Taking Action Together: “Decoding Propaganda and Hate Speech” with Jordan Kiper and Jonathan Wiesen

Zoom

Today’s media environments are awash in conspiracy theories, half-truths, and outright lies. Determining what is truth and what is deliberate deception is more difficult than ever. To gain some clarity on the media landscape and current challenges posed by misinformation and inciting speech, our speakers will discuss two historical examples of propaganda and hate speech in the twentieth century. Jonathan Wiesen will explore how propaganda worked in Nazi-controlled Europe and offer visual and linguistic examples of xenophobia and anti-Jewish stereotyping. Jordan Kiper will discuss hate propaganda in the Balkans in the 1990s and explore hate speech – and dangerous speech –associated with ongoing debates regarding the ideology of collective violence and mass atrocity crimes. We hope that participants in this panel might learn to recognize common tropes and methods of hate mongering and propaganda in past and learn to recognize similar phenomena today.

Free

An Evening of Inspiration with Holocaust Survivor Mark Schonwetter

Levite Jewish Community Center 3960 Monteclair Road, Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Join the Alabama Holocaust Education Center, in partnership with the LJCC, for an evening of inspiration as we prepare for Yom HaShoah, the worldwide day of Holocaust remembrance. On May 2nd at 6:30pm, we’ll gather to hear from Mark Schonwetter, a Polish Holocaust Survivor and Co-Founder of the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation. Born and raised in Brzostek, Poland, Mark, his mother, and his sister spent six years hiding from the Gestapo. Walking miles by foot, the Schonwetters ran from ghettos to forests to righteous families’ attics, dodging the Nazis. Mark Schonwetter’s journey is a harrowing story of resilience, rescue, and survival. His memories are a testament to the strength of humanity in the darkest of times. Join us for this intimate evening of storytelling and remembrance. Honor the legacy of the past by witnessing the Holocaust through the eyes of a man that survived it. The AHEC Yom HaShoah event series is sponsored by the Birmingham Jewish Foundation. We thank them for their generous support.

The AHEC Yom HaShoah Commemorative Event

Samford University's Harrison Theater 800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham

Join us on Sunday, May 5th, as we conclude our Yom HaShoah series with this community-wide, capstone event. On May 5, the worldwide day of Holocaust remembrance, the AHEC will gather to honor the over six million lives taken by the Holocaust. Featuring our local community of Survivors, family members will gather to pay tribute and tell stories, honoring victims, Survivors, and liberators. We will conclude with a special tribute to the late Amnon Weinstein, the founder of Violins of Hope. Join us for this intimate evening of storytelling and remembrance. The AHEC Yom HaShoah event series is sponsored by the Birmingham Jewish Foundation. We thank them for their generous support. This event is graciously supported by the Samford University Department of Christian Ministry and the Department of Biblical Studies. Doors open at 2:30pm at the Harrison Theatre at Samford University.

Taking Action Together: “The Choice to Reconcile” with Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan

Zoom

In this program, two bereaved fathers—one Israeli, one Palestinian—recount parallel stories of grief and the unique choice towards reconciliation. Join peace activists Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan as they describe their journeys from loss to an outspoken advocacy of a shared human spirit. Held in partnership with the American Friends of the Parents Circle-Families Forum (AFPC-FF), this panel will explore the ways that violence changes us, and what we can do with the space grief has left. As the cycle of violence in Israel-Palestine continues, join us as we strive to transcend the narrative of the “other,” celebrating the shared humanity that exists in both struggle and solidarity. Don’t miss this exclusive, transformative event.

Free

Taking Action Together: “Rethinking Our Behavior Online: Hit Backspace on Hate” with Trisha Prabhu

Zoom

Join Trisha Prabhu, Founder and CEO of anti-cyberbullying initiative ReThink, for a conversation about online hate and how can promote safer, kinder, more inclusive digital interactions. ReThink is a patented, globally acclaimed app that proactively stops cyberbullying, before the damage is done. The technology has been named one of Google Play’s Most Innovative Apps and shared with youth around the world. For her efforts, Trisha/ReThink have been featured on the TED stage, at The White House, and on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list (among others!). In this program, Trisha will discuss the most pressing digital harms today’s youth face and how youth can tackle these challenges and build healthy, safe relationships online. In particular, she will talk to youth about the power of ReThinking, or taking a moment to pause, review, and reconsider before texting or posting something online. Trisha will show how, by putting criticality at the forefront of their interactions, youth can ensure that their digital experience is rooted in positivity and kindness — not hate. Trisha will also offer attendees her top tips on being a responsible digital citizen, sharing key digital literacy insights that are crucial to thrive in the internet age.

Free