BROADCASTS.com

b'

Thanksgiving 2020.\\xa0 With all the chaos and heartbreak that defines this year, I'll bet you this --America's Tables will look and feel a lot different.\\xa0 In the midst of turkey and all the trimmings, there will likely be talk of COVID tests and Zoom meetings.\\xa0 Virtual school and mask wearing.\\xa0 And the giant elephant in the room -- the Presidential election.\\xa0 That one may very well make your well thought-out family and friends "COVID bubble" burst. \\xa0

Here's a question for us all:\\xa0 Can we set aside our deepening divisions even long enough to give thanks and enjoy Grandma's pumpkin pie in peace?

What Makes Us American?

In my humble opinion, the answer is yes, if we choose to concentrate on what binds us together and makes us "unmistakably American". \\xa0 The bottom line is, unless you are Indigenous, we, or our ancestors, came here from somewhere else.\\xa0 Some of us were brought here by force.\\xa0 Others chose America in search of a better life and a better future.\\xa0 "Our stories help define our unique self-identities, and yet we share experiences and perspectives that now make us unmistakably American."\\xa0

I love that quote from my friend, Tali Blumrosen. \\xa0 Tali and I are Co-Chairs of "America's Table", an hour-long TV special designed to celebrate our diversity, foster dialogue and reflect on the values and humanity that bridge our communities -- Democracy, Freedom, Pluralism, Inclusiveness, Civility, Equality, Unity and Love.\\xa0 \\xa0 What better time to do this than the post-election, Thanksgiving season, and what better place than Houston, Texas, the most diverse city in the nation?

9-11 Roots

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) came up with the concept of "America's Table" in the aftermath of\\xa0 9-11.\\xa0 Back then, AJC invited Americans to grieve the lives lost during the terrorist attacks on our nation, while also celebrating our unity in diversity as a nation created by immigrants of all faiths.\\xa0 \\xa0 Nineteen years later, we grieve once again, this time at the quarter of a million American lives lost at the hands of COVID.\\xa0 But that's not all 2020 has brought us.\\xa0 There is rising racism and bigotry.\\xa0 There is polarization and fear.\\xa0 And there's that ever-widening political divide. Now, as they did back then, AJC invites us to express empathy with our fellow Americans who are mourning a myriad of losses, while also celebrating what unites us.\\xa0 AJC also invites you to join the Community of Conscience.

Watch on KPRC-TV, Saturday, November 28th

We hope you and your families will tune into KPRC-TV on November 28th, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, at 8pm central time.\\xa0 If you are not in the Houston area, you can watch the livestream on click2houston.com. \\xa0 We will share immigrant stories that inspire, celebrate our cultural roots and hopefully, entice you to cut each other some slack.\\xa0 We all basically want the same thing.\\xa0 We all love our country.\\xa0 It's time that we figure out how to love each other.\\xa0

www.ourvoicesmatterpodcast.com
www.lorellemedia.com

This podcast is devoted to empowering us all to better understand each other's differences...one story at a time.\\xa0 Emmy Award-winning journalist, Linda Lorelle, guides guests through insightful, unexpected conversations that reveal our common humanity.\\xa0 This show is not about politics per se; it is about finding a way to reclaim civility in the context of the contentious times in which we live, by sharing our personal and professional stories, in hopes that others might find a glimpse of themselves.