NOVEMBER 17 • 2022 | 19

“It’s my sincere hope that 
in the next Congress, more 
members on both sides of 
the aisle will join and be 
active participants in the 
caucus’ efforts to build on 
the unique relationship 
between the Black and Jewish 
communities in the U.S.”
Lawrence is proud of 
“amplifying the voices of 
two groups of people in this 
country who were oppressed 
and subjected to violence and 
discrimination just because 
of their faith or the color of 
their skin,” she said, adding 
how when serving with John 
Lewis, he reminded her all 
the time about how Blacks 
and Jews work together. 
“It’s important to me that 
the Black-Jewish Caucus 
highlight our histories 
because if you don’t know 
your history, you’re in danger 
of repeating it.”
She added that it’s impor-
tant to educate the next gen-
eration on the shared history 
of the Black and Jewish com-
munities. “My generation 
clearly knows that during the 
Civil Rights Movement and 
through all the challenges 
we had in America, there 
was never a time the Jewish 
community was not standing 
with us. 
“So many of the young 
Black children who hear 
comments demeaning of 
the Jewish community don’t 
recognize that Jewish blood 
was spilled during our fight 
for our civil rights.
“That connection still exists 
today,” she added. “Last year 
at the commemoration of the 
1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, 
which devastated what was 
known as ‘Black Wall Street,’ 
standing there to defend 
the descendants to try to 

get some form of restitution 
was a team of young Jewish 
attorneys.” 

THE NEXT CHAPTER
So, what comes next for 
Lawrence? “I don’t want to go 
home and plant flowers,” she 
said. “I want to stay involved. 
I want my voice to continue 
to be relevant.”
Thankfully, she said, there 
are multiple ways to serve. 
She plans to teach and lecture 
to college students as well as 
serve on some boards and 
commissions where she can 
help to shape policy. 
As for her career in 
Washington, she said, “I 
often try to sum it up and tell 
people I’m the little Black girl 
from the East Side of Detroit 
who had the audacity to run 
for Congress and walk the 
halls of the Capitol Building 
that was built by slaves. I’m 
standing on their shoulders, 
and that is never lost on me.”
She said one of her 
greatest fears is that the 
divisive rhetoric and political 
violence that rocked the 
Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, will 
continue. “I remind people 
that the Constitution of this 
country is not a Democratic 
or Republican document,” 
she said. “It is a statement 
of democracy, freedom 
and human rights. We can’t 
allow people to attack it and 
must use every tool in our 
democracy to protect it. We 
can’t be silent.”
Although she takes the 
threat to our democracy 
seriously, she remains 
hopeful, she said. “I refuse 
to submit to the fact that 
‘one nation, under God, 
indivisible, with liberty 
and justice for all’ has been 
thrown out of the window.” 

H

azon Detroit, in 
partnership with the 
Jewish Youth Climate 
Movement (JYCM), is hold-
ing the JYCM Michigan Teen 
Day of Climate Education 
and Action on Sunday, Dec. 
4, from 12:30-4 p.m. at 
Adat Shalom Synagogue in 
Farmington Hills.
JYCM has produced this 
event elsewhere, including a 
successful JYCM New York 
Day of Action that drew more 
than 40 teens. JYCM is look-
ing to replicate the opportu-
nity that brings Jewish teens 
together to learn about climate 
education, feel mobilized and 
empowered to get involved in 
the movement and take action 
as a community.
Programming will include 
discussion around Jewish 
climate narrative, discussion 
around policy advocacy and 
coalition building on the local 
level, as well as collective com-
munity climate action.
Teens will also get to do 
some learning around the 
environmental connections to 
Jewish history and traditions. 
The event is open to any 
teen (grades 7-12) in the 

Jewish community with an 
interest in climate action. No 
experience is required. The 
event is largely teen-led and 
organized.
There will also be some 
programming opportunities 
for the teens to simply connect 
and have some fun, meaning-
ful time together to help build 
community and feel less alone. 
“For a lot of teens, there’s a 
lot of climate anxiety and grief, 
so connecting them to each 
other can be really beneficial 
in helping to give them a sense 
of security and the opportu-
nity to be a part of mitigating 
the catastrophic effects of the 
climate crisis and leading the 
Jewish community in that 
effort,” said Liana Rothman, 
co-founder and director of 
JYCM.
The event will be in partner-
ship with multiple organiza-
tions, including Adat Shalom, 
Beth Israel Congregation, 
Congregation Beth Ahm, 
Congregation T’chiyah, 
Tamarack Camps, Repair the 
World Detroit and BBYO-
Michigan Region. 

The event registration page is live: 

https;//bit.ly/JYCMMichigan.

JYCM Michigan Teen Day of Climate 
Education and Action takes place Dec. 4.
Teens’ Climate Event

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

