Jessica Gall is the Senior Associate Regional Director for the Midwest Office of the Anti-Defamation League. Founded in 1913, the ADL's mission is: "To stop the defamation of the Jewish people" and "To secure justice and fair treatment for all." The ADL is very busy these days. In the past few years, there has been a considerable uptick in antisemitic incidents. The increase is also apparent in K-12 schools. These incidents would include graffiti/Swastikas, memes on TikTok and other social media posts, jokes about money, and Heil Hitler salutes. Their data comes from people like us who happen to report and even sometimes records these incidents. They are also currently tracking groups that spread false claims and incite explicit bias - like Proud Boys, Boogaloo, and QAnon. Recently the ADL has been educating law enforcement (including the Highland Park and Chicago Police Departments), in recognizing hate crimes, inclusion through leadership and implicit bias. Explicit Bias is when a person is aware of their bias and they voluntarily and intentionally speak/share/act out their bias. Implicit Bias is when a person is unaware of their bias and therefore involuntarily and unintentionally react to situations that exhibits their bias. The most important thing we should realize when we find ourselves in situations is to ask ourselves: 1) do we feel we have power in this situation, and 2) can we turn it into a positive experience? It is always enlightening when Jessica Gall joins us, and this week was no exception. |