Friday, February 24, 2017

Feel Good Friday - Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect

It's Feel Good Friday and once again time to highlight an organization that is standing up for people under attack. Today, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect.

You may already be familiar with the organization as they've been making recent headlines for stating that President Trump's remarks condemning anti-Semitism haven't gone far enough. You can watch a rather animated CNN interview from Tuesday with Executive Director, Steven Goldstein, here. The following day he acknowledged Vice President Pence for traveling to St. Louis to clean Jewish graves desecrated in the recent surge of anti-Semitism.

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect was founded in 1959 by Anne Frank's father. Their mission is similar to other civil rights organizations I've recently profiled on Feel Good Friday, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. As explained on the website, "Through educational programs and grassroots organizing, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect calls out prejudice, counters discrimination and advocates for the kinder and fairer world of which Anne Frank dreamed." (Anyone needing a quick Anne Frank refresher can read more about her here.)

What's different about the Center is that, "it uses the diary and spirit of Anne Frank as unique tools to advance her legacy and to educate young people about the consequences of intolerance and the need to work toward a world based on mutual respect." Educational programs include traveling exhibits, workshops for educators and live performance programs for K-12 schools and any community organization who would like to see the words of Anne Frank come to life.

There is also an essay contest for middle school students (with a chance to win a trip to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam) and the Spirit of Anne Frank Scholarship Awards which are given out annually to "students who have proven themselves exceptional leaders in combating intolerance, prejudice and injustice in their schools and communities." Applications are currently being accepted through March 17th.

As with all Feel Good Friday organizations, if you like what they do you can support their work by volunteering your time, donating your money and liking their Facebook page.

Their Twitter homepage @AnneFrankCenter focuses on the current campaign to support refugees, "America denied immigration to refugee Anne Frank. Open your heart to refugees and immigrants today." #SaveEveryAnne

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