b'to do some growing beyond my own community, Harris says. That has definitely happenedfar from anything I could have imagined. I attend the meetings as a listener and learner. Its been really great and eye-opening to share experiences with members of both the African American and Jewish communities. Harris says that hearing first-hand from group members about their experiencesof racism and segregation has impelledher to consider new ways to look at community problems.Connecting city students with their own histories, We cannot solve all of the problems thatidentity and the communities around them. have been around for way too long, she adds. But we can begin to take action byThe Jewish Museum of Maryland (JMM), an agency of The Associated, has invested listening, learning and sensitizing ourselvesin Baltimore City youth through educational programming around immigration. to some harsh realities.One of those, Personal Stories: PROJECTED, looks to create memories and build Over the years, we have attendedunderstanding between diverse communities. theaters, museums, restaurants and evenIn the past, the JMM has collaborated with city schools such as Morrell Park birthday parties together. I appreciate myand Graceland Park-ODonnell Elementary/Middle School on this long-term filmWe Care About the Community friendships with both the Jewish and Africanproject. Students learn the art of storytelling through personal interviews and filmBecause its Our Community Too.American members, Harris says.production using their smartphones. The project also provides an opportunity for Sharing personal and cultural storiesstudents to learn more about their own family history and historical immigrationhelps build bridges between diverse groupsto Baltimore. and is the key to successfully growing andAmy Rosenkranz, a middle school social studies teacher at Graceland Park, developing our citys neighborhoods. worked with her seventh-graders on this project. We are Pleased to Support:Gilchrist Hospice Care The Salvation Army of Every student decided how they were going to share their family history. SomeCentral MarylandLearn about our work at associated.org.told stories about coming to the United States, some interviewed family membersAmerican Cancer Society GBMC Foundationand some used graphics such as cartoons to tell their story, Rosenkranz explains.American Heart Association Hopewell Cancer Support Sinai HospitalThe student-created short films were then screened at a red-carpet premiereBelieve in TomorrowJewish Community CenterThe Associated: Jewish held at the museum for family and community members.Childrens Foundation of Greater Baltimore Community Federation Working with the JMM helped to foster a greater sense of community amongof Baltimoremy students. All of them come from very different backgrounds. Listening to eachBuildingSTEPS Jewish Community Services The Ulman Cancer Fund others stories helped them empathize with one another and embrace the culturalChestnut Ridge VolunteerLifebridge Healthfor Young Adultsdiversity in our own neighborhood, Rosenkranz shares. We learned a lot about theFire Department Maiden Choice SchoolVehicles for ChangeJewish community and by listening to each others stories, discovered that we allMaryland SPCAhave challenges. We all can persevere. Plans to partner with Fallstaff Middle for the PROJECTED project this school year were put on hold in the wake of the global pandemic. We quickly pivoted all of our educational programs to the digital age so thatwe can meet teachers and students virtually in their classrooms, says Ilene Dackman-Alon, director of education at the JMM. Through the help of PowerPoint and Zoom, we are able to offer students an interactive and educational experience. Students learn about Baltimores role in historical immigration, specifically Jewish immigration, in a relevant, personal manner and examine the three immigrant communities who worshiped in the Lloyd Street Synagogue building. Partnering with the JMM is a great example of community building. These one-to-one connections with each other are the very foundation needed for change,MileOne.comRosenkranz says. Shoshana Harris'