“Beyond the dark abyss of evil ascends a fragile flame of hope.” – Dr. Michael A. Meyer
In the face of darkness and suffering, a single act of courage, empathy, or advocacy can emerge as a beacon of hope. Every light, no matter how small, has the potential to challenge and dispel darkness.
Our work at the Holocaust & Humanity Center is driven by the belief that every effort to learn from the past, confront prejudice, and promote understanding can help us create a community of upstanders today. Together, we each have the power to be that fragile flame of hope, illuminating the path toward a more just and compassionate world.
Join us for our 2024 Annual Meeting at historic Union Terminal as we reflect on our work in the past year and look forward to what’s next for our growing organization.
This year’s guest speaker is Eric Ward. Eric K. Ward, a nationally-recognized expert on the relationship between authoritarian movements, hate violence, and preserving inclusive democracy, is the recipient of the 2021 Civil Courage Prize – the first time in the award’s history that an American has won the prize, revealing the dangerous proliferation of hate crimes and political violence by authoritarian and extremist movements in the United States. Eric brings over three decades of leadership in community organizing and philanthropy to his roles as Western States Center’s Executive Director and Senior Fellow with Southern Poverty Law Center and Race Forward. Since Eric took the helm in 2017, Western States Center has become a national hub for innovative responses to white nationalism, antisemitism, and structural inequality, towards a world where everyone can live, love, work, and worship free from bigotry and fear. In his 30+ year civil rights career, Eric has worked with community groups, government and business leaders, human rights advocates, and philanthropy as an organizer, director, program officer, consultant, and board member.
The Kurtz Educator Award is dedicated to teachers who are committed to Holocaust education, ensuring the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. Join us as we award an educator in our community as a part of our Annual Meeting.
