Jared Jackson's organization Jews In All Hues helps facilitate difficult discussions about race, and the goal of the group, explained Jackson, is to build a future for Jewish people where intersectionality, diversity and dignity are normative.
"We want to make sure that everybody understands how oppression works, how we fall into it, and build a process where we hold ourselves accountable,” Jackson said.
The organization’s seminars focus on how oppression works, tackling a variety of complicated issues.
JIAH trainers also help people understand the nuances of how people tend to uphold the status quo.
"We talk about implicit bias, we talk about how it functions and how it manifests and the things that people may say or do. That's usually when the lightbulb goes off because people remember things they've said or done,” Jackson added.
When that happens, he said his seminars can get emotional, which is one of the reasons why addressing race and intersectionality can be so difficult.
"Shame definitely is a part of the playbook of oppression. It's one of the roadblocks that prevents people from going forward, but it's also a catalyst for change,” he added.