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July 27 • 2017

jn

his summer Chloe
to eliminate race-based
Bakst, Samantha
discrimination. In working
Goldsmith and
with the NAACP’s Washington
Matthew Schwartz’s
Bureau, Goldsmith’s goal is
passion for Judaism,
to explore a potential career
social justice and advo-
avenue in public policy and to
cacy brought them to
actively engage in social justice
Washington, D.C., for the
through a Jewish lens.
Machon Kaplan program
“I have had extraordi-
Chloe Bakst
at the Religious Action
nary opportunities to glean
Center of Reform Judaism.
and compile information about
Machon Kaplan is a
historic, current and future
summer study-internship
legislation under leading civil
program that engages
rights activists,” Goldsmith
students on critical social
said. “I look forward to using
justice issues from both
this experience to inspire my
an academic and practical
final year of undergraduate
viewpoint.
studies with a newfound sense
Program participants,
of direction and purpose.”
Samantha
Goldsmith
like Bakst, Goldsmith and
A West Bloomfield native,
Schwartz, intern at a public
Goldsmith is a senior study-
policy organization, such
ing sociology and philosophy
as the NAACP, Interfaith
at U-M.
Alliance, AFL-CIO, HIAS,
Schwartz is working with
Public Citizen and the
the National Council on
Jewish Federations of North
Independent Living (NCIL),
America, seeing firsthand
whose goal is to advance inde-
how groups pursue legisla-
pendent living and the rights
tive advocacy, how policy
Matthew Schwartz of people with disabilities. In
is crafted and how interns
working with NCIL, Schwartz
can harness their own energy to
made a goal to gain exposure by work-
make social change.
ing in Washington and learning more
While in Washington, D.C., Bakst
about nonprofit policy work.
is working with the National Council
“My internship has granted me the
of Jewish Women (NCJW), whose
opportunity to see firsthand how a
goal is to improve the quality of life
nonprofit works in D.C.,” Schwartz
for women, children and families
said. “I will return to campus with the
and safeguard individual rights
drive that many of my coworkers have
and freedoms. In working with the
to fight for equality.”
NCJW, Bakst’s goal is to learn to build
Schwartz is a sophomore from
community while engaging with advo- Farmington Hills studying political
cacy work and Jewish values.
theory and constitutional democ-
“I’ve been learning so much about
racy and social relations and policy
what it means to take my values and
at Michigan State University in East
translate them into action,” Bakst said. Lansing.
“For example, I’ve always been pas-
In addition to their placements,
sionate about women’s health issues
students take specially designed
and, with the NCJW, I had the oppor-
academic courses that teach the
tunity to meet with staff from Rep.
application of Jewish values to cur-
Sander Levin’s office and lobby for the rent social justice issues.
EACH Women Act.”
Most participants also live togeth-
A Bloomfield Hills native, Bakst
er, participate in weekly programs
is a junior studying public health at
that include exploring the city’s
the University of Michigan in Ann
monuments and museums, as well
Arbor.
as study Jewish texts that connect to
Goldsmith is working with the
the contemporary policy issues they
Washington Bureau of the National
are advocating for at their intern-
Association for the Advancement of
ships. •
Colored People (NAACP), whose goal
To learn more about the Machon Kaplan
is to ensure the political, educa-
Summer Social Action Internship program,
tional, social and economic equal-
please visit http://rac.org/mk.
ity of rights of all persons and

