Conversation on Race and Jews of Color with Ilana Kaufman
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
Release Date: 04/14/2021
Black Modern Elder Academy: Creating a Space for Authenticity and Diverse Experiences
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
The Modern Elder Academy, is a space for healing, self-reflection, and personal transformation for the “Modern Elder.” It helps people redefine what it means to be a modern elder and make choices about the next phase of their lives. So, if this need is true for everyone, why is there a need for a week just for Black people? In this conversation on race, my guests and the founder, Chip Conley answer this question. My guests are Wanda Whitaker, Dr. Diane Johnson and Cassius Johnson. Hear about the significance of listening to intuition and paying attention to physical sensations in personal...
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From Guilt to Empowerment: Your Role in Dismantling Racism
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
Are you ready for a conversation on race, power, and Harvard in this Conversation on Race. Why are Black women leaders at Harvard and other institutions being targeted? Simma The Inclusionist, and Deborah Ashton dive deep into the controversial world of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Harvard, shedding light on the power struggles and systemic racism that still plague our society. Find out what is real, and what is witch-hunting in this scandalous attack on Black female leaders. Discover the shocking truth behind the attacks on DEI initiatives at Harvard, orchestrated by...
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Unpacking Identity, Race, and Representation in Crime Fiction
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this episode, Simma Lieberman The Inclusionist, interviews Ed Aymar, an award-winning author known for his multicultural crime thrillers. Ed, originally from Panama, shares insights into his background, military upbringing, and how he got into writing. The conversation explores the intersection of race, culture, and storytelling in the context of crime fiction. They discuss Ed Aymar's acclaimed works, such as No Home for Killers and When She Left," highlighting his unique perspective as a multicultural crime thriller writer. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on...
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A Black Executive Perspective on Race in Corporate America
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this episode of "Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People," Simma sits down with Tony Franklin, also known as Tony Tidbit, the Vice President of Advertising, Sales, and Client Partnerships at DirecTV. Tony shares his personal experiences as a Black executive in corporate America and discusses the importance of open and honest conversations about race. Simma and Tony discuss the challenges faced by people of color in corporate America, including the pressure to assimilate and the fear of being labeled as "too aggressive." Tony shares a personal story about trying to fit in by...
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Cancel Culture Unmasking the Dangers of Instant Judgment and Outrage
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this thought-provoking podcast episode, Simma, the Inclusionist, engages in a candid conversation with Patricia Mushim Ikeda, a Japanese-American Buddhist and mindfulness teacher, and Joel Davis Brown, an African-American man who is an author, an organizational development consultant and spoken word artist. Together, they delve into the controversial topic of cancel culture, exploring its impact on society and the importance of fostering dialogue across racial and ideological divides. The episode begins by addressing the viral nature of outrage and disgust on social media,...
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From Conflict to Compassion: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Leaders Share Their Perspectives on the Israel-Gaza Crisis
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this powerful podcast episode, Simma Lieberman interviews three faith leaders from the Faith Trio - Pastor Ben Daniel, Ali Sheikhaslani, and Rabbi David Cooper. Each of these leaders brings a unique perspective and experience to the conversation, making it even more impactful. The Faith Trio is a group that aims to foster understanding and empathy among different faith communities. They recognize the increase in Islamophobia and antisemitism in today's world and believe that now, more than ever, it is crucial to come together and combat these prejudices. Throughout the episode, the...
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Unmasking the Toxicity of Racism: A Raw Conversation with The Contraband Wagon
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this episode of "Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People," Simma Lieberman welcomes her guest Will Upland (also known as Contraband). He is the creator of the show on Twitch, The Contraband Wagon. Listen to this enlightening, personal and often humorous discussion of race, racism and disruptive conversations. Will (aka Contraband) recounts times in his young life when he encountered people who tried to discourage his success, and were angry that he, the only young Black man in his class stood above everyone else for his talents and brilliance. After feeling frustrated with the...
