Friend —

EXCITING NEWS: Pittsburgh Steelers player Zach Banner is joining a panel co-hosted by Bend the Arc leaders in Pittsburgh to talk about solidarity, racism, and antisemitism.

Two weeks ago, Banner went viral for an emotional video tackling antisemitic comments from other athletes and advocating strongly for Black and Jewish solidarity.¹

Now, he’s joining a conversation with Black and Jewish activists in Pittsburgh, including Black Jews, who share his vision of solidarity — featuring leaders from Bend the Arc, 1Hood Media, and Repair the World.²

RSVP for the virtual panel on Thursday, July 23, at 7pm ET with the Steelers’ Zach Banner on fighting antisemitism, racism, and white supremacy.

We know that anti-Black racism and antisemitism are part of the machinery of white supremacy, and we are committed to dismantling them together with Black organizers inside and outside of our own Jewish community.

Hope you can make it for this powerful discussion!

The Bend the Arc team

Read more about the event from our Pittsburgh minyan below:

From: Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Pittsburgh
Subject: Steelers’ Zach Banner Talks Solidarity with Pittsburgh’s Black/Jewish Activists

Friends,

Please join Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Pittsburgh on July 23, 7pm Eastern, when Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Zach Banner will talk with activists from Pittsburgh’s Jewish and Black communities about the importance of solidarity following recent antisemitic comments by DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jackson’s comments — including one falsely attributed to Hitler — proved especially painful here in Pittsburgh, where we are still reeling from the 2018 mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Banner was one of the earliest voices in the NFL to respond, emphasizing the interconnections between racism and antisemitism and calling for Black/Jewish solidarity at a time when some are trying to divide the movement for social justice.

Banner will be joined by Black and Jewish activists from Pittsburgh, including Jews of color, who share his vision of solidarity and his commitment to the struggle against racism, antisemitism, and white supremacy. Other panelists will include hip-hop artist Jasiri X, founder of the artist/activist collective 1Hood; Julie Mallis, Director of Repair the World: Pittsburgh; MLB sportswriter Jonathan Mayo, a core leader of Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Pittsburgh; and Graie Hagans, National Organizer and Training Manager of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action. The conversation will be moderated by educational equity expert Michelle King.

You are warmly invited to join the conversation, which will be livestreamed on Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Pittsburgh’s YouTube channel.

For more details, and to RSVP, see our event page here.

In solidarity,

Bend the Arc Jewish Action: Pittsburgh

Sources:

1. ESPN, Steelers' Zach Banner in emotional video -- 'Let's all uplift each other'
2. TribLive, Steelers’ Zach Banner to speak of solidarity with Jewish and Black communities