Six million Jews, 11 million victims and one oppressive leader. Nationwide, 16 museums are dedicated to spreading awareness about the devastating effects surrounding the Nazi genocide. The Holocaust Center for Humanity spreads its mission of educating the community about the Holocaust through its exhibits showcasing the events of the genocide that took the lives of over 11 million people. The museum volunteers and employees strive to end the stigma behind hard-hitting subjects like the Holocaust and despite the chilling subject, aim to promote an educated and aware community.
"Our mission is to educate and inspire sudents to take actions and [use] the holocaust as a lens for them to understand how tolerance can make a difference in the world today," Julia Thompson, education associate said. "We want students to [learn] about how a small change or action can make a difference."
Working with students from Oregon to Alaska, the Holocaust Center for Humanity educates Millennials through school tours of the museum, promoting a more tolerant society. Along with pushing out vital information about the events of the Holocaust, the museum focuses on what the current generation can do to spread awareness in their communities and promote an inclusive society against oppression.
"Jews during the Holocaust are not the only minority group that has been affected by oppression," Thompson said. "Students today are facing difficulties sometimes if they are part of a minority group or [face] bullying. Without making direct comparisions, we [want] students [to] understand that being different is OK and we need to celebrate [differences]."
Along with the anti-bullying and anti-oppressionist messages, the museum hopes for there to be a stronger push for Holocaust education in schools nationwide. Deprived of this imperative historical knowledge in her own history classes, Thompson said she wants students to be more informed about these devastating events to help foster a more sensitive and aware society.
"There are only about seven states where [teaching about] the Holocaust is mandated," Laurie Warshal Cohen, special projects development employee said. "Unlike other European countries, the United States does not have a set curriculum, and [learning about the Holocaust] is not mandated in Washington."
This educational issue drives the museum to continue its pursuance of change. As visitors exit, they grab a bright green sticker that states, 'change begins with me.' The museum employees said these stickers are a reminder for people to continue to spread awareness outside the walls of the Holocaust museum.
"I'm invested in trying to make my community a better place," Thompson said. "I don't think Holocaust education should be more or less important than education about human rights issues, other genocides or social justice. We just need to be cognizant of respecting everybody."
