Carolyn Siegel Is on a Mission to End Antisemitism with 'If You Heard What I Heard'

If You Heard What I Heard founder and executive director Carolyn Siegel is doing her part to end antisemitism.

PHOTO BY ZUSHA GOLDIN

What is the mission of If You Heard What I Heard?

It’s to humanize the history of the Holocaust, making the stories personal and relatable through modern Holocaust education in an effort to instill more hope and empathy, and end antisemitism.

Why did you start the organization?

As the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors, my grandparents spoke to me about paying attention to warning signs, a rise in antisemitism being one of them. After an antisemitic incident near The Grove in May, 2020, I thought if more people today heard the stories I heard, about what grandparents like mine lived through, we wouldn’t see such high levels of hate.

What do you hope people get out of hearing these stories?

I hope they feel a personal connection to our families and understand how easy it can be for hate to take hold when not enough people take a stand against it. I hope our audience feels inspired in their own lives, that they walk away with a unique perspective on resilience and empathy.

How do you think your grandparents would react to your work?

I think they would tell me to keep sharing these stories, to always remember them and their families. They would tell me to stay strong in the face of every adversity, but more than anything, I think they would give me a big hug and be beaming with pride, knowing that their granddaughter is doing everything possible to live up to the promise to them to make sure the world will never forget. ifyouheardwhatiheard.com