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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Racial Justice at AJWS AJWS is dedicated to being an organization—and a community—that welcomes everyone.

Anchored by an unwavering belief in universal human rights, and by the Jewish tradition that each of us was created b’tselem Elohim—that each one of us has inherent and infinite value—we know that our strength lies in our diversity.

Across races, religions, cultures, ethnicities, classes, origins, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, abilities and neurodiversity, we strive to create a fully inclusive organization where all people can thrive.

At AJWS, we are guided by Emma Lazarus’s powerful words: “Until we are all free, none of us is free.” We recognize that working toward the liberation of marginalized peoples liberates us all—and this philosophy drives us not only in the countries we serve, but also within our own walls. Guided by the philosophy and practice of antiracism, and through learning from diverse teachers and one another, we seek to ensure that AJWS is an organization that is multicultural, welcoming and inclusive of all its stakeholders and staff. We believe that our internal culture must truly reflect our mission—and that in order to dismantle systemic inequity and pursue justice around the world, we must do the same within our organization and within ourselves. 

“My Jewishness and my Blackness are deeply intertwined. The Jewish values of welcoming the stranger and pursuing justice for the most vulnerable, values that drew me to American Jewish World Service and motivated me to become a trustee at this organization, also fuel my activism for racial justice.”

—Gamal J. Palmer
AJWS Trustee and Global Diversity and Inclusion Specialist

To promote diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice (DEIRJ) at AJWS, we strive to… 

  • Recruit and advance diverse candidates, including to positions of leadership. 
  • Ensure that our staff and Board understand how bias and structural oppression shapes our attitudes, behaviors and work environments.  
  • Commit to eliminating all forms of discrimination throughout AJWS. 
  • Cultivate a culture of learning, transparency, accountability and liberation at every level of our organization.  

Learn More About Our DEIRJ Work

Land Acknowledgment: AJWS is headquartered on Lenapehoking, unceded Lenape land that is now called New York City. AJWS acknowledges the genocide, forced displacement, and erasure of Indigenous peoples during the colonial and neocolonial eras. AJWS seeks to learn from the Lenape communities that continue to contribute to the vibrancy of this city and care for the land and waterways as sacred.

For more information on AJWS’s commitment to DEIRJ, please contact kristen kendrick, AJWS’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Racial Justice at kkendrick@ajws.org.