FEBRUARY 4 • 2021 | 17
JCRC/AJC names diversity associate.
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
Focus on Inclusion
T
he Jewish Community
Relations Council/
American Jewish
Committee (JCRC/AJC) has cre-
ated a new role in the organiza-
tion — community associate —
which has been filled by Detroit
native Ashira Solomon.
Solomon will be working to
build and enhance JCRC/AJC’s
initiatives in unity, diversity,
equity and inclusion.
“We wanted someone who, in
addition to reaching out to the
African American community,
could also reach inward to the
Jewish community in issues of
inclusion,
” JCRC/AJC Executive
Director Rabbi Asher Lopatin
said.
“With all these ambitious
programs we needed to find
someone who could really be
a sensitive, caring and capable
person who had a background
in taking big ideas and putting
them to action, and also some-
one who understood how to be
sensitive to the needs of different
communities and to be a good
ally with other organizations,
”
Lopatin said.
“
Ashira Solomon is the per-
fect person to meet all of these
needs, and it worked out really
well.
”
Solomon comes from a
Christian family, and when
searching for a connection
spiritually, told her parents at
13 years old that she was going
to be Jewish. “
Along with being
multiracial, I’m a convert as
well,
” Solomon said. “So, I’m
very familiar with both religions
and the positive impacts they
provide to individuals.
”
Solomon was the co-chair of
the Diversity Council at Berkley
High School. She became a peer
mediator, continued similar
work in college and then went
on to work at Farber Hebrew
Day School-Yeshivat Akiva for
six years.
“It’s something I’ve always
been passionate about,
” she said.
Solomon will be working
with the Coalition for Black and
Jewish Unity and with its differ-
ent committees and programs.
She will also be working on an
initiative addressing trauma in
the Black community as well as
managing a Black and Jewish
fellowship opportunity for uni-
versity students.
“Sometimes we start these
conversations about diversity, jus-
tice and inclusion and what that
means, and then it just kind of
ends up dwindling,
” she said. “We
want to keep the conversation
going and get people involved.
“I think the ultimate goal is
to bring people together,
” she
said. “I feel very grateful to be
in a position that I can help
make connections and do very
fine work that gives others the
opportunity to do great things,
both in their community and
beyond.
”
Ashira
Solomon
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