Aurora, Colo. — Wissal Chichou, an 18-year-old Muslim freshman at a local university, has found herself navigating complex questions about compassion and resilience in a nation marked by increasing social divisions and rising hostility toward immigrants. Against this backdrop, Chichou attended a recent compassion conference at the University of Denver aimed at helping students reflect on how to respond to pain and prejudice in their lives and communities.
Chichou’s personal experiences reflect the challenges facing many young Muslim Americans today. Since her family immigrated from Morocco in 2014, she has encountered discrimination ranging from verbal harassment to online bullying. Her parents have had differing approaches to such incidents: her mother, Amina, advocates for understanding and forgiveness, while her father, Abdelilah, favors a more assertive stance in standing up against mistreatment. As Chichou prepares to forge her own path, she sought guidance about balancing empathy with self-protection.
The compassion conference, part of a broader initiative by the university to foster emotional intelligence alongside academic success, brought together about 100 students from various disciplines. Lead facilitator Cris Tietsort, an assistant professor specializing in happiness and empathy research, emphasized the growing need for compassion amid nationwide feelings of loneliness, political polarization, and moral distrust. He encouraged participants to consider how they wish to be treated and how to extend kindness to both others and themselves.
Chichou found the sessions especially meaningful. One highlighted the importance of self-compassion as a foundation for helping others. Reflecting on her mother’s generosity and resilience, Chichou recognized the need to care for her own well-being in the face of ongoing challenges, including microaggressions and skepticism she has encountered throughout her academic and political internship experiences.
An exercise involving a guided walk through a labyrinth led by psychology professor Danny McIntosh introduced students to a meditative practice rooted in various religious traditions, including the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj. McIntosh explained that such communal rituals can foster a shared sense of humanity despite diverse backgrounds, an idea that resonated strongly with Chichou.
As she progressed through the labyrinth and contemplated personal and global suffering—from conflict zones to local acts of intolerance—Chichou reflected on different models of response embodied by her parents. She recognized that her own approach might integrate listening with advocacy, embracing both compassion and self-assertion.
By the end of the day, Chichou expressed a renewed commitment to extending compassion both outwardly and inwardly. She shared with her family a sense of insight gained from the conference, acknowledging the complexity of navigating identity, faith, and social engagement in a fraught environment. The experience also underscored the importance of self-care, a lesson she plans to carry forward as she pursues a future in law and public service.
The compassion lab at the University of Denver represents a growing academic effort to equip students with tools to engage constructively across difference, fostering empathy amid a fragmented social landscape. Chichou’s journey illustrates both the personal and collective struggles underlying this mission.