After a deadly hate crime shooting in 2014 at the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas, our community was devastated. From this act of pure hatred, a silver lining emerged.
Mindy Corporon, whose father and son were tragically killed, sprang into action, becoming an activist, turning her grief into a sense of purpose. Though Mindy and her family are not Jewish, she recognized that they were victims of antisemitic hate simply through participating in an event at a Jewish facility. She founded SevenDays, an organization committed to honoring the victims with the mission of spreading kindness and understanding within our diverse community through volunteerism, social justice and meaningful dialogue. This evil act led to a powerful movement, which I believe is able to have a large impact on our community.
I serve on the executive board of SevenDays’ Kindness Youth Leadership Team, a group of 48 diverse teens from around the Kansas City metro area. We organize community service efforts, initiate programs within schools, promote understanding of diverse traditions through attending religious and cultural events and create safe spaces for dialogue. SevenDays has evolved to have a substantial impact on our community.
One of the largest impacts of SevenDays for me is being able to express my Jewish identity and connect with others of different backgrounds. For the past two years, one of the most impactful events I was able to participate in was attending a community Iftar put on by the Dialogue Institute of Kansas City. It allowed me to connect with those of the Muslim faith from all backgrounds, as well as community leaders in public service. As I entered the Iftar, the aroma of cumin, cardamom and coriander wafting through the air increased my appetite. I wanted to grab a plate only to realize that I had eaten lunch while others around me had been fasting since dawn. My first Iftar dinner was remarkably similar to traditions of my own. By taking time to connect with others, learn about their cultures and find common ground, I established a meaningful understanding of how our different backgrounds are more similar than any of us had previously realized. Experiences like this through SevenDays Kindness Youth Leadership Team provided exposure to other cultures, which is one of the main reasons why I chose to participate in the cohort.
Through SevenDays, I helped raise awareness of my Jewish heritage and culture, bridging divides and building community. We do this through creating spaces for respectful dialogue and spaces of learning on many different topics of background and differences that we share. Through our ability to speak freely and understand each other, we have developed deep personal respect and friendships within the cohort.
I currently serve on the executive board as outreach committee chair, a position focused on creating partnerships with local businesses and leaders to help gain partners who will spread the messages of SevenDays. I previously served on the public speaking committee, speaking to schools and media outlets to share the message of the important work that SevenDays does.
Through the Seven Days Kindness Youth Leadership Team, I’ve learned how to lead in diverse environments. By engaging with others’ religious and cultural events, like an Iftar celebration, I developed a greater appreciation for the beauty of our differences while recognizing our common values. I worked to create safe spaces where teens could engage in respectful, meaningful dialogue. The leadership skills and community SevenDays has provided me with have been such an influential part of my high school journey, and everyone should learn and engage with this amazing organization.
