My name is Kendra (they/them) and I am so excited to be working with DJJ as part of my fellowship with Repair the World Detroit! I’m originally from Pontiac, MI and have spent the last four years living across North Carolina. I recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Jewish Studies and Sociology. While at UNC, I focused my research on the racialization of Jews and the experiences of Jews of color in Jewish institutions. In North Carolina, I was an active member of Carolina Jews for Justice (CJJ), and it seems fitting that in returning to Michigan, I can build on that experience and expand my community through DJJ. 

I’m looking forward to learning from and working alongside DJJ staff and membership, deepening connections between Midwestern and Southern Jewish organizing, and living out a Judaism that aligns with my values. I’m always down to connect over Southern Jewry, liberatory Torah, and exchanging soup recipes.