Over the past 16 months, I have traveled throughout the country in my role leading the Jews of Color Initiative. I’ve visited rural communities in Nevada, Upstate New York, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, as well as metro regions like Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC and New York City. In hundreds and hundreds of deeply human interactions in transit, in hotels, in front of diverse audiences across dozens of regions and thousands of miles, I’ve listened to stories of being misunderstood and marginalized–because of who we are, and so often who we are perceived to be. I’ve also been moved by the antidotal power of what happens when identity, community, spiritual connection, and wholeness are actively cultivated–especially in young people.
Thought leadership
While as leaders we have raised our collective consciousness about diversity, and by extension can comfortably point to the few people of color added to our boards and public facing roles of institutional influence, we have inadequately committed to multi-year initiatives focusing on the personal, organizational and systemic rigors of Inclusion — those spaces where natural conflicts of values, beliefs, cultures and ways of being, emerge and must be navigated.
In her latest op-ed, JoCI’s CEO Ilana Kaufman delves into the profound influence of research in advancing our understanding of the intersectional identities of Jews of Color in the United States. Ilana explores how research enhances our comprehension of the multifaceted identities within the Jews of Color community. This op-ed sheds light on the work of our 2023 research grantees and the compelling issues--and timeless questions-- they invite us to consider.
Seeing life on the other side of the United States-Mexico border was a powerful reminder of our personal connections to the hardships of immigration, as well as the humanity that is lost when we talk about immigration policy. Standing in silence along the 1,933-mile southern US border, our bodies became temporary shelters, safeguarding hope.
The Jews of Color Initiative is pleased to invite you to a webinar to learn about our new guide, Racial Equity-Informed Philanthropy: A Funder Resource from a Jewish Perspective.
Philanthropy can serve as a catalyst to inspire people and organizations to take specific actions. It is simultaneously a tool of support, of partnerships, of empowerment, and even of accountability. When implemented with intentionality—such as by building in racial equity and justice goals, objectives, and consequences when we fall short—philanthropy can energize an ecosystem and an entire community.
As a result of directing the JoCI NY Hub, and underpinned by my educational background in Asian American studies and sociology, I have gained deeper understanding of what it means to create belonging through Jewish educational programming, much of which I believe can be applied to school environments.