The spirit of unity, faith, and mutual understanding filled the sanctuary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel in Center City, Philadelphia during Interfaith Philadelphia’s annual Dare to Understand Awards ceremony on May 15, 2025.
The evening honored former Philadelphia Eagles punt returner and wide receiver Britain Covey, who joined virtually from Los Angeles. In a heartfelt message, Covey reflected on what it means to “stand tall” in his faith, describing how scripture, prayer, and quiet consistency helped ground him and his teammates during their Super Bowl-winning season. He invited us all to seek peace, not just fleeting happiness, and to let our values shine in every corner of our lives.
“Your value doesn’t lie in your job, status, or performance. Your value lies on your existence.” – Britain Covey
The program began with a beautiful opening prayer by LDS youth member Zoey, which set a meaningful and reverent tone and invited us to open our hearts to interfaith work. Rev. Joyce Shin, Ph.D., Chair of Interfaith Philadelphia’s Board of Directors, then offered a warm welcome, reminding us of the courage required to “stand tall” in the face of misunderstanding and division.
Throughout the evening, we heard from speakers who embodied the night’s theme in powerful ways.
Eagles Tackle Laekin Vakalahi spoke about how his spiritual foundations, which were formed in church and strengthened through his missionary work, continue to shape his resilience on and off the field. Vakalahi not only shared his story, but also smiled for pictures before and after the event, engaging with guests of all ages.
Kate Sookoo, Board Member and our event host, reflected on how interfaith dialogue has shaped her own journey, describing it as a practice of deep listening and learning. She shared how Covey’s example of living out his values with integrity on such a public stage, offers a challenge to all of us to show up fully and faithfully in our own communities.
Reverend Cedric Hughes Jones, Jr., Senior Pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church of Philadelphia, reminded us of the power of faith and community in action as he presented Covey with the Dare to Understand Award.
Abby Stamelman Hocky, Executive Director of Interfaith Philadelphia, concluded our evening with uplifting closing remarks as she emphasized the continued importance of building bridges across lines of difference—especially in today’s divided world.
“The work we do allows us to realize the power of simple, everyday ways that we can support one another. We have learned that taking the time to help people we encounter to be understood, and to stand tall, is one powerful form of solidarity. And helping is often as simple as taking the time to ask genuine, respectful questions and to just listen.” – Abby Stamelman Hocky
Following the event, attendees gathered to greet new and old friends while enjoying a Philadelphia-themed reception.
We owe deep gratitude to the evening’s generous sponsors and enthusiastic volunteers whose support makes events like this possible and affirms our shared commitment to interfaith understanding.
Article by Cat D’Angelo, Development Manager
