April Powers
VP of DEI at Project Shema
A) What qualities make the nominee deserving of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award?
April Powers is the VP of DEI at Project Shema, a start-up nonprofit built by progressive Jews that seeks to address contemporary antisemitism (anti-Zionism) by providing training and support to the Jewish community and its allies. April brought her extensive experience as a DEI executive to Project Shema after she resigned from her role as Chief Equity Officer at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators following the tsunami of online hatred she received from the members of her association after she publicly condemned the alarming rise in antisemitism following the war between Israel and Gaza in 2021. Recognizing that she had failed to include Jewish identity and antisemitism in her own DEI practice, April joined Project Shema to specifically design a DEI training that incorporated the Jewish experience. This first of its kind offering was made available to companies across the United States providing workshops to Jewish employee resource groups (ERGs) as well as to DEI and corporate leaders. Of note, April’s program arrived at a time when Jews in corporate America were experiencing deep isolation, fear, and erasure as many companies failed to acknowledge and often refused to address the realities facing their Jewish employees. April’s ability to expertly model civil discourse as well as her sensitivity to the diversity within our community (April is a Black Jew) and her empathy for the diversity outside of our community, made her extremely successful in her efforts to build relationships with corporate DEI teams and Jewish employees and to expand and deepen the understanding of the Jew within companies of all sizes and across all verticals. In addition to her work at Project Shema, she is currently a part of various working groups focused on revitalizing the covenant between the Black and Jewish communities.
B) In what ways has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to their work in bridging divides?
April has been masterful at bridging divides in several different contexts. First, notwithstanding the highly polarized environments within companies, she has been able to establish enduring relationships with a network of corporate DEI professionals who have had the opportunity to learn from her workshops and to seek additional support and guidance from her as they navigate the ongoing challenges occurring in the workplace related to Israel and the inclusion of Jewish employees within DEI programs and priorities. Her growing portfolio of more than 75 clients includes companies such as Amazon, Linkedin, Zoom, Carmax, Airbnb and Genentech and speaks to the deep need for her work. Relatedly, she has just teamed with Linkedin to produce an online course for their catalog on expanding the lens of DEI to include the Jewish experience. Extending beyond the corporate world, she is now leading conversations around including Jewish identity in the nonprofit sector, school, and anywhere inclusion is a part of doing business.
Second and perhaps more important, April has built bridges within our own community. While we often think about these efforts in terms of bridging ideological, cultural, or political divides, April’s work has been instrumental in building a welcoming community for the many Jews in the workplace many of whom are unaffiliated and unfamiliar with their own history and therefore uncomfortable advocating for themselves and their colleagues. Her sessions have allowed Jews from all different backgrounds (geographic, political, religious, racial, economic) to convene together, learn from one another, and feel empowered by the knowledge they gained and the connections they formed. This type of adult community building is so foundational that we sometimes forget how precious, important, and central it is to forging a healthy and thriving peoplehood.
C) How has the nominee's work impacted the Jewish community and beyond?
April has given the Jewish community a language and ability to address and understand the current manifestations of antisemitism in a way that resonates with audiences who tend to identify as left, progressive, or social justice minded. Her experience as a Black Jew and a DEI executive has fortified her credibility with her DEI colleagues across the country and has allowed her to have access to and a platform with a wide range of constituents within the Jewish community and the non-Jewish community. During this time when our community is experiencing intense social isolation, April remains an incredible resource and bridge builder who has helped give confidence and comfort to the Jewish community and be a source of reason and information to those outside our community.
Testimonials:
April is a social change leader who has deep experiences in supporting both the Jewish -profit sector while also being able to support the advancement of justice and equity in corporate, entertainment and academic sectors. Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein Rabbinic Scholar and Public Affairs Advisor, Jewish Federations of North America
Since the day I met April, she has been a critical resource and sounding board and a trusted member of my personal board of directors. Whether through my official work with Zioness, or in navigating communal challenges and dynamics in other realms, she has continuously educated both me personally and my audience on DEI, Black and Jewish intersectionality, and Jewish identity. She has a rare ability to educate without being pedantic, and to connect in a way that bridges divides rather than increasing polarization. She is a committed bridge builder––for the communities she inhabits and for all others––and a leader who deserves recognition for her immeasurable impact. - Amanda Berman Executive Director, Zioness.
Wow – Ms. Powers was incredibly informative. I need more time and repetition to digest. One hour does not do the history or message justice. Army Major Cheryl Shefchik
We asked Project Shema to provide our agency leaders with a training on antisemitism and racism, and we were very impressed. April presented the content in a way that was relevant both to our work as the state K–12 education agency, as well as to each of us as individuals. She provided us with learning that was informative and, most importantly, actionable. –Tennille Jeffries-Simmons, Chief of Staff, Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
April, You are such an inspiration to me as I continue to live my life as a Jew of Color. We share a passion for education, DEI, and celebrating all that we are! (anonymous)