42 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 A s a symbol of unity and coming together during these current times of division and increas- ing levels of antisemitism, the nonprofit foundation Spill the Honey recently hosted its annual gala. A “Celebration of Unity and Legacy” was held at the Atheneum Suite Hotel in Detroit to celebrate the shared histories and hardships that bond the African American and Jewish communities. The gala, attended by more than 450 people of all faiths and backgrounds, supported the foundation’s work to engage educational institutions, col- laborate with corporations and institutions to support their diversity, equity and inclusion programs and leverage the arts to highlight those who are spill- ing the honey in their commu- nities through the history of the historic alliance of the African American and Jewish commu- nities at the height of the Civil Rights era. As Spill the Honey Founder and President Dr. Shari Rogers said at the gala, “This was a reminder of the power of our coalition and what we can accomplish together. ” Founded in 2012, Spill the Honey was inspired by the wisdom of two leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Eliezer Ayalon, a protégé of Eli Wiesel. A Holocaust survivor like Wiesel, Ayalon was gifted a cup of honey from his mother the final day she would see him before being sent by the Nazis to five concentration camps. The honey symbolized a sense of hope and survival. In addition to honoring the legacies of those who paved the way for social justice, the evening honored Spill the Honey Foundation Chairman Dr. Clarence B. Jones, a monu- mental figure in the civil rights movement and a close confi- dant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who helped draft the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and who has continued to carry on Dr. King’s legacy to this very day. Dr. Jones opened his remarks by saying, “Together, we are powerful. We come from differ- ent faith communities, but we are united in our unshakable commitment to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. We are powerful because we will never abandon the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ” Guests also got a firsthand look at that alliance in a spe- cial, abridged version of the documentary Shared Legacies: The African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance. The gala included appearances by Fred Ferber, a Holocaust survivor; Leila Steinberg, a renowned recording artist, producer, manager and mother-figure to the legendary Tupac Shakur; Grammy-nominated artist Mali Wilson, the brains behind the score for Shared Legacies; and former U.S. President Barack Obama via video. faces&places Spill The Honey PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPILL THE HONEY Spill the Honey Foundation Executive Director and former Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, left, speaking to attendees as Spill the Honey Founder and President Dr. Shari Rogers looks on. Former U.S. President Barack Obama addressed attendees at the Spill the Honey Foundation gala. Nearly 500 people came to Spill the Honey’s annual gala.