2021 Honorees at ADL In Concert Against Hate

Rabbi Philip and Ruth Lazowski: Both Holocaust survivors, the story of the Lazowskis is one of kindness, faith and individual bravery in the face of humanity’s darkest moment. At age 11, Philip was separated from his family and caught up in a selection in a Polish ghetto. He was saved when Ruth’s mother, who had papers that proved she had a needed skill, pretended he was her son. After the war, he was reunited with the woman who saved him that day and later, Ruth and Philip married. The couple live in Hartford, CT and have dedicated their lives to Holocaust awareness and education, and their unwavering fight against bigotry and hate.

Jessica Owyoung: Earlier this year, outraged by a series of devastating attacks against Asian Americans, Jess knew she had to do something. Connecting with others in her community, she co-founded “Compassion in Oakland,” an organization that pairs volunteers with elderly Asian Americans who may feel unsafe going on walks or running errands. Volunteers also help write police reports and provide translation assistance. Today, more than 1,000 volunteers have stepped up in Oakland, representing all racial backgrounds, cultures and ages. Jess has helped the organization to launch additional chapters in other cities.

Olivia Coley Pearson: “It’s OK to get locked up, but not to give up,” Olivia has said about her decades of work to advocate for the Black community and protect the right to vote in Douglas, GA. She has paid the price... she was criminally charged with voter fraud in 2012 for helping a first-time voter use a voting machine to cast a ballot, brought to trial for that in 2016, and charged again in the 2020 elections. Her goal is to inspire and embolden the City of Douglas’ Black residents and to provide the voters with ways to right racial wrongs.

Isaac de Castro and Julia Jassey: The Jewish on Campus Instagram account they started as students in 2020 to anonymously document antisemitism on campus now has more than 30,000 followers, and Isaac and Julia have expanded their advocacy to other social media channels and launched a podcast about their experiences living as Jewish students of diverse backgrounds, offering education about Jewish identity and discussing how to speak about support for Israel on campus. They are passionate about “providing a safe space for Jews of all backgrounds to speak up against antisemitism on college campuses.”