The popular social justice mantra “none of us is free until all of us are free” has been adapted by many an activist. A statement of deep solidarity with our shared human plight the original quote was penned by Jewish activist and poet Emma Lazarus who wrote in 1883, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.“ Descended from Portuguese Jews who fled to Europe in the wake of the inquisition, her family eventually immigrated to New York where she is most famous for her poem about the Statue of Liberty, which is affixed to its base on a bronze placard. Lazarus was a lifelong activist for immigration support and cultural preservation. Originally inspired by the Russian May Laws — legislation put in place to restrict the residency and business possibilities of Russian Jews — Lazarus’ commitment to global liberty echoes on in the voices of those who chant her words, among them, Golda Meir during her 1969-74 tenure as the first female prime minister of Israel, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, and many other activists across the globe in protests today.

Israel and Jews have a long tradition of activism on behalf of any community under persecution, even though they are often not afforded the same in return. The work continues: none of us is free, until all of us is free.

A reminder: Deligitimizing Jewish or Palestinian connections to the homeland is a bad look. Peace is the right look. Let’s focus on that.