Morning Talk: Bagels, Lox and Grits: A Personal Journey Confronting Racism and Anti-Semitism
Blurb: When ethnic groups face discrimination and hatred, there is a tendency to turn inwards. Yet, the most effective response to the rise in hatred and white nationalism are collaborative efforts. As a Jew of Color, Yolanda has learned this lesson the hard way. She will share how she has confronted both racism and anti-Semitism through the lens of her intersecting identities.
Post Oneg Title: Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Taking the Road Less Traveled
Blurb: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has become one of the most talked about subjects in recent years. With the murder of George Floyd, many organizations and institutions have created DEI departments or initiatives to address systemic racism and inequities in their ecosystems. In this talk, we will unpack and discuss DEI efforts, how some of them work and how some of them can cause more harm. What can we do to make sure the efforts are, in fact, impactful and sustained.
Yolanda Savage-Narva (she/her) has twenty years’ experience working with public agencies and non-profit organizations to promote equity and inclusion. She is a Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-trained public health specialist who has led community-based efforts in community health assessments for Indian Health Service. Yolanda was also the Executive Director of Operation Understanding DC, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding, cooperation, and respect while fighting to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination.
Yolanda Savage-Narva is currently the Vice President of Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Communities of Belonging for the Union for Reform Judaism and the Religious Action Center. She is also an alumna of JewV’Nation cohort, a past Vice-Chair of the Commission on Social Action, Senior Schusterman Fellow, a member of the Board of Directors for the Federation of Greater Washington, Capital Jewish Museum, Leading Edge, American Jewish World Services and the Historic Sixth and I Synagogue in Washington, D.C., and is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Racial Justice & Religion Collective. Yolanda is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, an international Black sorority dedicated to community service and education.
Yolanda is a graduate of Tougaloo College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Jackson State University, where she received a Master of Science degree in Education, both historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In her spare time Yolanda loves being outdoors, reading, birdwatching, playing sports and traveling with her son, Miles and husband, Andrew.
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