Simon Wiesenthal Center Midwest's Annual Woman of Valor Luncheon

November 21, 2019

L-R: Musem of Tolerance Director, Liebe Geft and Women of Valor Honorees: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, author & journalist, Silvia Foti, and Israeli journalist, Sivan Rahav Meir

L-R FRONT ROW: AnitaMarie Nelson, Alderman Michele Smith, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Liebe Geft

L-R BACK ROW: Reverend Mitchell Johnson and Sean Tenner, Policy Advisors for SWC

A new Chicago City Council grant has been passed recognizing the need for increased tolerance education in Illinois in the wake of ongoing hate incidents. To honor and acknowledge those responsible for helping to move this historic grant along, the Simon Wiesenthal Center presented a resolution commending the Illinois General Assembly for passing the grant to assist the Simon Wiesenthal Center in developing a mobile Museum of Tolerance. The Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT) will be travelling to schools the beginning of the 2020 academic year, teaching the impacts of bigotry, discrimination and hate and the importance of diversity, tolerance and inclusion; all with Illinois-specific curriculum.

The Center honored three women who embody all the elements of this grant, at its Women of Valor luncheon. The women honored are;  Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, author/journalist Silvia Foti and Israeli journalist Sivan Rahav Meir, The Center’s Midwest Director, Alison Pure-Slovin said, “The power of change isn't derived from the top down, rather from the bottom up. It is the courage and audacity of people like these three women who have the incredible ability to turn the tides of hate and create a world that we can be proud of.”