It was truly inspiring to be one of four thousand people at the Javits Center this past Monday and Tuesday for ADL’s Never Is Now 2026 Conference.
There were many insightful workshops and inspiring speakers, and it was so good to hear how many allies we have in the world against hate.
A few highlights for me:
- Richard Dickson, CEO of Gap, Inc., talked about his work at Gap, and also Mattel, to foster inclusivity and dignity for all people. All of his grandparents survived the Holocaust, and he has used his experience to reflect his Jewish values, including expanding the Barbie product line to include various body types, races, and disabilities. At Gap, all body types can find clothes that fit them, regardless of their gender, size, or race.
- Scott Galloway, the widely read author, spoke about the need for our society to focus on raising young men who can have healthy relationships and healthy lives. His book, Notes on Being a Man, focuses on a subject we don’t hear much about. He cites the alarming number of young men responsible for mass shootings, and also the large number who die by suicide. He urges us to raise our sons to take risks, and accept the lessons learned, to grow to be mentally healthy adults.
- Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist, spoke about her disappointment at American feminists who are not marching to protect Iranian women, who have been tortured, harassed, and even murdered, by the tyrannical Islamic regime for so long. She welcomes this war and hopes that the Islamic regime will be overturned. It was a perspective I had not heard firsthand before.
- The session between Jonathan Greenblatt and Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, was encouraging and heartwarming. They spoke of common values and mutual respect.
- ADL has automated models, as well as a team of people, analyzing online content for hateful language, and they work to promote inclusive and hate-free online spaces.
- Jacki Alexander, CEO of Honest Reporting, advised us to seek out social media sources that do not necessarily mimic our own point of view, to better understand other perspectives. She urged us to read comments on social media posts and respond where we see incorrect facts or hateful language. Also, all Jews must be Ambassadors for Israel in everything we do and say, because the media consistently demonstrates anti-Jewish and anti-Israel bias.
Overall, I came away feeling that we are a strong, resilient people and we are stronger together. It was exhilarating to be with so many people working to ensure a safe and healthy world for us and future generations.
— Barbara Schwartz, March 2026