First Universalist Church, Shir Tikvah, and Temple Israel are honored to welcome Eric Ward, a national expert and speaker on the relationship between hate, violence, and preserving democratic institutions, governance, and inclusive societies, to the Twin Cities for a jointly-sponsored series of speaking engagements over the weekend of Jan. 31 – Feb. 2. On Sunday, Feb. 2 at First Universalist Church, Eric Ward will lead a two-hour workshop on understanding and countering antisemitism and white nationalism; the workshop is free and open to the public. Eric Ward’s weekend in the Twin Cities also includes giving the sermon at Shir Tikvah on Friday evening, Jan. 31, leading Torah study at Temple Israel on Saturday morning, Feb. 1, and delivering the sermon in worship at First Universalist on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 2. First Universalist welcomes all to worship on Sunday mornings; more information about worship can be found at https://firstuniversalistchurch.org/worship/  

Community Workshop on Antisemitism and White Nationalism with Eric Ward

Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, 1–3 p.m.

REGISTER HERE

This two-hour workshop, led by Eric Ward, will focus on the relationship between white supremacy, white nationalism, and antisemitism, with an emphasis on how the dynamics of antisemitism are likely to play out in the environment of the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath. We’ll look at likely scenarios and how we might respond and gain an understanding of the ways in which white nationalism and white supremacy use racism and antisemitism as tools to keep our movements divided. Given the rhetoric we have seen and will likely continue to see as the election draws nearer, it’s imperative that we increase our capacity to recognize white nationalism and antisemitism and learn tools to counter it. A national expert on the relationship between hate, violence, and preserving democratic institutions, governance, and inclusive societies, Eric Ward brings nearly 30 years of expertise in community organizing and philanthropy to his role as Western States Center’s Executive Director.

Free and open to the public; advance registration is requested here.

About Eric Ward

Originally from Los Angeles, Eric began his civil rights work when the white nationalist movement was engaged in violent paramilitary activity that sought to undermine democratic governance in the Pacific Northwest. Eric founded and directed a community project to expose and counter hate groups and respond to bigoted violence with the Community Alliance of Lane County (1990–1994). With the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment (1994-2002), Eric worked with government leaders, civil rights campaigners, businesses leaders, and law enforcement officials to establish over 120 task forces in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. As one of a handful of prominent leaders of color working to counter this new manifestation of organized hate, Eric successfully encouraged some violent neo-Nazi leaders to renounce racism and violence. Joining the Center for New Community as National Field Director (2003-2011), Eric assisted immigrant rights advocates in addressing the growing influence of xenophobia on public policy.

As Program Executive for The Atlantic Philanthropies’ U.S. Reconciliation and Human Rights Programme (2011-2014), Eric led grantmaking in immigration and national security and rights. Eric’s grantmaking as a Ford Foundation Program Officer (2014-2017) supported efforts to combat inequality. Eric has consulted extensively with philanthropic institutions across the country, including the Open Society Foundation, and co-founded Funders For Justice (a project of the Neighborhood Funders Group). Eric has volunteered with numerous philanthropic and community-based organizations and is currently on the boards of The Proteus Fund and Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), a nonprofit agency that provides artists with strategy and support for their activism and philanthropy.

A contributor to the Progressive Media Project from 2008-2014, Eric has been quoted and cited extensively by national media and is the editor of three published works: Conspiracies: Real Grievances, Paranoia and Mass Movements; Second Civil War: States’ Rights, Sovereignty; and Power of the County and American Armageddon: Religion, Revolution and the Right.