Natalie Dean (11) took two succinct breaths and fiddled with the slides clicker. Twenty-six or so pair of eyes lazered in on her intently, anticipating what she was going to say. She was here to open for a speaker she had brought in for her Ethnic Studies class. The topic—Jewish History and the History of Antisemitism. 

She began.

For once everyone was actually paying attention, actually listening to what she and later the speaker were saying. Something that in Dean’s past experiences often didn’t happen. 

Fighting antisemitism has been a lifelong battle for Natalie Dean (11). In middle school, members of Dean’s family were subjugated to a game created by Mesa Verde students called the Jew Touch. One student would have “the Jew Touch” and go around trying to tag other students. The only way to stop getting tagged was to form a mustache with your finger to look like Adolf Hitler. 

Dean says that this behavior, along with the many other instances of antisemitism she has faced in PUSD, have led her to becoming an activist. 

“I wanted to fight for what I believe in, what is right,” Dean said. “I was sick and tired of seeing [all the] hate around me.”

Last summer, Dean was able to secure an internship with Stand With Us, a non-profit organization that works to educate people on antisemitism. Through this internship, Dean traveled to an international conference in LA where she worked with other interns to learn about how they could fight antisemitism in their communities.

“The internship includes hundreds of teens from across North America and Israel,” Dean said. “We all have very similar views [about antisemitism], but also very different perspectives [politically]. We have these conferences, [which are basically] big conversations between everybody: the speakers,  the leaders, the teens, and it’s just a great way that we can all learn [together].” 

Through her internship Dean was able to learn some of the best methods for breaking down antisemitism as well as understanding it.

Dean says that when combating antisemitism, it’s important to categorize what types of antisemitism people are facing. This will allow one to go forward to deconstruct it in the best possible way. 

“[The three types of antisemitism] are apathy, malice and ignorance,” Dean said. “ I’ve seen all three in our school district. And it’s just something that I’ve just grown used to, which is not a good thing.”

Dean said that of all the types of antisemitism, she sees ignorance the most from the students at Westview. She said that some students don’t grasp the full understanding of what weight their words carry, spouting out hateful speech that carries with it thousands of years of hardship. 

“Sometimes people [in high school] are more immature than in middle school,” Dean said. “A lot of it is just ignorance, because they just don’t know [the power of] what they’re talking about.”

She says Westview is also plagued by those who are idle in the fight against antisemitism, contributing to its continuation. 

“At Westview, it’s really hard [for us], because there’s so many people who are kind of just kind of bystanders [to antisemitism],” Dean said. “And there isn’t a large Jewish population at Westview, so we need [allies] to stand with us.”  

Dean has been working in her Ethnic Studies course to create allies by spreading knowledge to her peers about Jewish culture and the different forms of antisemitism.

“I’ve taught them about the importance of Rosh Hashanah and Chanukkah,” Dean said. “I brought in a speaker to Ethnic Studies who taught the class for a whole period on antisemitism and the history of Jews in America. After [the talk] we had a giant class discussion about it.”

Outside of the classroom, Dean has been  working with BBYO, a Jewish teen youth organization, to spread awareness on the Jewish Diaspora, modern antisemitism and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“I’ve hosted conversations with other Jewish teens, and led programs [to educate] Jewish and non-Jewish teens,” Dean said.  

Looking to the future, Dean said she wants to continue her advocacy in college, changing perspectives while educating others and herself. 

“I hope to continue to still fight for my right as a human being, as well as fight for the rights of others,” Dean said. “[I will most likely do that] through schooling/majoring in Jewish history, or just educating and doing research.”