This lecture will introduce learners to the Islamic faith in both foundational ideas and modern practice. Topics will include the Quran and what it says about other faiths, family life and the status of women in Islam, the Shia-Sunni Islamic divide and religious hierarchy, Shariah, and American Muslim identity.

Sabeeha and Khalid Rehman have given over 250 talks on Islam in over 100 cities, including last summer at the Chautauqua Institute. Sabeeha is an author, playwright, blogger, podcaster, and speaker on the American Muslim experience.

Pack a lunch and meet OLLI hiking instructor Melissa Sokulski at Mingo Shelter in Settler's Cabin Park. We'll welcome spring with a beautiful 2+ mile hike loop where we'll see a waterfall. Afterwards, we can all have lunch together outdoors, so bring your lunch and dress accordingly! This will be a moderate level hike with a few steep inclines (up and down) at about a 30-minute per mile pace. Hiking poles are helpful but not required.

Melissa Sokulski, MAC, is an herbalist, wild food educator, avid hiker, and licensed acupuncturist with a master's degree from the New England School of Acupuncture. She writes personal essays and has won grants and residencies for memoir writing. She has taught many popular classes for OLLI at Pitt, including a variety of hiking classes, Wild Edibles Walks, and Fantastic and Ferocious Fungi.

Participants will explore Chinese textile traditions through lecture, storytelling, and hands-on creative activities. Each session introduces cultural practices and symbolism in decorative arts. Week 1 will explore Chinese women’s sewing traditions and members will create a folded origami case. Week 2 will examine flowers, particularly the lotus, as important symbols in Chinese art and culture. Week 3 will introduce the Linglong Pillow, a traditional Chinese textile object known for creative structure and craftmanship. Participants will create a miniature version. The lectures and workshops are designed to be welcoming and beginner friendly. 

Dr. Chongyan Gao is an OLLI member and an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and a volunteer docent at the Ethnic Costume Museum of the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, where she received seven years of systematic training in traditional Chinese costume making. Her work seeks to build cross-cultural and interdisciplinary bridges among traditional costume craftsmanship, brand storytelling, and contemporary design education.