FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA - April 16, 2024 - Mark your calendars for a groundbreaking celebration! Jewtina y Co. proudly presents the inaugural Shades of Belonging Community Festival, an extraordinary event designed to honor and affirm the diverse experiences of Jews of Color (JOC), JOC adoptees, their families, and allies. Scheduled for May 5, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the renowned Skirball Cultural Center, this festival promises a vibrant day of community, connection, and cultural enrichment.
Initial findings from the research that inspired this event, the Shades of Belonging study, show that Jews of color, particularly adoptees, are seeking community and belonging with one another.
"This event is a step towards filling a much needed gap for Jews of color. It’s truly a moment where we can come together to lift each other up, forge new relationships, and build community,” says Dr. David McCarty-Caplan, Director of Research and Evaluation for Jewtina y Co. and lead researcher behind the Shades of Belonging study; who is himself a Jewish adoptee of color. “The Shades of Belonging event is intended to be a celebration of the complexity, beauty and brilliance of JOCs.”
The Shades of Belonging Community Festival is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to dive into the rich tapestry of Jewish diversity, specifically focusing on the experiences of JOC and Jewish Adoptees. This event aims to foster inclusivity, celebrate unique expressions of identity, and promote understanding across cultural backgrounds within the Jewish community.
Key highlights of the festival include:
Presentation on the Shades of Belonging study of Jewish Adoptees of Color
Screening of the animated short film, Blewish
Live music and theater performances by talented JOC and JOC adoptee artists
Exhibits showcasing the remarkable talent of JOC and JOC adoptee artists
Family-friendly activities for all ages, delicious snacks, tapas, desserts, music, and more!
The significance of this event is underscored by compelling statistics:
Jewish families adopt at twice the rate of the general population in the United States (Kredier, 2003).
By the 2010s, 76% of adoptions into Jewish families were non-white children adopted by white parents (Sartori, 2016).
Between 2000-2009, an estimated 66% of adoptions to Jewish American parents were children adopted from another country (Sartori, 2016).
Over 500,000 American Jews have families directly impacted by adoption (National Jewish Population Survey, 2001).
Media representatives are cordially invited to join us at the Shades of Belonging Community Festival. This is an exceptional opportunity to showcase the vibrant diversity of the Jewish community and the importance of fostering connections across cultural backgrounds.
For more information and to RSVP, please visit jewtina.org/shades-of-belonging-2024.
About Shades of Belonging Festival: The festival is presented by Jewtina y Co. and the Jews of Color Initiative, with generous support from esteemed organizations including the Skirball Cultural Center, The LUNAR Collective, NuRoots, The Braid, Nefesh, SIJCC, Be’Chol Lashon, Temple Kol Tikvah, Foundation for Jewish Camp, IKAR, JCamp LA, Milken Community School, and Camp JCA Shalom.
About Jewtina y Co.
Jewtina y Co. is on a mission to nurture Latin-Jewish community, identity, leadership and resiliency via cohort experiences, culturally-sustaining Jewish learning and programs, community storytelling, and live connection points. Jewtina y Co. is a not for profit organization fiscally sponsored by Social Good Fund. Learn more at jewtina.org.
P.R. Contact: McCaplan Consulting/ Emily emily@mccaplan.com
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