On Wednesday, Feb. 19, The American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando's Jewish Community Relations Council hosted a community briefing at the JCC Maitland campus. The program, "Expanding the Base: Bipartisan Pro-Israel Support Among African-Americans" featured two leading activists from Orlando's African-American community, Alisia Adamson and Lucas Boyce.         

The goal of the program was to educate the Jewish community about the strength of the American pro-Israel community. It is important for the Jewish community to feel they are not alone in their support of Israel.

Alisia Adamson, founding partner at Hylton, Adamson Watson Law, and Lucas Boyce, director of Business Development & Legislative Affairs at The Orlando Magic, both participated in an American-Israel Education Foundation seminar in Israel. They each spent a week in Israel visiting historic, cultural and religious sites in the Jewish State. Both left Israel with new insight and respect for Israel's struggles in the Middle East, and passionate about their support for Israel.

The audience was moved to hear their ability to connect to Israel's past and champion her future. They spoke about the influence of Israel's commitment to justice and how they witnessed it in every aspect of Israel's culture. Adamson expressed a deep appreciation that she was able to visit Christian sites freely, noting Israel's commitment to religious freedom, unlike her neighboring countries. Boyce shared how moved he was by the youth villages in Israel, helping raise children from all over the world. It resonated deeply with his own experiences of being welcomed into a foster home and later adopted by his family.

Both speakers were equally moved by Yad Vashem, feeling similarities to the African-American community's struggles and understanding the need for a Jewish State.

The program was an uplifting evening for all in attendance. Members of the Jewish community, AIPAC supporters and students from Bethune Cookman University all left feeling confident of their support for Israel.