.” He carried that thought forward into the discussion of fearlessness. “It’s about seeing your fear and then gently and genuinely exploring it.”

In a session full of panelists active in society, the personal element brought an obvious connection with the audience. Sarah Beller, Director of Education and Programs at J Street, concluded with a thought that summed up the themes well.

“Trust requires risk. And it depends on my belief that others can change, which is predicated on first believing that I can change.”

Read Sarah Beller's contribution to the panel in a blog.