Meet Joseph Lovett, Writer, Director & Producer of “Children of the Inquisition: Their Story Can Now Be Told”.
About Joseph Lovett:
Joseph Lovett is a Peabody Award-winning filmmaker whose work has informed, engaged, and inspired people into action. Having worked for ABC, CBS, HBO and Discovery Channel, Joe has been raising awareness of critical health issues throughout his career.
After producing the first investigations on AIDS for ABC’s 20/20, Joe created In A New Light (ABC) a series of annual AIDS outreach and entertainment specials. After ten years producing for 20/20, Joe founded Lovett Stories + Strategies where he has produced and/ or directed numerous feature documentaries and over 35 hours of primetime specials. In 2001, Joe’s film Cancer: Evolution to Revolution for HBO won a Peabody Award and received an Emmy nomination.
Joe’s first doc feature The Accident, a film about family, love and loss premiered at SXSW. Gay Sex in the 70s and Three Sisters: Searching for a Cure about ALS premiered at Tribeca. Joe executive produced State of Denial on AIDS in South Africa and King Day’s Out which also premiered at Sundance.
His film, Going Blind: Coming Out of the Dark About Vision Loss, and its outreach campaign Going Blind and Going Forward, have ignited a global movement of individuals, grassroots organizations, and medical professionals, sponsoring screenings that raise awareness and improve access to vision enhancement services.
Joe’s latest project Children of the Inquisition: Their Story Can Now Be Told is a documentary film, immersive website, and outreach that unearths 500 years of hidden history and identities. The project reveals the fates of families forced to convert to Catholicism or flee during the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions.
Over the years, Joe has been honored with the George Foster Peabody Award, the AIDS Leadership Award, the Christopher Award, the Kitty Carlisle Hart Award, an Emmy Nomination, and numerous awards from advocacy organizations.
Join us for a live virtual conversation with Sarah Elbadri and Yetzenia Negron.
April is National Fair Housing Month. The Fair Housing Act was made law roughly 50 years ago to address the barriers that created separate and unequal neighborhoods – a form of systemic oppression that still has ripple effects on marginalized communities today. As a part of the Holocaust Center’s Strategies for Action Series, we’ll discuss the background of the Fair Housing Act, its implementation as law, its expansion to include greater protections, and ways that citizens, businesses, and governments can further promote fair and equal access to housing opportunities for all.
About our Speakers:
Sarah Elbadri is an urban planner in the Orange County Housing and Community Development Division. Ms. Elbadri’s professional work focuses on increasing affordable housing production and preservation through the county’s Housing for All initiative. Her chief programs are supported by the newly established Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Ms. Elbadri’s civic engagement includes serving as the chair for MetroPlan Orlando’s Community Advisory Committee, which provides perspective and advocacy for transportation planning efforts in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties. She is also a board member for the LGBT+ Center Orlando and the Orlando Bike Coalition.
Yetzenia I. Negron is a federal grant administrator for Orange County Housing and Community Development Division. Ms. Negron oversees all aspects of the Community Development Block Grant and the Emergency Solutions Grant, which aides our local community in addressing social issues related to housing, homelessness and public services. Ms. Negron is the County’s lead Fair Housing Project Manager, thus allowing her to build strong community partnerships and initiatives in order to combat housing discrimination in Central Florida. Additionally, Ms. Negron serves as the Board President for Stand Up Survivor, Inc. a 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization based in Orlando, FL dedicated to educating, equipping, and empowering domestic violence survivors and their communities globally. Furthermore, Ms. Negron serves on the Board of the Hispanic Heritage Committee of Greater Orange County. Ms. Negron is currently pursuing a Masters of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida.
Join us for this live online virtual event featuring Eboo Patel!
“I thought about the meaning of pluralism in a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong. I came to one conclusion: We have to save each other. It’s the only way to save ourselves.” – Eboo Patel, Acts of Faith
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYkce6hpjooGdFLjC_vkVqOg4T-9AkDpCqc
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
More About Eboo Patel:
Dr. Eboo Patel is the Founder and President of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a non-profit organization working to make interfaith cooperation a social norm in America. He is a respected leader on national issues of religious diversity, civic engagement, and the intersection of racial equity and interfaith cooperation. He is the author of four books and dozens of articles and is a frequent keynote speaker at colleges and universities, philanthropic convenings, and civic gatherings, both in person and virtually. He served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council.
Born in Mumbai, Eboo grew up as an Ismaili Muslim in the western suburbs of Chicago, experiencing bigotry, but also taking inspiration from friends and neighbors from diverse backgrounds. As a student at the University of Illinois, he was involved in social justice work and soon came to realize that the leaders he respected most, found their inspiration in faith. While earning a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship, Eboo began organizing interfaith projects around the world, laying the groundwork for what would become IFYC. Over two decades, he has led the organization from a handful of volunteers to a nationwide non-profit that empowers students and educators on almost six hundred U.S. college and university campuses.
