“We make mistakes, and we will continue to make mistakes. The beauty of that is that we get to fix it, you know. But how we atone for that, how we move forward is what matters.” - Shawnee Turner

In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge welcome Shawnee Turner, Vice President of Education and Interpretation at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, to talk about the end of February and the beginning of March - where Black History Month meets Women’s History Month.

They discuss the legacy of civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, who passed away in February 2026, and the realities of building coalitions across communities, and why it matters to look honestly at both the triumphs and the tensions in our shared history.

Drawing on her work in museum education, Turner shares how expanding historical narratives—from well-known figures like Harriet Tubman to lesser-known heroes like Ellen Craft—can help us better understand justice, resilience, and the everyday acts of courage that move society forward.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Byron McCauley op-ed on Rev. Jesse Jackson

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2026/02/17/rev-jesse-jackson-death-legacy-civil-rights-opinion-column/88717590007/

Freedom Center statement on Rev. Jesse Jackson’s death

https://freedomcenter.org/voice/press_release/statement-rev-jesse-jackson/

Press coverage of Rev. Jackson’s relationship with Jewish communities over the years

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1979/09/27/2-jews-quit-jacksons-group/3da46535-3f5b-4f84-96ff-7fe90843e53c/

https://www.jta.org/2026/02/17/obituaries/jesse-jackson-civil-rights-leader-whose-1984-comments-undercut-jewish-relations-dies-at-84

https://www.auschwitz.org/en/museum/news/roma-and-sinti-genocide-remembrance-day,1376.html

Rev. Jackson’s legacy of including women in politics

https://19thnews.org/2026/02/jesse-jackson-opened-doors-black-women-politics

Perspective on women’s history being included at the Smithsonian

https://thepolitic.org/the-politics-of-representation-the-fight-for-the-smithsonian-womens-history-museum/

Visit the Freedom Center

https://freedomcenter.org/

Visit the Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

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“It is an interesting time to think about how these two days are established to remember and honor separate histories, but in so many ways, separate histories that are so interconnected, that have so many shared themes and shared lessons.”
- Kevin Aldridge, co-host

In this episode, Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge sit down with historian and civic leader Dan Hurley to talk about interconnectedness—between people, histories, and movements we’re often taught to see as separate. Recorded between MLK Day and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the episode explores how the fight against Nazi racial ideology abroad and the struggle for civil rights at home are deeply linked.

Dan shares his father’s remarkable World War II story: serving as a white officer in an all-Black Army unit that helped liberate Dachau, witnessing the extreme results of the Nazis’ racism and hate. But he also realized his troops were fighting racism at home. This episode challenges listeners to stretch their perspective, step into discomfort, and see how real change has always come from connection, courage, and action—not just good intentions.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Hear more about Dan Hurley’s experiences writing his book
https://youtu.be/h7SGU1Tlazg

Buy the book Crossing Borders, Expanding Boundaries
In person at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Commons, Cincinnati
Or online at Amazon
https://a.co/d/2FRQVWo

Visit the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in person in historic Union Terminal or online at
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Get tickets for the landmark exhibition Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.
At Cincinnati Museum Center until April, 2026
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/auschwitz-not-long-ago-not-far-away/

How the Nazis were influenced by U.S. Jim Crow laws
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/digital-program/nuremberg-laws-how-the-nazis-were-influenced-by-u-s-jim-crow-laws/

Double V campaign during WWII
https://www.nps.gov/people/james-gratz-thompson-originator-of-the-double-v-campaign.htm

Medgar Evers’ recognition for his service in WWII, in a quartermaster unit like Irwin Hurley led
https://news.va.gov/109033/veteranoftheday-army-medgar-evers/

Articles related to this episode
https://lamag.com/guest-column/cycling-through-history-on-international-holocaust-remembrance-day/
https://saportareport.com/bernice-king-mlks-work-essential-as-humanity-is-under-siege/columnists/adrianne-murchison/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/bernice-king-why-dr-king-233522155.html
https://atlantadailyworld.com/2026/01/10/king-holdiay-2026-mission-possible-2-building-community-uniting-a-nation-the-nonviolent-way/

https://communityjournal.net/op-ed-by-ben-jealous-we-must-finish-the-work-dr-king-died-doing/

https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/january-mlk-jr-remembrance-21291279.php

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“In a time that feels very dark and hopeless, they're finding hope in the humanity of others, not just what they're doing, but what they see communities doing to help.”

- Lucy May, Cincinnati journalist, on one of the stories of the year that brought her hope


“I'm thinking about the ripple effect and the fact that you know, who started this? It was one person who said, ‘Geez, you know, this is this massive issue happening on a national scale. And I can either choose to feel completely powerless, like I have no agency and lament it, or I can just say, What's one more thing I can do?’”

