Interfaith dialogue is widely promoted as a tool for social cohesion, yet it often reproduces the very inequalities it seeks to address. Women, minority ethnic communities, non-religious voices, and those whose beliefs sit outside dominant institutional structures remain under-represented in many interfaith spaces. Moreover, dialogue initiatives are frequently shaped by highly educated representatives, narrowing both participation and impact. This paper draws on the practice of the Dublin City Interfaith Forum (DCIF) to examine how interfaith engagement can move beyond elite dialogue and become a vehicle for social justice, equity, and community empowerment. It critically reflects on the structural exclusions that continue to characterize many interfaith platforms, while presenting DCIF as a grassroots-oriented model that actively addresses racial, social, and institutional inequalities through action-based engagement. Two initiatives are examined in particular. The Safe Haven anti-hate training programme equips faith leaders and community workers with practical tools to respond to discrimination, hate incidents, and online misinformation, while intentionally prioritizing participation from minoritized communities. Secondly, DCIF's faith literacy programme with staff in the Intensive Care Unit at the Mater Hospital demonstrates how interfaith practice can challenge institutional blind spots by addressing religious misunderstanding in healthcare settings, improving patient dignity and equitable access to care. DCIF's approach frames interfaith dialogue as a civic and social practice grounded in lived experience and everyday inequalities. This paper argues that such "dialogues of life" represent a necessary shift in contemporary interfaith work, one that expands participation beyond traditional religious elites and positions interfaith collaboration as a practical resource for social inclusion in increasingly diverse urban societies.