As a parent — and now a grandparent! — I easily become preoccupied with thoughts about how we can heal the divisions that afflict our society. By nurturing respect and acceptance, and by fighting hate and intolerance through the power of education, I believe that each of us can help our community become more inclusive, connected and compassionate. My faith in the ability of parents and thought leaders to create a better world for our children is what has guided the mission of ParentMap since its founding in 2003.
This past year, we have dedicated consistent, thoughtful coverage around themes of teaching tolerance, in the pages of our magazine and on our website. This month’s feature on moral courage examines a key question: At a time when most Americans feel the country’s values are deteriorating, how can we raise kids who show courage when and where it counts?
For many, the phrase “moral courage” calls to mind stories of rescuers who helped Jews during World War II. In recent months, we have reported on the efforts of the Holocaust Center for Humanity to advance legislation that will expand Holocaust curricula across our state.
The work of the center to teach today’s youth about the dangers of intolerance through its community events, museum exhibits and many education programs is deeply personal to me and my family. My grandparents escaped Poland before the Holocaust, and I carry their legacy of resilience with me. The center shares stories of victims, survivors, rescuers — and of perpetrators — in order to remind us that hate doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We all must find ways both big and small to be the change we wish to see in the world. And for our children, we must continually model and remodel the building blocks of moral courage.
It is with great pride that I share the news that I will be honored as this year’s Voices for Humanity Award recipient by the Holocaust Center for Humanity at its annual luncheon on Nov. 6. While this award certainly acknowledges the effort of the ParentMap team to share thought-provoking content about tolerance and character education, the work we do is not possible without the support of our community partners and the inspiration of you, our readers.
On behalf of the ParentMap staff, thank you!
