UNCF’s Post

John Eaves, Ph.D., I wanted to thank you for sharing your outstanding efforts. Your passion for combating antisemitism is truly inspiring and I am sharing your message with my #network. In light of the Israel-Hamas War, there has been an increase in hate crimes which are having a negative impact on various communities (domestic and internationally). It is imperative that we work together to promote #understanding and #tolerance and to address these issues with sensitivity and #compassion. As we approach the month of May, nearly seven years ago, Neo-Nazis marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, chanting “Jews will not replace us” while holding torches and spewing the same hateful rhetoric that was heard in Europe during the 1930s. The horror of that moment, the violence that followed, and the threat it represented to American democracy drove my passion to serve. Since then, numerous attacks on Jewish Americans and other groups have occurred, shaking our moral conscience as Americans and challenging the values for which we stand. That is why I support the efforts of my office, #CP3, and the #USG to bring communities from across the country together to combat hate in all its forms, including the persistent scourge of antisemitism. We must stand #united, regardless of our backgrounds and beliefs, and affirm that an attack on any one group is an attack on us all. Hate should have no place in America. It's important that we all work together to ensure that our country remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone. Antisemitism not only threatens the Jewish community but all Americans. Those who peddle these antisemitic conspiracy theories and fuel racial, ethnic, and religious hatred against Jews also target other communities, including #Black and brown Americans, #AsianAmericans, #NativeHawaiians and #PacificIslanders, #LGBTQI+ individuals, #MuslimAmericans, #women, and #girls. We must never allow these hateful voices to become normal or normalized.

"African Americans are the descendants of captive Africans held in the United States from 1526 to 1865... African descendants...whose ancestors immigrated, or who immigrated to the U.S., also traditionally have been considered African American, as they share a common history of predominantly West African or Central African roots, the horrific Middle Passage of the Diaspora, approximately 340 years of chattel slavery under bitterly brutal conditions including murder, torture, rape, 150 years of federally, state, and locally institutionalized political, economic, and social disenfranchisement, constant and violent terrorism by well known and organized ethnic based hate groups and lynch mobs, lengthy history of denial and deliberate mis-education, a perverting of history, a perverting of religions, forced participation in Jim Crow Era Laws, racial discrimination in every facet of life and in most cases every waking moment of the entire lives of many, many victims, common place and brutal beatings, murder, rape, extortion, mutilations, robbery, sodomy, kidnappings, false imprisonment, etc. by federal, state, and local law enforcement and public officials, a lengthy history of injustice from the federal, state, and local justice systems, political assassinations, constant infiltration and disruption of organized African American human and civil rights, political, and community activists groups, attempted genocide, infanticide, attempted clandestine mass sterilization, constant clandestine medical/psychological/sociopolitical experimentations, a lengthy history of constant threat, harassment, and duress from common place and overt violent acts of racism, mass murder, ongoing bio-terrorist attacks, ongoing “quiet” or silent wars, ongoing covert racism in specialized industries, etc., etc., and still in a constant state of daily hostility and mental anguish while living in a situationally prone overtly racist American society on this day while an African American President sits in the White House (distorted history is evidence of the ongoing well seated ignorance and unrepentant evil that dwells here) for the sixth time in “true” American history. It is these peoples, who in the past were referred to and identified collectively as the Colored, Mullatoes, Creole peoples, Negro, Black, and Afro-American and who now generally consider themselves African Americans. Their history is very rich with ingenuity, innovation, intelligence, courage, faith, perseverance, tolerance, unrelenting and most raw will, constant and multiple struggles and triumph after triumph under the most adverse conditions for the lengthiest time period ever forced upon human beings throughout the history of all of “man”. Their history should be celebrated by all and for all time for it is the very essence of resiliency and the definition of an unbreakable spirit." Akil A. Bomani https://lnkd.in/ghmcF_5F

Some very good questions about the future of Christian universities and the need to find ways to fund these vital schools through philanthropy and private development when governments are committed to ensuring the public education model above all others.

Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30 is Orange Shirt Day and is federally recognized as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a legacy of the Saint Joseph Mission Residential School (1891-1981). Started in May of 2013, this project has grown nationwide and expanded to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of residential school Survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Students in schools across WSD are recognizing Indigenous culture and remembering residential school Survivors during the week leading up to September 30, 2023. While it can be a difficult process to remember a darker time in Canadian history, learning about that past can help build identity and meaning for students today. Indigenous students acquire a positive self-identity through learning their own histories, cultures and contemporary lifestyles. Non-Indigenous students develop an understanding and respect for the histories, cultures, and contemporary lifestyles of Indigenous peoples. Quick link: https://bit.ly/ntrc2023 #WinnipegSD #NDTR #TruthAndReconciliation #EveryChildMatters

