In today’s political climate, women can often feel powerless. But more than 100 women of various faiths came together recently to learn how they can and are making a difference in the world around them.

Hosted by the Women’s Auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the event was held March 18 at the Mubarak Mosque in Chantilly. It’s presented each year in commemoration of Women’s History Month, and the theme this time was “Activism Through Faith: How Women Make an Impact.”

Welcoming everyone was Sahar Choudhary, regional president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Virginia chapter. She said her religion “categorically rejects terrorism in any form and endorses the separation of church and state. We champion universal human rights, protection of minorities and the empowerment of women through education.”

Ananda Vrindavan, temple president of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness in Washington, D.C., was the first speaker. Born and raised in Ireland, she taught in India for 21 years. “It’s sad that evil happens when good people don’t stand up and say something,” she said. “But you don’t want to lose yourself in the process, so it’s a balance.”

In Krishna Consciousness and the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu scripture), she said, “Sometimes activism may demand that we fight or that we walk away. Ultimately, we’re souls beyond our bodies, and the Gita also teaches compassion — you can’t even kill an ant. So the challenge for us as women is to discern the best impact we can have in any given situation.”

So, said Vrindavan, “My faith is in both stepping back from the world and stepping into the world, from a place of good intention, and seeing where I can best serve. So how do you take the principles of your spiritual practice into the world? To help us decide, we have six Gita values: Equal vision – we’re all equal; choice – we have free will and must live with the results of our choices, affection and humility – deal with each other with [both these things], live life without cruelty, and live by example.”

“When you live in the real world, black and white disappear and there’s a lot of gray,” she added. “So be alive and awake and as active as you can.”

Pediatrician Susan Kohn belongs to Temple B’nai Shalom in Fairfax Station and is a member of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom — a group of Muslim and Jewish women. Representing the Jewish viewpoint, she said, “Women must not be silent in the face of discrimination or injustice to others. We believe in caring for the stranger and repairing the world.”

Noting that Emma Lazarus was the Jewish woman who wrote the words inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty, Kohn said many other Jewish women, such as [Supreme Court Justice] Ruth Bader Ginsberg, work to better people’s lives every day. “We have to try to make a difference, even when the task is daunting,” said Kohn. “And we have to speak up when our leaders don’t. Salaam Shalom was founded to bring Jewish and Muslim women together and speak out against injustice.”

Next came Shari Zamarra, a Catholic involved with the Fairfax County Communities for Action Youth Task Force. She’s also a member of Virginians Organized in Community Engagement. She’s also marched and protested and does so monthly outside the NRA building.

Matthew 25 is her parish’s mission statement. “God judges us by asking what we’ve done for the poor and the most vulnerable among us,” she said. “Now my work is serving poor pregnant women and supporting education in Guatemala.”

Zamarra said she’s inspired by Dorothy Day, a famous Catholic who helped establish special houses of hospitality to help those in need. Day was also an activist who worked for social causes such as pacifism and women's suffrage. Zamarra also follows the words of Pope Francis, who said, “Each person has a mission of social responsibility.”