More than 170 Black and Jewish leaders from the entertainment industry have announced a joint initiative to counter racism and antisemitism in the entertainment community.
Entertainment industry notables such as Tiffany Haddish, Sherry Lansing, Herbie Hancock, Phil Rosenthal, Diane Warren, Jason Alexander, 24kGoldn, Gene Simmons, Billy Porter, Nick Cannon, and Antoine Fuqua have launched the Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance (The Alliance).
The Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance is a joint initiative by Black and Jewish entertainment industry professionals devoted to countering racism and antisemitism in the entertainment community.
“Film and art have always been about giving those unjustly attacked and marginalized a voice. As two communities that have long been targeted simply for who they are, the Black and Jewish communities are stronger when we stand together,” stated director and producer Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) in a written statement.
The Alliance comes after Cannon was slammed and fired from ViacombCBS last summer for making antisemitic remarks.
The 39-year-old actor and businessman issued a lengthy apology for the controversial comments after consulting with prominent Rabbi Abraham Cooper. Cannon and ViacombCBS are reportedly in talks.The group’s unity statement, which is found on The Alliance website, states:
“We acknowledge that the Black and Jewish communities have a shared history of subjugation and persecution.
“We recognize that the Black community in America has faced a history of racism that continues to this day, while the Jewish community is currently encountering record levels of antisemitism, which affects both group’s [sic] sense of fear, vulnerability, and self-worth.
“As members of the entertainment community, we pledge to work to bring our two communities together in solidarity, to support one another in our struggles, and to better understand each other’s plight and narratives.
“The Jewish community must continue to speak out against racial injustice and work to effect change, while the Black community must continue to speak out against all forms of antisemitism.
“In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Abraham Heschel, and the many Blacks and Jews who stood together in the fight for civil rights, we come together to support each other in the struggle against hatred and bigotry.
“In the words of the late John Lewis, “’We are one people, one family, the human family, and what affects one of us affects us all.’”