- Jackie Congedo, on the local person who started the program Grocery Buddies this year, to fill in the gap when SNAP benefits fall short


In a year dominated by heavy headlines, in this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, we made a deliberate choice to end with hope and light. Joined by longtime journalist and host of WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition, Lucy May, the hosts explore why our brains gravitate toward bad news—and why seeking out “points of light” is not naïve, but necessary.

Through powerful stories of wrongful conviction, radical forgiveness, and neighbors stepping up for neighbors, the episode makes the case that hope is an act of courage — and essential for us as upstanders to keep moving forward.


This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Watch Lovely Jackson, the documentary about Rickey Jackson
https://www.amazon.com/Lovely-Jackson-Matt-Waldeck/dp/B0DZ28SSMC

Listen to the Cincinnati Edition episode covering Rickey’s story
https://www.wvxu.org/show/cincinnati-edition/2025-10-20/rickey-jackson-lovely-jackson-innocence-project

Find out more about the Grocery Buddies program
https://grocery-buddies.org/

Listen to WVXU coverage of the Grocery Buddies
https://www.wvxu.org/news-from-npr/2025-11-01/as-snap-benefits-run-dry-grocery-buddies-are-footing-their-neighbors-food-bills

https://www.wvxu.org/local-news/2025-11-11/snap-recipients-shutdown-grocery-buddies-cincinnati

https://www.wvxu.org/show/cincinnati-edition/2025-11-26/cincinnati-community-comes-together-to-fill-gaps-in-hunger

Visit the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Read Kevin’s column about Ja’Marr Chase and his handling of the rude fan who wanted an autograph

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2025/06/30/cincinnati-bengals-jamarr-chase-plane-tiktok-fan/84412070007/

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As artificial intelligence of the future is applied to events of the past, how do we make sure truth and authenticity is the focus?

“We remove the human element out of it when we say, robot, go do this for me.”
- Jackie Congedo, on relying on AI to interpret history

Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge welcome guest Steve Coppel to discuss his father, Werner’s, story—now part of the powerful Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away. exhibition. Later, they explore how AI-generated misinformation threatens Holocaust remembrance and other historical events. With insight from the Auschwitz Museum’s Pawel Sawicki, this episode asks how we preserve authenticity and humanity in an age when even memory can be manipulated.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Tickets for Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/auschwitz-not-long-ago-not-far-away/

Hear more from Pawel Sawicki on his role at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/a-conversation-with-pawel-sawicki-press-officer-for-the-auschwitz-birkenau-state-museum/

AI articles discussed
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4xjk1g1xo
https://longreads.com/2025/09/25/ai-holocaust-survivors-memory/
https://www.d-id.com/news/the-heroes-speak-marking-80-years-for-the-warsaw-ghetto-uprising/

More to read on AI and the work of Holocaust memory
https://holocaustremembrance.com/news/does-ai-future-holocaust-memory

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When political division and violence dominate the headlines, how can we hold on to our shared humanity? Host Jackie Congedo is joined by guest Sean Comer, Vice President of the Leadership Center at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and founder of Beyond Civility: Communication for Effective Governance. Together, they explore how empathy, humility, and connection can counter polarization and strengthen the fabric of our communities.

“Talking about difficult topics, conversations where there's going to be significant disagreement - it takes practice.” – Sean Comer

Drawing lessons from the Holocaust and the words of survivors like Roma Kaltman and Al Miller, Jackie and Sean talk about the dangers of dehumanization—and the need to rebuild our “civic muscle” for dialogue across differences. Sean shares stories from more than a decade of work bringing people together—from students and public servants to business leaders—and shares his thoughts on how we got here and how we can move forward.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Learn more about Sean’s work

https://cincinnatichamber.com/leadership-center/

Coverage of the Eradicate Hate Summit

https://www.post-gazette.com/local/2025/09/17/eradicate-hate-summit-political-violence/stories/202509170085

https://www.wesa.fm/identity-community/2025-09-16/pittsburgh-anti-discrimination-stand-for-all-launch

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s keynote address at the Eradicate Hate Summit

https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/icymi--gov-shapiro-delivers-keynote-address-on-political-violenc

Joint statement from Ohio lawmakers on political violence

https://ohiohouse.gov/news/republican/senate-president-mccolley-senate-democratic-leader-antonio-house-speaker-huffman-house-minority-leader-isaacsohn-release-statement-condemning-political-violence-137836

Former Gov. John Kasich’s op-ed

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2025/09/22/kirk-minnesota-killings-are-part-of-troubling-pattern-in-us-opinion/86297939007/

Read more about “red capes” and “green capes”

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/2016-01-28/latest-news/penn-professor-explores-what-it-means-be-positive

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“Because it was brought here to Cincinnati, I think it also gives way to this idea that, you know, the Holocaust is, is international history, right? It's European history, global history, but it's our local history too.”

