12 | JUNE 13 • 2024 detail the largest forced migration in human history. There are constant sounds of narra- tors throughout the museum, sometimes from actual former slaves describing the cruelty of their day-to-day existence. Their descriptions are heart-wrenching. Hearing former slaves explain how an auctioneer would force them to display their teeth and gums to potential buyers gives a vivid glimpse into the unimag- inable dehumanization of the slavery era. After the tour, the group gathered at the ADL’s office for lunch and a much- needed debrief of the students’ reactions to both museums. The two-hour discus- sion was extraordinarily candid and, for many, cathartic. SHARING EACH OTHER’S PAIN Many of the African American students said that while they had a general idea about the Holocaust, they were never exposed to the realities of the concentra- tion camps. Many of the Jewish students reported that they were “blown away” by the “historical parallels” between Blacks and Jews. All the students remarked that the experience opened their eyes to the need for a deeper education of each oth- er’s history. The discussion led to present-day challenges in the relationship. Blacks and Jews, everyone agreed, will have areas of disagreements — sometimes sharp ones — but only by having the difficult conversations can real under- standing take place and lasting relation- ships emerge. As Aniyah Hinds, a senior at Cass Tech bound for the University of Michigan next fall, said, “The whole experience was mind-opening. It really exposes you to a different perspec- tive from someone else’s eyes. It really helped me to step out of my own bubble and engage with other people.” It had been a fast-paced and unfor- gettable trip. Friendships had been formed, and 28 students (22 of whom made the trip) had gotten crash cours- es on issues vital to Black and Jewish unity. The experience demonstrated to the Coalition that there are young peo- ple in Metropolitan Detroit — future leaders — who understand that they share a common legacy and need to come together to combat hate. As the Coalition likes to point out, Dr. King would say: “We may have come in dif- ferent ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.” Going forward, given the success of the pilot year, the Leadership Academy will be a centerpiece of the Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity. The Coalition, now in its 6th year, is a partnership between the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (see page 14), the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, the Anti-Defamation League, the Urban League and the NAACP- Michigan Conference. The Coalition engages in regular initiatives to promote solidarity and speaks out against racism and antisemitism, including a MLK Day service, a “Freedom Passover Seder” (hosted twice at the governor’s residence), Black History Month commemorations, a trip to civil rights sights in the South, and many other educational and social activities. The Coalition often refers to an old African proverb to describe its guiding principle: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The students of the Leadership Academy, after months of learning about the shared struggles of Blacks and Jews and the importance of jointly meeting the challenges ahead, now have a better appreciation of the wisdom of that proverb. Mark Jacobs is the co-founder and co-director of the Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity. OUR COMMUNITY COVER STORY continued from page 11 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Leadership Academy faculty: Rev. Dr. DeeDee M. Coleman, Rev. Dr. Robyn D. Moore, Daniel Bucksbaum, Mark Jacobs, Tamara Lopes, Rev. C.J. Sampson, Rev. Aramis D. Hinds and Carolyn Normandin (missing are Rabbi Marla Hornsten, Rabbi Asher Lopatin and Rev. Kenneth J. Flowers).