Working Toward Racial Justice with Senator Art Haywood

Join us for the 37th Annual Ralph Granger Memorial Program as we welcome State Senator Art Haywood. As the Senator representing much of Northwest Philadelphia and parts of Montgomery County—and as a progressive leader in Harrisburg—Senator Haywood is well-positioned to consider with us questions such as:

• What race-related successes and challenges have you seen in this Senatorial district?
• What racial justice challenges and initiatives do you anticipate arising during 2021?
• What direction do you hope racial justice, including Black Lives Matter, will take moving forward?
• What advice could you give us, as a mostly white congregation, about how to create fruitful and sustainable relationships with African American organizations and individuals? How, in your opinion, could we be better and stronger allies?

About Senator Haywood:

Art Haywood was raised by his mother, a public-school teacher, who instilled in him the value of hard work and getting a quality education. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Morehouse College, attended the London School of Economics as a Marshall Scholar to complete his master’s degree, and then graduated from the University of Michigan Law school in 1985.

Art’s legal work has, whether institutional or private, has always been motivated by social justice. At Community Legal Services he saved families from foreclosure. As a lawyer with the nonprofit law firm Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS), he developed expertise on affordable, sustainable housing, community and economic development, utility matters, and preservation of home ownership.

In 2009, Art was inspired by President Barak Obama to run for township commissioner in Cheltenham. He won that election, and his work as commissioner included divesting pension money from gun-makers, starting the Sustainable Cheltenham initiative, and creating a non-discrimination ordinance for sexual orientation and gender identity. After serving as President of the Board of Commissioners in Cheltenham, he was elected State Senator for the 4^th district in 2014.

In the State Senate, Art has worked to reduce homelessness through expansion of the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Act and to pass requirements to test for lead in water in Pennsylvania schools. He successfully championed legislation to relocate domestic violence survivors living in public housing. In 2019 he completed a Poverty Listening Tour and issued a report with 20 recommendations to reduce poverty in every community of Pennsylvania. In 2020 he fought for $193 million in federal CARES Act funds to be allocated to prevent evictions, foreclosures and homelessness in Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Art represents Northwest Philadelphia, Cheltenham, Abington, and Springfield Townships in the State Senate. He lives in Wyncote with his wife, Julie. They have 3 adult children.

PLEASE NOTE: Links to services and events are not posted online. Rather, daily and weekly schedules with links are emailed to our member listserv. If you are not a GJC member but would like to receive these emails, please contact Program & Membership Director Kate Lawn at program@germantownjewishcentre.org to be added to our list.

About the Ralph Granger Memorial Shabbat:

Each year Germantown Jewish Centre dedicates a Shabbat to celebrating the life and legacy of Ralph Granger, beloved former custodian of GJC and a role model to our community, and rededicating ourselves to advancing race relations. Ralph Granger was well-loved and respected, a Christian African American who was known for his dignity and love for the synagogue. During his life he served as a role model to our community for valuing and respecting differences in others. The Granger Memorial Shabbat & Program continues to pay tribute to his memory, while focusing on current social issues pertinent to the larger community in which we live.

The Granger Memorial Shabbat is generously supported by the Paul and Hilda Minkoff Ralph Granger Memorial Endowment.