Cultural Leadership

For Immediate Release
Contact: Karen Kalish
January 2005       (P) 314.725.3222   (C) 314.580.6832

BLACK AND JEWISH TEEN PROGRAM LAUNCHED
TO COMBAT RACISM IN ST. LOUIS

Cultural Leadership Announces its First Class of Teens Pursuing Dialogue and Understanding in Year-Long Program

In an effort to promote mutual respect and dispel stereotypes, 24 outstanding African-American and Jewish high school students from all over St. Louis have been selected to take part in a unique year-long educational leadership program called Cultural Leadership. The goals are to promote interracial harmony, cooperation, understanding and dialogue between Jewish Americans and African Americans, and to build a future generation of young people who will know what it is like to have a relationship based on mutual respect.  The students and the program will be introduced to the community at a press conference on Sunday.

Cultural Leadership is based on a successful model developed in Washington, D.C. in 1995 (known as Operation Understanding DC) that has been impacting the lives of Black and Jewish teens for more than a decade.  Members of these two communities have come together to create Cultural Leadership here in St. Louis and are confident the results will be just as impressive.

Cultural Leadership students learn about their own and each other's race, history, culture, and religions.  They meet every month for six months and take a three-week trip in the summer to places of significance to both groups in the U.S:  New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, all over Alabama and Mississippi, and Memphis.  During the fall, the students learn to facilitate diversity workshops and share their experiences via public speaking throughout the St. Louis area.

Cultural Leadership is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.  For further information or to arrange individual interviews please call the contact person listed on this release.

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Kalish Communications
Estelle W. and Karen S. Kalish Fund
225 Linden Ave.
St. Louis, Mo. 63105
314.727.2727, 727.1122fax 314.580.6832cell