10 | MAY 26 • 2022 

guest column
Detroit Project Understanding
T

he Jewish Community 
Relations Council/
American Jewish 
Committee of Detroit (JCRC/
AJC) kicked off the month of 
May with the 
inaugural 2022 
Detroit Project 
Understanding 
fellowship sum-
mit. The summit 
was designed to 
bring together 
emerging young 
leaders in the Black and/or 
Jewish communities of the 
Metropolitan Detroit area. 
 It was co-sponsored by the 
Coalition for Black and Jewish 
Unity and co-chaired by two 
of its members: Jacob Evan 
Smith, a well-known Detroit 
community organizer, and 
Pastor Aramis Hinds, executive 
director of Bethel Community 
Transformation Center. The 
two were joined as co-chairs by 
Detroit’s beloved young profes-
sionals, Shane Sperling, a board 
member of the JCRC/AJC, and 
Chinonye Akunne, the found-
er and executive director of 
ILERA Apothecary.
Detroit Project 
Understanding appears to be 
the first known fellowship of 
its kind in the Metropolitan 

Detroit area. We knew we 
wanted to create an intentional 
local program where young 
Black-Jewish professionals 
could learn together, grow 
together and build together in 
a safe space thriving on deeper 
historical and cultural under-
standing. We’ve seen success 
with similar local programs, 
modeled by our friends at the 
American Jewish Committee in 
Atlanta. We hope to continue 
this program for years to come.
Introducing narratives in 
Black American history and 
Jewish American history was a 
necessary starting point for the 
Detroit Project Understanding 
team, specifically due to the 
unfortunate educational gap 
that fails to elaborate on the 
histories of the diverse commu-
nities that have made valuable 
contributions to the United 
States of America.
The fellows began their day 
with a Detroit Black-Jewish 
historical tour, discovering the 
city’s grit and the moments 
of camaraderie and tension 
between the Black community 
and the Jewish community. 
The tour was led by Jamon 
Jordan of Black Scroll Network 
and President Elect Jeannie 
Weiner of the Jewish Historical 

Society of Michigan, both of 
whom were eager to participate 
in the program. Jamon Jordan 
became the City of Detroit’s 
Official Historian this past fall.
The group did not stop there. 
Fellows thoughtfully discussed 
what they learned, what it 
means to be an advocate 
and the power of building 
meaningful relationships. 
Other keynote speakers of the 
fellowship summit included 
The Detroitist, Marsha Music 
and Rabbi Ariana Silverman of 
the Downtown Synagogue. 
 A professional networking 
social hour concluded the event, 
so that fellows could connect 
and continue to support one 
another outside of the summit.
Pastor Aramis Hinds elo-
quently concluded, “I am con-
stantly amazed by the notable 
and measurable growth and 
transformation that organically 
takes place as different cultures 
of people come together for the 
sake of learning about individ-
uals, cultures and experiences 
outside of their own. These 
dynamic encounters allow 
individuals to receive added, 
and often, much needed cul-
tural context. Learning is opti-

mized, as literal meets literary 
and perception meets proxim-
ity. A more wholesome view of 
others is formed, and countless 
lives are forever transformed!”
Pastor Hinds is the pastor 
of Breakers Covenant Church, 
former home to Temple Beth 
El, the first standing Jewish 
congregation in Michigan’s 
history.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, 
executive director of JCRC/
AJC, added, “Bringing 
young leaders of the African 
American community and the 
Jewish community together 
in honest conversation and in 
an exploration of their shared 
histories is an important step 
in enabling the communities to 
work together in partnership 
and friendship.”
 This program was made 
possible thanks to the Ravitz 
Foundation, whose support has 
included general funding for 
interfaith and inter-community 
programs between the Jewish 
community and various other 
communities in Detroit. 

Ashira Solomon is the community 

associate at JCRC/AJC, who led the 

Detroit Project Understanding initiative.

PURELY COMMENTARY

Ashira 
Solomon

BACK ROW: Shane Sperling (JCRC/AJC board), Pastor Aramis Hinds 
(Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity), Jacob Smith (JCRC/AJC board 
and Coalition). FRONT ROW: Ashira Solomon and Chinonye Akunne. 
 

Detroit Project 
Understanding participants.