IFYC is now a national nonprofit that equips the next generation of citizens and professionals with the knowledge and skills needed for leadership in a religiously diverse world. Partnering with educational institutions and civic organizations, IFYC is dedicated to making interfaith cooperation the norm and building Interfaith America in the 21st century.
Eboo is an Ashoka Fellow, a member of the Young Global Leaders Network of the World Economic Forum and has served on the Religious Advisory Committee of the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Committee of the Aga Khan Foundation. He was named a Future Policy Leader by the Harvard Kennedy School Review in 2008 and one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report in 2009. He has been awarded the Louisville Grawemeyer Prize in Religion, the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize, the El Hibri Peace Education Prize, the Council of Independent Colleges Academic Leadership Award, along with honorary degrees from 15 colleges.
Eboo’s contributions include the books Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation; Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America; Interfaith Leadership: A Primer; and Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise. His op-eds and interviews have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, on National Public Radio, and The PBS NewsHour. He also publishes a regular blog for Inside Higher Ed, called ‘Conversations on Diversity’.
Eboo lives in Chicago with his wife, Shehnaz, and two young sons. He is a die-hard fan of Notre Dame Football, Wilco, and really good coffee.
Join us for a live virtual conversation with Judith Rapp Hara!
Judith Rapp Hara is the daughter of Holocaust Survivors, Ernest and Sylvia Rapp. Her book “Journey: The Story of Ernest and Sylvia Rapp” was written during the pandemic, honoring a promise made to her Father. The prologue tells about a life-altering meeting with a man from her Father’s past. This meeting changes Judith’s outlook on life and starts her quest to find out about her family’s history.
Judith will share Ernest and Sylvia Rapp’s story – an inspirational story of survival, faith, and perseverance. It is as relevant today as it was in the past. The theme “there are no coincidences” not only plays an integral part throughout the book but continues to play a role in Judith’s life to this day.
About Our Speaker, Judith Rapp Hara:
Judith Rapp Hara is the second daughter born to Ernest and Sylvia Rapp in New York City in 1949. At age 6, the family moved to the Orlando area where her father began a successful career as an architect. Judith was educated in the Orlando public school system. She earned a BS in nursing in 1971 from the University of Florida. In 1982, she earned a MA in counseling from Rollins College. Judith has worked as an RN at Florida Hospital and the Orange County Health Department and a clinical specialist in psychiatric nursing in private practice.
Judith has been married to Robert Hara since 1971. They have two sons, Aaron and Jacob. The lights of her life are their two granddaughters Eva and Lillia.
Her interest in the Holocaust and much of its literature comes from the many stories shared by her late parents. In 2020, Judith wrote the short book “Journey” about her parents’ experiences in Europe and the United States.
The Orlando Museum of Art and the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida are pleased to present a free film!
“Children of the Inquisition: Their Story Can Now Be Told”
Children of the Inquisition takes us on a journey unearthing 500 years of hidden history. The film reveals what happened to the families forced to convert to Catholicism or flee during the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions through the eyes of their contemporary descendants, many of whom are just discovering their once problematic Jewish roots. Through the discoveries of their families’ flights to safety, our characters come to understand how their ancestors shaped history and how their perilous history shaped their identities.
After 6 years of shooting in 12 cities spanning 4 continents, Children of the Inquisition is more than just a film. It’s an opportunity to better understand our complex world and identities.
“Children of the Inquisition reveals to us an important but little-understood history that has never before received in-depth treatment in film. It’s essential viewing and a ‘must-watch’ film for any serious student of history.” – Kevin Jennings, Past President, The Tenement Museum
Please register at holocaustedu.org and you will be sent the link to watch the film. You can watch this film between Sunday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 24!
A live virtual conversation with the Director of the film will take place on March 25, 2021 at 6:00pm.
Join us on January 24, 2021, as we observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day and remember the innocent six million Jews and millions of other people who fell victims to Nazi persecution.
This date was chosen by the United Nations in recognition of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
At the same time, we remember the people who courageously and heroically expressed the very best of the human capacity for compassion and justice by risking their lives to save their families and fellow human beings. They demonstrated that in the midst of evil, human beings can perform remarkable acts of decency and dignity.
One such story is that of how the Philippines became a place of refuge for over 1200 Jews fleeing the Nazis. Ralph Preiss, a Holocaust Survivor, will share his personal account during this live virtual event.
We will pay tribute to the millions of lives lost, through candle lighting and a commemorative reading of the names of concentration camps, dates of liberation, and powerful words of inspiration by local students.
