While JumpSpark was virtually road tripping around the country exploring colleges and universities, the world changed. Important conversations have started about the need for cis-gender, straight, white Americans to educate themselves about the systemic racism and discrimination our country was built on. Jewish Americans are not exempt from this work.
As an organization committed to helping each Jewish teen find an authentic expression of their Judaism, that also has thousands of social media followers, JumpSpark recognizes the privilege of our platform. So, for the month of July, and forever after, JumpSpark is committed to using its social media and programming as a platform to amplify the voices in our community that have been silenced or excluded from communal conversations. We are committing to passing the mic.
Drawing from Encounter’s Communication Agreement, we invite everyone to join us in the radical act of ‘resilient listening’. “Listening does not mean that we endorse a viewpoint or an interpretation of facts, nor validate the facts a person chooses to present or omit. ‘Resilient listening’ allows a person and/or a community to live with tension, to hold multiple perspectives at the same time, and to continue to be open to learning new rather than guarding against and shutting down. Only when we can learn from those with whom we disagree can we be more effective and solution-oriented advocates and change-agents.”
When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand… Listening, not talking is the gifted and great role… So try listening. Listen to your wife, your husband, your father, your mother, your children, your friends, to those who love you and those who don’t, to those who bore you, to your enemies. It will work a small miracle. And perhaps a great one. — Brenda Ueland, from The Art of Listening
During July, you can expect:
- Curated articles from teen voices published across the country from sources including Jewish Women’s Archive Rising Voices, JGirls Magazine, and Project HereNow
- Local Atlanta teen voices from our partner VOX ATL, Atlanta’s home for uncensored teen publishing and self-expression
- Instagram takeovers from Atlanta Jewish teens and young adults on their personal relationships with Judaism
- Features from SOJOURN’s Sex Ed Queeries video series and special segments for JumpSpark followers from the creators themselves