Helpful, but oversimplifies. In this latest dialogue about campus conflicts, the author focuses on promoting more conversation. While initiating dialogue is a positive step, it’s essential to recognize where it falls short and what the discussion here misses. First, the complexities of identity and historical injustices often go deeper than what dialogue alone can resolve. When students bring their whole selves—rooted in diverse, often painful histories—into these conversations, we need more than just a space to talk. We need mechanisms that genuinely address and do not inadvertently deepen these wounds. Secondly, universities themselves play a critical role. It’s not enough to encourage student-led initiatives without examining how institutional policies and practices either calm or fan these flames. Are universities truly neutral arenas, or are there embedded biases that need to be addressed? Moreover, external societal pressures significantly shape campus climates. Political rhetoric, social injustices, and economic inequalities that seep onto campuses can’t be untangled through dialogue alone. This broader context needs to be a central part of the conversation. Lastly, while promoting understanding across divides is noble, we must ensure these dialogues are safe and truly inclusive, especially for those from marginalized communities. Are we creating spaces where everyone can speak and be heard, or are we asking some to defend their very existence? Encouraging rich dialogue can be helpful, but let’s be clear about its limitations and the critical work still needed to make our campuses just and safe for everyone.

Have you been supporting higher education but getting disappointed in your ROI? Disappointed that the Ivy League college you've been supporting teaches students to hate Jews and demand their genocide. Disappointed that your money is going towards furthering hate instead of spreading light. I understand. You wanted to help propel society forward, but your money has been funding a backward slide. Luckily, there's another option. You can still support higher education. Jewish higher education. Only this time, your money will be spent on spreading light, love, and real moral values. PM me and I'll find you a great Jewish school to support. ______ ATT is Chicago’s central agency for enhancing Jewish education through professional development, courses, funding & advocacy.

"The real issue on campuses isn’t antisemitism but the anti-Western ethos that has colonized large swaths of the curriculum. Elite schools once disdained Jews because they were seen as outsiders to Western civilization. Now they are reviled as that civilization’s very embodiment. Students explain that their hatreds come from what they learn in class—that the West is built on white supremacism and oppression. Israel is cast as the Western settler-colonialist oppressor par excellence." ' "Solving the problems of higher ed requires rejecting this victim ideology wholesale. “Universities need to abandon the concept that they have a central role in moral education,” Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president, told me. Donors and alumni should demand changes in governance and curricula to counterbalance the anti-Western ideology that undergirds the anti-Israel coalition. Every identity-based bureaucratic sinecure should be eliminated. Trustees and presidents should be chosen based on their determination to support humanistic learning and academic excellence, not “inclusion.”"

Leadership

I am deeply saddened and outraged by the recent decision of Oklahoma's governor to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices statewide. This includes the DEI office at the University of Oklahoma, where I earned my Master's with a focus on Equity and Social Justice. The dissolution of these offices is a major setback in our collective journey towards creating more inclusive and equitable spaces, especially in educational institutions. DEI initiatives play a crucial role in challenging systemic biases and promoting a culture of understanding and respect for diverse perspectives. Oklahoma’s poverty levels make it the 8th highest in the country, with over 25% of Black Oklahomans, 21% of Latinx Oklahomans, and 20% of Indigenous Oklahomans living below the poverty line. As a doctoral student focused on leading this work, and someone who is deeply invested in decolonizing leadership, this decision feels like a personal and professional blow. It's disheartening to see such actions that disregard the importance of fostering healthy, vibrant, and equitable communities in a state like Oklahoma. We need to stand firm in our commitment to equity and inclusion and continue to advocate for the critical role of DEI in education and beyond. I call upon my network, fellow alumni, and advocates for social justice to join me in expressing our collective dissent against this decision. #DEI #Equity #SocialJustice #UniversityOfOklahoma

Anti-racism isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a revolutionary act of love for our nation. It’s about dismantling systems of oppression that have plagued our society for far too long. It’s about recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every individual, regardless of the color of their skin. Education is our greatest tool in this fight. Anti-racist education challenges the status quo and empowers future generations to create a more just and equitable society. It’s about teaching our children to critically examine the world around them and to stand up against injustice wherever they see it. To Socratically question American paradoxes through the lens of justice is to honor the legacy of our nation’s greatest thinkers. From Emerson to Morrison, these trailblazers have dared to challenge the status quo and envision a more perfect union. We walk in the footsteps of giants when we embrace anti-racism and culturally responsive teaching. So let us stand together, hand in hand, and declare that we will not rest until every voice is heard, every life is valued, and every dream is within reach. Let us be the change we wish to see in the world, and let us do it with love, compassion, and unwavering dedication to American democracy. #StandTogether #BeTheChange #LoveOverHate #JusticeForAll #AmericanValues #EqualityForAll #EducationForChange #Empowerment #FutureLeaders #SocraticWisdom #CriticalThinking #AmericanLegacy #LegacyOfGreatness #Inspiration #ChangeMakers https://lnkd.in/etYS-_ke