This reading will serve as not only a reminder of the magnitude of the atrocities but even more so—the power of unity to liberate our communities from anti-Semitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.
Rabbi David Kay will conclude the event with the reciting of the Mourner’s Kaddish.
About Ralph Preiss
Ralph was born in Breslau, Germany in 1930. (It is now Wroclaw, Poland).
His father was a Jewish physician working under socialized medicine in a little farming town, Rosenberg O/S (now Olesno). When Hitler came to power in 1933, he fired all Jewish professionals (teachers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, engineers, scientists) working for the government. But since there were not enough replacements available, his father did not lose his job till the spring of 1938. By then, the Jews that had managed to get out of Germany before then had used up the quotas of immigrants to other lands so that there were only openings in Shanghai and the Philippines. More than 400 people applied for permission and Ralph and his family was lucky to receive visas and they arrived in Manila on March 23, 1939.
The family was not allowed to bring money out of Germany. Having an expired German passport permitted them to live out of Japanese concentration camps during the war. They survived liberation by joining guerillas on Mt Banahaw for a few months. Ralph will share their harrowing story of survival and triumph.
Join us for this live online virtual event featuring Annetta Wilson.
A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there’.
Uncomfortable conversations are a fact of life. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have them. Our frustration often comes from not knowing how to keep our emotions, and civility, in check.
Discover why people show up with preconceived ideas, how to diffuse anger, how to make your point without being pushy, why ‘proving’ your point rarely works and the communication ‘styles’.
When you know what works (and what doesn’t) your influence skyrockets!
About Our Speaker:
Annetta Wilson solves problems for experts who are frustrated by business, recognition, and relationships slipping through their fingers because of confusing, convoluted, and complicated communication.
An award-winning broadcast journalist, she is a Certified Mastery Coach and Certified Trainer specializing in media training, presentation skills, networking, and the ‘elevator’ speech. She is the creator of, ‘You’ve Got Less than 15 Seconds. Impress Me! elevator speech system, and the author of the upcoming book, ‘The Less You Say, The More You Talk’ (Tips to Communicate for Influence and Power).
She has worked with AAA, CNN, Walt Disney World, Delta Dental, Universal Orlando, the City of Orlando, among others.
Join us for a live virtual conversation with Dr. Edith Eger Moderated by Talli Dippold.
A native of Hungary, Edith Eva Eger was just a teenager in 1944 when she experienced one of the worst evils the human race has ever known. As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, the heinous death camp. Her parents were sent to the gas chambers but Edith’s bravery kept her and her sister alive. Toward the end of the war, Edith and other prisoners had been moved to Austria. On May 4, 1945, a young American soldier noticed her hand moving slightly amongst a number of dead bodies. He quickly summoned medical help and brought her back from the brink of death.
After the war, Edith moved to Czechoslovakia where she met the man she would marry. In 1949 they moved to the United States. In 1969 she received her degree in Psychology from the University of Texas, El Paso. She then pursued her doctoral internship at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Dr. Eger is a prolific author and a member of several professional associations. She has a clinical practice in La Jolla, California, and holds a faculty appointment at the University of California, San Diego. She has appeared on numerous television programs including CNN and the Oprah Winfrey Show; and was the primary subject of a holocaust documentary that appeared on Dutch National Television. She is frequently invited to speaking engagements throughout the United States and abroad.
Join us for this live online virtual event featuring Richard E. Lapchick.
Human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally recognized expert on sports and social issues, scholar and author Richard E. Lapchick is often described as “the racial conscience of sport.”
He brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to University of Central Florida in August 2001 where he launched the DeVos Sports Business Management Program.
In 2015 it was named the number 2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.
Lapchick is a prolific writer. His 17th book was published in 2018. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and The Sports Business Journal.
He has spoken in the United States Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican
He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world along with Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports
He has received 10 honorary degrees
Lapchick was one of 200 guests personally invited by Nelson Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.
Join us for this live online virtual event featuring Kyle Steele. The Beloved Community is a notion popularized by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he envisioned a society where there is justice and equal opportunity for all, and both are undergirded by love for fellow human beings.
Kyle believes this is attainable and worth fighting for. Moreover, Kyle believes in affirming the dignity and worth of all humans and in methods that do not put people of different views and opinions against each other. He believes in embracing healing and repair over punishment and shame.
During this talk, Kyle will bring all of these beliefs into a framework that will help you engage racism, poverty, and aggression in your community and organization through a process that leads to changed behavior, healing, and repair. You will be emboldened to participate in the achieving and maintaining of the Beloved Community through a vision and framework that will help you find creative and effective ways to address racism, poverty, and aggression in their respective neighborhood, place of work, city, and country.