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Confronting the Lack of Diversity in Nonprofit Leadership
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this conversation on race, Simma The Inclusionist talks with Kristen Sharpe, CEO of Non-profit Makeover, and Deedee De La Cruz, Director of Demand Generation for GiveSmart. Why is there a lack of diversity in leadership roles within nonprofit organizations? Our two guests shed light on the reason that less than 20% of executive positions are held by people of color nonprofits. Kristen Sharpe and Deedee De La Cruz, acknowledge the historical overrepresentation of white individuals in nonprofit leadership positions. There is an urgent need for greater diversity in these roles,...
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"From Apartheid to Forgiveness" a Conversation on Race
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
If you were a Black man imprisoned and tortured for fighting against the brutality of apartheid in South Africa, could you forgive your oppressors? Siya Twani did just that. This is a don’t miss episode. We all need to hear his story. It is especially relevant today with the slaughter of over 1,000 Israelis and the continued bombing and killing of over 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza. In this episode, Simma, the Inclusionist, welcomes guest Siya Twani, who grew up under South African apartheid and became a freedom fighter with Nelson Mandela. Siya shares his experiences of...
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Race, Sentencing, and the Criminal Justice System: A Shocking Inside Perspective A Conversation on Race with Sean Wilson, Organizing Director of Dream.Org
Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People
In this episode, Simma The Inclusionist, is joined by Sean Wilson, the organizing director of Dream.org's Justice Team. With 17 years of lived experience and direct involvement with the criminal legal system, Sean brings insight into a system that he believes is broken and in need of reform. They discuss the importance of talking about race, especially in a society where some are trying to criminalize almost everything. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the role of race in America's history. Time Stamps [00:02:13] Sweeping race conversations under the rug [00:06:03] Internal...
info_outlineIn this Conversation on Race, Ilana Kaufman, executive director of the Jews of Color Initiative shares her experience and perspective as an African-American Jew.
Her work has been featured in books on Black Power, Jewish politics, and moral resistance, and spiritual authority. She's been featured in “The New York Times” and has published articles in the "The Forward", "Jewish Philosophy", and the “Foundation Review”.
Key Topics:
- The Jews of Color Initiative – was founded three years ago to create some infrastructure for Jews of Color inside the Jewish community. “We wanted to answer the questions how do we respond as Jews of Color, and how do we center Jews of color in all of our conversations?”.
- Results of research and survey to count Jews of Color in the US.
- Focus on Jewish people who self-identify as Jews of Color
- The impact of racism outside the Jewish community, and within the Jewish community from white Jewish people.
- How you can be a white Jew and be racist even having been oppressed as a Jewish person
- One oppression doesn’t cancel out the other
- The complex makeup of the Jewish community, and the diversity of Jewish people in the US and the world
- Why everyone’s liberation is tied together
- How the US invented the concept of whiteness to enslave, and force people into labor who were Black and Brown, Indigenous, and Asian in this country
- Different perspectives on race, racism, Israel, colonialism, amongst Jewish people based on age and direct relationship to the holocaust
- How the trauma of the holocaust is passed down and its impact on safety and behavior for Jewish people
- The increasing racial diversity of younger Jewish people
- How the Black Power movement was the foundation for the movement to free Soviet Jews
- Jews of Color have to deal with racism amongst white Jews and both racism and antisemitism outside the Jewish community.
About Ilana Kaufman
Ilana Kaufman is the Director of the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative, a national project housed at the Leichtag Foundation. The initiative, inspired by a team of racially diverse Jewish community leaders and motivated funders, informed by racial equity and justice, and anchored by the voices and experience of Jews of Color is focused on grant making, research and field building, and community education. As a guest on NPR’s Code Switch, with pieces featured in eJewish Philanthropy and The Foundation Review, and an Eli Talk titled Who Counts, Race and the Jewish Future with 16,000 views, Ilana is passionate about all things at the intersection of Jewish Community/Racial Justice/Jews of Color/Education/Philanthropy. Prior to joining the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative Ilana was the Public Affairs and Civic Engagement Director, East Bay for the San Francisco, Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council. Ilana, a Schusterman Fellow who is always searching Jewish Text for discussion of equity and justice received her B.A. in Sociology from California State University-Humboldt, and her M.A. in Educational Pedagogy from Mills College.
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