Office of Global and Community Engagement

We begin by inspiring and empowering participants to understand and define antisemitism—not only as a concept, but as a lived human experience.

Using the IHRA Working Definition as our foundation, workshops and dialogues explore how antisemitism manifests in language, imagery, behavior, and institutions—and how empathy is essential to recognizing its harm.

By tracing Jewish experiences from the Iberian Peninsula to the Americas, including the lives of Sephardic Jews in South Texas, participants see connections between past and present, between global and local, and between historical injustice and personal responsibility.

Education is the heart of this initiative—and empathy is its pulse.

Through public lectures, student and faculty workshops, and community dialogues, participants explore the cultural, economic, and educational contributions of Sephardic Jewish communities across the Americas—especially their influence in South Texas and Northern Mexico.

These sessions go beyond information-sharing. They humanize history, helping participants connect emotionally with the lived experiences of Jewish families who helped build the region’s educational and civic institutions.

Education becomes our most effective tool for nurturing empathy, building social trust, and empowering communities across Texas to engage effectively in the prevention of antisemitism.

To extend impact, the project webpage features curated materials from UNESCO’s “Addressing Antisemitism Through Education”—a global platform supporting educators and learners in recognizing and countering antisemitism.

Resources include:

• Teaching and policy guides for educators
• Videos and readings connecting history with human stories
• Interactive learning tools that promote empathy, dialogue, and remembrance

These materials help transform learning into a human-centered, emotionally resonant experience—linking South Texas learners to a global network of educators and communities working toward shared understanding.

Antisemitism and intolerance cross borders—so our response must be transnational, cooperative, and grounded in empathy.

The project’s Transnational Advisory Board connects educators, researchers, and cultural leaders across the U.S., Mexico, and Spain to foster shared learning and collective action. Each member contributes unique perspectives that emphasize empathy as both a mindset and a method—essential to dialogue, diplomacy, and educational transformation.

Advisory Board Members

• Dr. James O’Meara – Dean, Global & Community Engagement, TAMIU
• Mrs. Maria Eugenia Calderon Porter – Expert in Community Development & Cross-Border Engagement
• Frédérique Ohayon – Project Manager, International Fundación HispanoJudía
• Mónica Sánchez Rubio – CEO, Fundación HispanoJudía
• Dr. Ricardo Lozano – Associate Professor & Interim Chair, College of Education, TAMIU
• Ingrid Fiehn – Amigos de la Fundación HispanoJudía
• Mariana Barberena – Office of Global & Community Engagement, TAMIU
• Maria Salazar – Office of Global & Community Engagement, TAMIU
• Zoila Franco Hinojosa – Research & Sponsored Projects, TAMIU
• Rene Salinas Salinas – Director, Facultad de Comercio, Administración y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (UAT) Nuevo Laredo
• Pamela Garza - HACU

Together, this board connects the story of South Texas to its broader heritage—from Madrid, Spain, to Monterrey, Mexico, and across Nuevo Laredo and Laredo—illustrating how empathy, education, and collaboration can unite communities and sustain engagement in preventing antisemitism across Texas and beyond.