– Director of Collections & Exhibitions Cori Silbernagel on the suitcase that Holocaust survivor Werner Coppel carried from Europe to Cincinnati

Werner Coppel was just 19 when he survived a death march from Auschwitz, only to open the newspaper decades later and be faced with outright Holocaust denial in Cincinnati - the city where he had rebuilt his life and now considered home. He chose to fight back by using his voice and speaking his truth. He began telling his story and shared his personal experiences with audiences until his death in 2016. “My dad realized if he didn’t speak up, he’d be a bystander and he couldn’t do that. He had to stand up. He had to be an upstander,” said his son, Steve Coppel. This episode takes you into our archives to learn about some very important artifacts – not frequently seen publicly - that help tell Werner’s incredible story. You can learn more about Werner’s life both in the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center and in the exhibition Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. The exhibition opens in October, 2025. Link to tickets below.

The opportunity to bring this exhibition to Cincinnati has been generously supported by Rhonda and Larry Sheakley, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission and

H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Jacob G. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Helen G., Henry F., Louise Tuechter Dornette Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Western & Southern Financial Group

Les and Renee Sandler

The Kanter/Knue Family

The Neil Bortz Family

Rosenthal Family Foundation

Beth and Louis Guttman

To Bear Witness: Stories from Auschwitz to Cincinnati is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling.

Special thanks to Julie and John Cohen for their support of this series.

Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. was created by Musealia in cooperation with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. Presented by NEON.

Musealia https://www.musealia.net/

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum https://www.auschwitz.org/en/

NEON https://www.neonglobal.com/en/

Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. ticket info, additional resources for both adults and students, travel itineraries and more https://www.cincymuseum.org/auschwitz/

Visit the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Send a text

“We hear that in a lot of survivor stories... saying you're trained as something, that you're not, in a way, to survive.” - Trinity Johnson, Director of Holocaust Programs & Museum Experiences at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center

This episode of our limited podcast series accompanies the upcoming exhibition Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away., opening October 2025 at Cincinnati Museum Center. We share the powerful local stories of two survivors: Henry Meyer, a violin prodigy from Dresden whose musical gift became his lifeline, and Bella Ouziel, a young woman from Salonika who endured loss but found strength in camp sisterhood and spiritual resistance. Their journeys of survival and rebuilding in Cincinnati illuminate the resilience of the human spirit.

The opportunity to bring this exhibition to Cincinnati has been generously supported by Rhonda and Larry Sheakley, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati, the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission and

H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Jacob G. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Helen G., Henry F., Louise Tuechter Dornette Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

Western & Southern Financial Group

Les and Renee Sandler

The Kanter/Knue Family

The Neil Bortz Family

Rosenthal Family Foundation

Beth and Louis Guttman

Interviews of Roma Kaltman, Rozalia Berke, Henry Meyer, and Bella Ouziel

are from the archive of the USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education

For more information:

http://sfi.usc.edu/

To Bear Witness: Stories from Auschwitz to Cincinnati is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Special thanks to Julie and John Cohen for their support of this series. Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. was created by Musealia in cooperation with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum.

Presented by NEON.

Musealia

https://www.musealia.net/

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

https://www.auschwitz.org/en/

NEON

https://www.neonglobal.com/en/

Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. ticket info, additional resources for both adults and students, travel itineraries and more

https://www.cincymuseum.org/auschwitz/

Visit the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Send a text

“Bias doesn’t just live in the people we don’t like. It lives in the mirrors that we look in every day in our homes.” – Kevin Aldridge

Season 2 of The Upstander Ripple Effect kicks off with a powerful conversation about self-awareness—how recognizing our own biases, blind spots, and strengths shapes how we behave in our lives and communities.

Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge reflect on current events, the challenges of honest self-reflection, and the importance of “knowing ourselves accurately.” Later, guest Carrie McCarthy shares how Pleasant Hill Middle School in Cincinnati is embedding character strengths and upstander values into the heart of its culture, inspiring students to see themselves—and each other—as capable of creating positive change.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Kevin’s Op-Ed

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2025/08/19/cincinnati-brawl-viral-race-white-black-people-downtown/85656149007/

The Key to Critical Self-Awareness by Arthur C. Brooks (subscription required)

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/04/know-yourself-socrates/682458/

Upstander curriculum resources

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/resources/upstander-activities/

Action Reconciliation Service for Peace

https://us.asf-ev.de/

From Nazism to Never Again by Richard Evans (subscription may be required)

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/western-europe/2017-12-12/nazism-never-again

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